Comments on: Mint in the box

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 12:16:13 +0000

There are a number of submissions being put together in support of UKIRT making just these points, but the more the merrier!

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 07:45:17 +0000

I should have included this in my previous comment, but another loss would be quick reaction to events such as GRBs, novae, supernovae etc. I believe Gemini do offer a target of opportunity mode (are they part of eSTAR?) but I can’t help thinking that with the UK committing themselves to pulling out of Gemini then requests from UK astronomers may not be looked at favourably if there are also requests from other major partners.

Perhaps I’m being too cynical but again I encourage those who read this blog and have interests in IR access to the northern sky to submit comments to the STFC consultation process.

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 07:16:17 +0000

Will do, Andy, and I also encourage others interested in infrared access to the northern sky to submit comments. If UKIRT were to close there are several observational modes that will be lost to the UK in the north or at least extremely difficult to gain access to: wide-field imaging, polarimetry, high-resolution spectroscopy, thermal IR spectroscopy with an IFU etc.

By: andyxl

andyxl — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 17:01:08 +0000

Tom – I strongly recommend you make a submission and make that very point. I am sure people have realised this, but the more people say it the better.

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 08:45:46 +0000

One thing I have heard little about is the UK’s ability to do infrared astronomy in the northern hemisphere. The latest deal with Gemini-N means that the UK will have 50% less time on that telescope, and since it’s not IR dedicated a significant amount of the time available may not be used for IR work. That leaves UKIRT as the only ground-based telescope that offers a significant amount of IR time in the north for the UK (whether that’s wide-field or not is another argument).

Is anyone aware if this argument is being used in the STFC consultation process?

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:25:24 +0000

So when is someone going to put UKIRT up? Or ATC?

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:24:50 +0000

So when is someone going to put UKIRT up? Or the ATC?

By: David

David — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:51:27 +0000

Shhhh! Don’t tell e-bay but it was on twice and they missed one. Sadly the one they missed was the one without the funny bits, however see http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Lovell-telescope-Jodrell-Bank_W0QQitemZ140213485234QQihZ004QQcategoryZ211QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

By: John

John — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 05:29:56 +0000