Changes to KPNO Observing Policies

As you read in the article from Sidney Wolff, the NSF has allocated a reduced operations budget to NOAO this year. The exact level for KPNO has not yet been decided at the time of writing this article. The KPNO budget will, however, be below the zero-based model for running three telescopes. We are currently running five telescopes plus supporting NSO activities on Kitt Peak. We must therefore reluctantly make some reductions in availability of observing facilities. Our memorable Web posting suggested that we would close telescopes altogether. I will try to avoid that alternative by some radical approaches to availability, which will be described in more detail in the next Newsletter.

Here are guidelines for observing proposals for Semester 1999B:

• KPNO facility instruments will be scheduled in blocks for a minimum of two weeks on all telescopes.

• The Mayall 4-m and 0.9-m telescopes will be scheduled for runs of no less than 4 nights.

• The 2.1-m and Coudé Feed telescopes will typically be scheduled for runs no less than 7 nights. (If your science program requires fewer than the minimum number of nights, go ahead and propose! We make every effort to schedule highly ranked proposals, and we do need some flexibility.)

• The 0.9-m will be scheduled for the CCD Mosaic Imager only, as demand for the instrument on the 4-m permits.

We are investigating the possibility of using T2KA on the 2.1-m for imaging, and have some optimism for its availability for the coming semester. In the technical section of your proposal, please let the TAC know about the difference in scope of the project or time required with T1KA versus T2KA.

These changes represent an attempt to minimize the losses of high quality scientific results based on KPNO facilities, while coping with a subcritical budget allocation. A guiding principle is to maintain proposal-driven access to unique observing capabilities on the smaller aperture telescopes. The 0.9-m telescope + CCD Mosaic provide unique wide-field capability; the grasp of the single-chip imager can be duplicated elsewhere with some compromise, even at the 2.1-m. The Coudé Feed enables very high dispersion spectroscopy, particularly with Camera 6. The 2.1-m plus Phoenix, SQIID, and eventually Flamingos offers a powerful vehicle for near-IR observing. Even restricted access to such capabilities will continue to produce forefront science.

As one of many additional impacts, we were unable to offer a new postdoctoral position for this coming year, despite the high quality of the applicants. As always, I am open to your comments, which I intend to share with the NSF.

Richard Green