The deadline for observing proposals for the spring semester (1 February-31 July) is 30 September. A summary of the key changes in instrument and telescope availability follows. Details concerning performance of, and how to apply for, specific instruments can be found elsewhere in the Kitt Peak section of the Newsletter.
New Instruments
CCD Mosaic Imager: We are beginning the commissioning of an 8K x 8K mosaic of CCDs for optical imaging at the prime focus of the 4-m telescope and at the 0.9-m telescope. We want to make this instrument available to the community as soon as possible, but many steps remain before it is usable for science. In a later article in this Newsletter, we summarize the status and general capabilities of the instrument and describe how to apply for it. The goal of the procedure is to make this powerful new instrument available during the spring semester if at all possible, while minimizing the work required to submit an application, since we cannot guarantee that the imager will be usable by then. Updates on the CCD Mosaic performance and availability will be posted to the Mosaic Web page at http://www.noao.edu/kpno/mosaic/mosaic.html.
Phoenix High Resolution IR Spectrometer: Phoenix will be offered at the 2.1-m telescope during the spring semester. Since the instrument has just recently achieved first light, many questions remain to be answered about its performance characteristics, the software still must be made user friendly, and the degree of reliability is undetermined. Potential users should submit proposals for shared risk observing to the TAC following the standard procedure. Updates on performance characteristics as we obtain them during the fall semester will be posted on the Phoenix Web page, which can be accessed from the KPNO page.
OSU IR Imager/Spectrometer: With the shipment of COB to CTIO, KPNO no longer has a state-of-the- art near-infrared imager available. We are in the process of concluding arrangements to borrow an imager/spectrometer from Ohio State University and the MDM Observatory; this imager will be equipped with one of the new Aladdin arrays under development at NOAO. The instrument will be offered for shared-risk observing at the 2.1-m or 4-m telescope during at least two bright runs each semester.
Optical Imaging and Spectroscopy
Optical imaging is offered at five of the KPNO telescopes (the Mayall, WIYN, 2.1-m, 0.9-m, and Burrell Schmidt). Similarly, we offer a variety of spectroscopic options at various telescopes. To make it easier to determine which setup is right for a specific program, we have summarized the capabilities on the world-wide web. These summaries can be accessed through the KPNO Web page or reached directly at http://www.noao.edu/kpno/instruments.html.
Operational Simplifications
We have identified a number of simplifications in operations that will help to lower costs with what we believe will be minimal impact on the user community. First, we would like to minimize configuration changes, that is changes in instrument setups that normally require support from downtown, during observing runs. Observers requesting such changes during observing runs should flag their requirements in the observing proposal and should be prepared to do much of the work themselves; we will provide the necessary training, but observers must allow time for that training when planning for their arrival on the mountain. Support staff will work out schedules with observers.
0.9-m Secondary: People wishing to use the f/13.5 secondary at the 0.9-m telescope should offer strong justification for why it, rather than the f/7.5 secondary, is required. The f/13.5 configuration has limited application and produces somewhat poorer images than the f/7.5 secondary. Thus, we strongly encourage observers to use the f/7.5 secondary except in cases where the improved scale is crucial to the proposed observations. If you feel that you need the f/13.5 secondary, please make your case in the technical section of your telescope proposal.
Cutoff of observing applications: The TAC will be asked to indicate for each telescope those proposals that do not merit support even if observing time is available. Any open time will be left unscheduled, except for targets of opportunity (a supernova of magnitude -5 or events of comparable significance) or other time critical observations that could not have been planned in advance. We have in the past solicited applications for time that was left unscheduled by the TAC, but such applications do not receive the careful scientific scrutiny provided by the allocation committee; supporting these last minute programs involves more effort than is required for observing runs scheduled through the normal TAC process.
Telescope Availability
All of the telescopes now operated at KPNO (the 4-m, WIYN, 2.1-m, Coudé Feed, 0.9-m, and Burrell Schmidt) will remain in service during the spring semester unless the budget for NOAO is reduced below the level that currently appears likely. It remains the case that we do not have sufficient funds to support the steady state operation of these six telescopes, where steady-state includes not only day-to-day operations but also improvements, major repairs and upgrades, and new instruments. However, closing these telescopes at the present time would eliminate certain scientific capabilities--high resolution spectroscopy at the Feed, wide-field imaging at the 0.9-m, and objective prism spectroscopy at the Burrell Schmidt. We will do everything we can to avoid closing these telescopes until the same capability is offered elsewhere.
We believe that when the mosaic CCD imager becomes available, it will offer better capabilities for wide-field imaging than does the Burrell Schmidt. We suggest that new and ongoing imaging programs at the Schmidt should be designed so that the observations can be obtained at the 4-m or the 0.9-m in subsequent semesters, or else the proposals should justify why the program requires the Schmidt and define how long it will take to complete the program. We are continuing to assess what to do with programs that make use of the objective prisms at the Schmidt since that capability is unavailable elsewhere.
Instruments to be Phased Out
We have identified a few instruments that we believe can be phased out either because equivalent or better capability is offered elsewhere at KPNO or because the level of use is incommensurate with the required support effort.
NICMASS: Phoenix offers spectral coverage and performance that is substantially better than that provided by NICMASS. In the spring semester, we will restrict the use of NICMASS to continuing programs for which uniformity of the data set is critical. We encourage users of NICMASS to request enough time to complete such ongoing programs as soon as possible.
CCDPhot at 0.9-m: The demand for CCDPhot is low, and our limited resources are not adequate to maintain operation at the level necessary to provide first-rate data. On-going programs will be supported, but no new programs will be accepted beyond the Spring of 1997. Applications for CCDPhot for the spring semester should indicate what observations will be required to complete the proposed program. There will be several meetings this fall as part of an AURA effort to understand how to maintain access to small telescopes in the northern hemisphere. We will explore the feasibility of making CCDPhot available elsewhere. People interested in having access to this capability should describe the scientific programs they would like to pursue in an e-mail to swolff@noao.edu so that we can be sure to present the case for CCDPhot at the upcoming meetings.
Goddard Fabry-Perot: The Goddard Fabry-Perot has been available as a shared-risk user instrument through special arrangement with Goddard scientists, who have provided the necessary support. Because of funding and personnel changes, this support is no longer available. People who wish to use the Goddard Fabry-Perot should contact Bruce Woodgate or his Goddard colleagues directly to determine whether a collaborative program is feasible.
Sidney Wolff