Semester 1999B Schedule

Note - the last two weeks of 99B (as shown in these schedules)
has been superseded by the latest issues of the 2000A schedule.

Semester 1999B Version 2.1 in HTML. Revised version - 4 November 1999.
NB: For last 2 weeks of 99B see latest 2000A schedule!
Semester 1999B Version 2.1 in Postscript. Revised version - 4 November 1999.(5 pages, 151Kb)
NB: For last 2 weeks of 99B see latest 2000A schedule!
Gzipped postscript schedule last First issued version - 4 November 1999. (5 pages, 37Kb)
NB: For last 2 weeks of 99B see latest 2000A schedule!
To obtain a plain text version, go to the HTML version and use your browser to 'Save as ...' and save the files as 'Text'.

Please note that these postscript files were created using ~~Evil Empire~~ Microsoft Excel & Word - they may therefore not view properly with Unix-based viewers like Ghostscript or Ghostview , depending on the version you have. For example, Ghostview 1.5 does not work. Ghostscript 4.03 does. Note also that the pages are formatted for A4 paper. Users of outdated imperial paper formats should note they may miss a bit of the schedule.

Dear AAT User,

This letter accompanies the release of Version 1.3 (the first issued version) of the AAT observing schedule for Semester 99B. The schedule can also be found on the WWW at http://www.aao.gov.au/aat_schedule.html. This schedule can now be considered official, and you can make travel arrangements based on it. Observers will be consulted about any change, which may affect them.

All observers must read through the following "Guidelines for AAT Observers" - they contain important information on how to get the most from your AAT observing time. Note that it is the responsibility of the principal contact named on your proposal to inform collaborators of their allocation, and of these guidelines. A copy of the guidelines can be found at http://www.aao.gov.au/local/www/sched/sched/schedule_99b.html.

A few other points to note are

The MITLL2 engineering grade and MITLL3 deep depletion 2Kx4K CCDs are both now available for regular use on RGO, Taurus, UCLES and UHRF. The performance notes on these devices are at http://www.aao.gov.au/local/www/sched/ccdimguide/mitll_performance.html

Good Observing
Chris Tinney
AAT Scheduler
cgt@aaoepp.aao.gov.au

Guidelines for AAT Observers

A "Must-do" Checklist

Use only the WWW travel form (see below) to make bookings and keep us informed of your plans.

All observers must read the Safety Guidelines (see below for a summary).

Make contact with your support astronomer well in advance of your run.

Prepare a short description of your program for the "Tonight at the AAT" page (see below).

Fill out your Observer's Report Form (see below) at the end of your last night.

Support

A night assistant and technical support are always provided at the telescope. A support astronomer (noted on the schedule) is available to advise on your observations, and will assist at the telescope if required. He or she will usually contact you a month or so before your observing run. If you wish to contact them ahead of time, you can append aaoepp.aao.gov.au to the name on the schedule to obtain an use the e-mail (ie if your support astronomer is CGT, you can e-mail CGT@aaoepp.aao.gov.au)

Travel, Accommodation & Arriving at the AAT

Accommodation in Sydney, travel to and from the telescope, and accommodation at the telescope should be booked using WWW forms available at http://www.aao.gov.au/travelform.html. General travel information can be obtained at http://www.aao.gov.au/travel.html. Changes to your travel should be arranged with our Travel Officer (rec@aaoepp.aao.gov.au). We particularly ask observers to use only this form to make accommodation bookings at the telescope. Observers can make their own arrangements elsewhere, but again we ask that you use the form to let us know what those arrangements are.

A study desk, torch/flashlight, and AAT keycard will be allocated for your use at the telescope. If you arrive at night, the AAT building will be locked (though the ANU Lodge will not). You may phone the night assistant from the entrance to request admission to pick up your keycard.

The visitor accounts system for the computers at the AAT has been changed within the last year. Observers will now find guidelines on their study desks on obtaining a visitor account and password from Rhonda Martin at Reception, when they arrive at the AAT. Observers arriving after hours will have the relevant information left on their study desks for them.

Observing Guidelines

You are strongly encouraged to arrive at the telescope one day prior to your observing run. The trip from Sydney can be a long one, and may not leave sufficient time to set-up for your run if you arrive on the day your run starts. This problem is even worse for instruments requiring complex set-ups like 2dF and TTF.

