Applying for Observing Time

2024B Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) Call for Shared Time Proposals

 

The Call for Proposals for the AAT process is outlined below. Please read these instructions carefully. The AAT will issue two separate calls in each observing semester, the Call for Reserved Time followed by the Call for Shared Time. For further information, please read the proposal web page or email any questions to AATscheduler@mso.anu.edu.au.

 

The proposal deadline for AAT Shared Time in Semester 2024B (1 August 2024 – 31 January 2025) is:

 

10 May 2024, at 17:00
Australian Eastern Standard Time (UTC + 10 hrs)

 

Only astronomers and researchers affiliated with Partner institutions can be listed on proposals requesting reserved and shared time.

 

Partners for 2024B are the Australian National University, Macquarie University, Monash University, University of Melbourne, University of New South Wales, University of Queensland, University of Southern Queensland, University of Swinburne, University of Sydney, University of Tasmania and Western Sydney University.

 

Night Availability

There are 23 Dark, 12 Grey, and 56 Bright nights available for Shared Time Proposals.

Proposals are submitted to the AAT's online application system Lens.

 

Instrument Availability

Available AAT instruments include: Hector, KOALA and Veloce. 

2dF will not be offered in 2024B. It is being refurbished. We plan to make it available for semester 2025A.

Hector and Veloce will continue to be offered in shared risk mode.

Six weeks will be set aside for the AAOmega LN2 Can Replacement. The current plan is for the replacement to begin in January 2025.

Additional instrumentation status information and updates are available on the AAT instrumentation website.

 

KOALA and Veloce Training

Training for KOALA will be offered on May 27^th and Veloce training will be offered on July 16^th. For further details, please contact the AAT Scheduler.

 

Important information:

1. COVID-19 pandemic update

The observatory follows the advice of NSW Government Health. Further details are available from the AAT web pages.

 

2. New access model to the AAT time

Since 1 July 2018, AAT operations have been managed and funded through a consortium of Australian universities. Access to the AAT changed from August 2022 (Semester 2022B) and is available through applications for the following types of time: Reserved Time, Shared Time and Paid Time. Reserved and Shared Time is available only to astronomers/researchers affiliated with the consortium universities (Partners). Only Shared Time proposals are assessed by ATAC.

Note that successful applicants are expected to cover their own travel and accommodation costs to the observatory. Some funding for student travel and accommodation is available.

 

3. Proposal preparation

Due to the reduction in expert assistance at the telescope, proposers are required to describe the relevant experience and expertise of the team with the instrument(s) being applied for. Observers are encouraged to liaise with the Observatory staff sufficiently in advance of their run to gain such training as is needed for their run.

Based upon historical weather trends, about 33% of time is lost to bad weather. Proposers are therefore required to multiply their time requirement by a factor of 1.5 to allow for time lost to weather.

 

4. Lens proposal submission system

Proposals should be submitted with the AAT's online application system Lens. This system is a user account based system, which allows for improved security and better tracking of past and current proposals. There is a FAQ available for Lens online, or available via the FAQ tab in Lens itself. Lens system has recently been transitioned into Data Central. Any issues or bugs encountered by proposers should be reported to Simon O'Toole.

All new users must register with the system. Note that users cannot be added to proposals if they are not registered in Lens. Please make sure that all investigators on a proposal have registered well before the deadline!

For any queries or comments, and the additional user support please contact the ATAC Technical Secretary.

 

6. Remote Observing

Remote observing is possible from the AAT remote observing stations. An experienced AAT observer can also observe from home using an appropriate setup. Observers who are not experienced with their requested instrument may need to find additional help or prior training, which may require eavesdropping on other observations that use the same instrument.

Remote observing stations are listed at the remote observing webpage. The Observatory is open to establishing new remote observing stations.

 

How to Apply for AAT Shared Time

All applicants are encouraged to check the ATAC Policies and Procedures, latest Instrumentation Status for the AAT and recent Policy Announcements. In particular, the policies in regard to Shared time changed in 2022, please ensure you review the current information.

For further clarification on any issue, please contact the ATAC Technical Secretary.

 

Proposal submission details

Prepare your main proposal offline, including a title, an abstract, the instrument set up, the number of nights split according to partner and lunation, target list, science case, and technical justification. The science case and technical justification together should be in PDF format, no more than three pages total. Other document formats will not be accepted. Those three pages should include all references and figures, use 11pt font (or larger), and have at least 10mm margins. Colour figures are accepted.

Numerical referencing should be used (e.g. as shown by [1], instead of as shown by Smith et al. (2017)).

A list of the principal targets (field centres for 2dF programs) should be prepared as a separate PDF document. The target list should contain target name, RA (h m s), Dec (d m s), target brightness, and priority. There is a 2-page limit for this target list PDF file. Other document formats will not be accepted.

If feasible, please provide a list of backup targets that can be observed in the weather conditions that are worse than required for the principal targets. Any backup project must use the same instrument as the main project. More information on backup considerations can be found in Guidelines for AAT Observers.

 

Submitting your proposal

When your proposal details are ready, and approved by the Partner institute of the PI and all other Partner institutions involved, submit your application through Lens, the AAT's online proposal submission system. As noted above, this is a user-account-based system and all investigators on a proposal must be registered.

 

 Acknowledgements

 The AAT Consortium requests all publications based upon data obtained through the AAT include the following acknowledgement:

 Based [in part] on data obtained at Siding Spring Observatory [via program XXX]. We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which the AAT stands, the Gamilaraay people, and pay our respects to elders past and present.

 

Contacting the ATAC Secretariat

Postal Address:

PO Box 2100 
Hawthorn VIC 3122

Street Address:

AAO - Macquarie University
105 Delhi Rd, North Ryde NSW 2113
Australia

E-mail: aat@astronomyaustralia.org.au
Web: https://astronomyaustralia.org.au/blog/portfolio/aat/

 

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