Apache Point Observatory 3.5m User's Committee Meeting March 15, 2001 Attending: Bruce Gillespie, Chris Stubbs, Paula Szkody, Ed Turner, Michael Strauss, Rene Walterbos, Lew Hobbs Missing: Alan Uomoto and Jon Holtzman Today's meeting consisted of a series of relatively short reports on a large variety of topics, to wit: -the strategic planning process -a possible new IR instrument, RIVMOS -recent weather (and prospects) -DIS and WFI chips -enclosure drive motors -telescope throughput -staffing -summer shutdown planning -GRB interupt policy -a possible new ARC member *******************The Strategic Planning Process***************** At the last meeting, we discussed gathering input from various people about long-term goals for the observatory. Rene Walterbos is putting together a list of such people, including some people from outside ARC; if you have people in mind who would be good for this (including yourself!), please let Rene know. Another related thing on the horizon is the astronomy-community-wide discussion now going on, on the future of NSF's interaction with private observatories: how might the astronomy community get access to private telescopes which have instruments built from NSF funds? Does each observatory need its own suite of basic instruments, or are we duplicating effort between observatories? Much discussion ensued; this issue touches upon many of the basic cultural issues of the astronomical community. A related issue is how the 3.5m will be financed once the SDSS has finished, as currently there is much cost-sharing between the 3.5m and the SDSS. *******************A possible new IR instrument, RIVMOS***************** This is our most active prospect for a new IR instrument. Bruce Woodgate is building this with NGST funds. We'll discuss this in more detail at the next meeting; before then, a prospectus for the instrument will be distributed. *******************Recent weather (and prospects)***************** The weather has been terrible lately. In the Fourth quarter of 2000 the telescope was closed 60% of the time (mostly in dark time!) due to weather; normal is 40% at that time of year). One consequence is that with increased rainfall and plant growth, the pollen may be very bad in spring and summer, bad enough that it can close the telescope to dust. We might want to consider changing our dust limit a bit, given that we'll be rewashing the optics over the summer. *******************DIS and WFI (wide-field imager) chips***************** Good chips are beginning to arrive at a greater rate. The DIS chips are from EEV, while the WFI chips are from Lincoln Labs. Once the chips arrive, there is a lot of work to install them into DIS. Chris Stubbs is optimistic that they will be ready for final installation in July. *******************Enclosure drive motors***************** The current motors are having bearing problems, and are a single-point failure mode, and therefore need to be made more reliable. Jon Davis has identified a vendor to rebuild these for a reasonable price, to be done in the summer shutdown. *******************Telescope throughput***************** Jon Holtzman has been making a series of measurements of throughput, motivated by the desire to do faint-object (i.e., fainter than 21) spectroscopy on DIS. The preliminary conclusion is that the throughput is down measurably since the last aluminization, but not catastrophically. The principal limitation on faint-object spectroscopy is not reduced throughput, but rather readnoise in the DIS electronics, which the upgrade will much improve. Further throughput tests are planned, and a strategy to wash and/or realuminize the optics is being developed in response to the measurements. *******************Staffing***************** We're looking into having an additional half-time observing specialist (to be shared with the NMSU 1-meter). Gillespie and Holtzman have started interviewing candidates, but are eager to get further qualified candidates. If you know of anybody, please let them know. *******************Summer shutdown planning***************** Gillespie has started investigating options for realuminization during the shutdown. Perhaps if this is done at KPNO, we could do some work on the primary mirror support system there as well. This would make for a more extended shutdown, and perhaps pull it somewhat later (e.g., October). Remember that KPNO will not do aluminization over the summer, as they use that time to do their own mirrors. The real driver for this is faint-object spectroscopy; the DIS upgrade will probably give a much larger qualitative improvement. We discussed the possibility of doing the realuminization in May 2002, when the nights will be shorter. *******************GRB interupt policy***************** Ed Turner has a draft suggested policy from the folks at JHU about how interruptions might be handled. He is iterating with them, and will distribute it to the committee when this has converged. There is clearly a premium on being the first observatory to do fast follow-up of HETE objects; they will have their first accurate coordinates as early as May. *******************a possible new ARC member institution***************** The astronomy department at the University of Colorado has expressed interest in buying the WSU allocation of telescope time. A delegation from Colorado came out to the telescope last week, and were quite impressed. Over the last year, the WSU time has been bought up on a quarterly basis, mostly by Princeton. Last month's minutes are approved. Next meeting will happen on Monday, April 9, at 11:30 AM APO APO APO APO APO Apache Point Observatory 3.5m APO APO APO APO APO This is message 496 in the apo35-general archive. You can find APO the archive on http://www.astro.princeton.edu/APO/apo35-general/INDEX.html APO To join/leave the list, send mail to apo35-request@astro.princeton.edu APO To post a message, mail it to apo35-general@astro.princeton.edu APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO APO