If your required set-up changes from that which you originally proposed, it is essential that you contact your support astronomer (see schedule), and the AAT scheduler (sched@aaoepp.aao.gov.au) to inform them of the change. Significant changes made at the last minute may be difficult, or impossible, for the telescope staff to accommodate.

2dF observers should thoroughly familiarize themselves with the 2dF documentation available on the WWW at http://www.aao.gov.au/local/www/2df, including the 2dF Manual, Information for Observers and a list of Frequently Asked Questions. 2dF is a very complex instrument! As experience with it develops we are developing a list of Frequently Made Mistakes, which will also be available from the 2dF WWW page, and which we encourage observers to read. You should liaise with your support astronomer before your run if there is anything which is unclear. Because of the complexity of 2dF set-ups, it is essential you are ready to begin work by 4 hours before dark on the day of your run. For this reason 2dF observers must always arrive at the telescope on the day before. Many problems can be fixed if they are caught the day before observing starts!

TTF observers should similarly examine the AAO TTF WWW pages. Set ups for TTF are complex, and should be commenced as early as possible in the afternoon. TTF observers are strongly urged to arrive at the telescope the day before their run.

Seeing measurements are made on a few occasions each the night, causing interruptions of several minutes. We ask observers to be patient with this small loss of time.

Every observer should fill out an Observer's Report Form (http://www.aao.gov.au/local/www/feedback/surveyform.html) at the end of their last night. The information provided in these forms is vital to the continued improvement in the Observatory's facilities.

You are encouraged to bring your own data tapes, as AAO tapes will be charged for at A$15 each.

Observers must also pay for their overseas telephone calls. Please settle debts with Rhonda Martin in the AAT Reception; the AAO accepts VISA, MASTERCARD and BANKCARD. These charges are separate from the accommodation charges payable to the ANU Lodge.

Override Programs

The Time Allocation Committees can award time to over-ride programs. The guidelines under which these programs operate can be found at http://www.aao.gov.au/local/www/sll/applications/override.html. In general, no one scheduled program can be over-ridden for more than 3 hours without pay back.

Safety at the AAT

The following is excerpted from the Safety Guidelines which every observer will find on their desk when the arrive at the AAT. Observers must follow these guidelines at all times.

Admission to areas of the AAT building above Floor 2 is allowed only with the permission of an observatory staff member. Only the current observers should be at the control room level. No-one (observers included!) may enter the dome at night without the knowledge and approval of the night assistant, whether to check the instrument or the weather etc. Everyone entering the dome at night must collect a torch/flashlight and carry it with them at all times. Anyone unfamiliar with the telescope or dome should ask for a 5 minute orientation tour. Please ensure that your colleagues appreciate these requirements.

Visits and Talks at Epping

We encourage observers to visit the AAO Laboratory in Epping, Sydney. In particular, we encourage visitors to present colloquia -- please contact Chris Tinney (cgt@aaoepp.aao.gov.au) if you would like to give us a talk. Facilities available include a library, PCs and UNIX workstations running STARLINK, FIGARO, IDL, and IRAF software. Let us know your plans.

Tonight at the AAT

For the last year or so, the Observatory has been providing a very popular WWW page for the public, providing details on the programs being carried out each night. Successful proposers are required to contribute a short description of their program as soon as possible (even if your run is towards the end of the semester). For examples of the style to adopt, please see http://www.aao.gov.au/local/www/dfm/projects/projects.html. A template file is available at http://www.aao.gov.au/local/www/dfm/projects/template.html. For those challenged by HTML, please provide a text file with your PATT/ATAC reference number, dates, full names of observers and some descriptive text.

The description should be self-contained and no longer than ~250 words, and bear in mind it is for a general audience -- the initial target was casual visitors to the AAT Visitor's gallery. Please include as many html links as you see fit (see http://www.aao.gov.au/local/www/dfm/projects/definitions.html for regularly used terms) and feel free to recycle previous text from earlier allocations of time.

Preprints and Reprints

It is important that we maintain complete records of publications based on AAT and UKST observations. Please send two copies of preprints and reprints of published and conference papers to the Epping librarian (lib@aaoepp.aao.gov.au). We also request an acknowledgement to the AAO in any publications which result from use of the facilities.

Visiting Instruments

Observer's awarded time with a Visitor Instrument are encouraged to examine the Guidelines for Visitor Instruments (http://www.aao.gov.au/visitor_inst/wwwvisitor.html) to ensure their instrument arrives in time for their run to go smoothly.

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Chris Tinney, AAT Scheduler cgt@aaoepp.aao.gov.au
June 1999