DATE: Tue, 1 Sep 2009 12:57:50 +1000 SUBJECT: Call for Gemini, Magellan, Keck and Subaru Proposals in Semester 2010A Proposals for Australian access to the Gemini, Keck, and Subaru telescopes for Semester 2010A (1 Feb 2010 - 31 Jul 2010) are due by: ***** 11.59pm AEST, Wednesday 30th September 2009 ***** Australian proposals for Magellan time in Semester 2010A (mid-Jan 2010 - mid-July 2010) are due by: ***** 11.59pm AEST, Wednesday 7th October 2009 ***** What's new for Semester 2010A? ------------------------------ - Following the Joint Subaru/Gemini Science Meeting in May 2009, the time exchange agreement between Gemini and Subaru has been significantly expanded. At least 5, and up to 10 classical nights on Subaru are available to the Gemini community, with all facility instruments including: * COMICS, a mid-infrared camera and spectrograph. * FOCAS, an optical imager and spectrograph with longslit, multi-slit, polarimetry, and spectropolarimetry modes. * HDS, an optical high dispersion spectrograph with a resolution up to R=160,000. * IRCS, a near-infrared camera with coronagraphic and natural guide star adaptive optics (AO188) modes, as well as longslit spectroscopy with resolution up to R=20,000. * MOIRCS, a wide-field near-infrared imager and multi-object spectrograph. * Suprime-Cam, a prime-focus optical wide-field imager. - The near-infrared camera and multi-object spectrograph FLAMINGOS-2 was delivered to Chile in July 2009. Acceptance Tests are now underway on Gemini South, and pending successful commissioning it is anticipated that a call will be made sometime during Semester 2010A for Science Verification proposals. - Two new instruments are scheduled to be commissioned at Magellan before the end of 2009: * Megacam is a CCD mosaic optical camera covering a 25' x 25' field of view at 0.08" per pixel. * The MMT Magellan Infra-Red Spectrograph (MMIRS) is a wide-field near-infrared camera and multi-object spectrograph, with a field of view of 6.9' x 6.9' at 0.2" per pixel, spectral resolutions of 1300 or 3500, and capacity for up to 9 slit masks. Note that Megacam and MMIRS use the new f/5 secondary mirror on the Clay telescope. When these instruments are mounted at certain times during 2010A (to be scheduled depending on demand), the f/11 instruments MIKE, MagE, and MagIC will not be available. - ATAC encourages applications which can tolerate a wide range of observing conditions on Gemini. Note that by being able to relax their observing condition constraints, and avoiding the most sought-after right ascensions, nearly all ATAC program in Band 3 for Semesters 20008B and 2009A were able to be 100% completed. ATAC would also welcome more ambitious Gemini and Magellan proposals seeking substantial fractions of Australian time, as well as large programs seeking time jointly with other Gemini or Magellan partners. - The high resolution near-IR spectrograph Phoenix on Gemini South will again be offered, though due to the intended commissioning of GSAOI with MCAO, its availability in the second half of 2010A may be limited. How to apply ------------- Gemini applications must be submitted using the 2010A release of the Phase I Tool (PIT) software. Keck and Subaru applications are also submitted using the PIT. For full details on instrument availability and application procedures, please see: http://ausgo.aao.gov.au/cfp.html as well as the official Gemini Observatory Call for Proposals: http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/observing-with-gemini/2010a-call-for-proposals Magellan applications must be submitted electronically using the LaTeX form, as described at: http://ausgo.aao.gov.au/magellan.html Need help? ---------- For general enquiries about Australian usage of Gemini, Magellan, Keck, or Subaru, please contact the Australian Gemini Office (ausgo -@- aao.gov.au). For technical queries about a Gemini Phase I proposal, please use the Gemini Helpdesk: http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/helpdesk/ For technical queries about a Magellan proposal, please contact one of the Magellan Fellows: http://ausgo.aao.gov.au/contact.html#mf Stuart Ryder Australian Gemini Scientist ausgo -@- aao.gov.au