Re: [sct-user] 1m (40") telescope for sale! (fwd)

From: brian zehring (brianz@No-Spam)
Date: Wed Jul 02 2003 - 17:15:45 MST

  • Next message: Bill Arnett: "Re: [sct-user] 1m (40") telescope for sale! (fwd)"

    How much is $100,000 Euros, like 50 bucks?

    Brian

    I'll rent my 30" for much cheaper

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Peter Santangeli" <psantangeli@No-Spam>
    To: "'The Astronomy Connection'" <sf-bay-tac@No-Spam>
    Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2003 4:55 PM
    Subject: RE: [TAC] [sct-user] 1m (40") telescope for sale! (fwd)

    >
    > Hey, I'd buy it, but 10 by 10 arcminutes is just too narrow for my uses.
    I'll keep looking ;-)
    >
    > Pete
    >
    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: P T Chambers [mailto:ptchamb@No-Spam]
    > Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2003 4:43 PM
    > To: Astronomy Connection
    > Subject: [TAC] [sct-user] 1m (40") telescope for sale! (fwd)
    >
    > OK, all we need is someone to come up with 100k euros/year for a couple of
    > years. We could take turns going over to use it.
    >
    > That seems pretty cheap for all you get. however, there is food and
    > shelter to be considered (at home LOL)
    >
    > ---------
    > Phil Chambers [ptchamb@No-Spam] (S.F. Bay Area - Calif. USA)
    >
    > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
    > Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 22:05:45 +0100 (BST)
    > From: Bob Tubbs <rnt20@No-Spam>
    > Reply-To: sct-user@No-Spam
    > To: sct-user@No-Spam
    > Subject: [sct-user] 1m (40") telescope for sale!
    >
    > Hi,
    >
    > I noticed this 40 inch telescope was up for sale. It will
    > probably be too expensive for a single private individual.
    > It is located on the volvanic island of La Palma (similar to
    > Mauna Kea, Hawaii but in the Atlantic) and in summer the
    > astronomical seeing conditions are as good as Hawaii (ie
    > as good as the best in the world).
    >
    > Details are attached in the following forwarded email!
    >
    > Bob
    >
    > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
    > Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 11:19:23 +0100 (BST)
    > From: Rene Rutten <rgmr@No-Spam>
    > To: ing_jkt@No-Spam
    > Subject: ANNOUNCEMENT: future use of the 1-m Kapteyn telescope
    >
    >
    > ANNOUNCEMENT
    >
    > Call for expressions of interest for the future use of
    > ------------------------------------------------------
    > the 1-m Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope on La Palma
    > ---------------------------------------------
    >
    > Introduction
    > ------------
    > The 1-m Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope located at the world-class observatory
    > site Roque de los Muchachos on the island of La Palma, Spain, will be
    > taken out of service as a common-user facility as of August 2003.
    > Instead, the telescope may be offered for use to paying interested
    > parties. To date, this telescope has primarily served the astronomical
    > communities in the United Kingdom, The Netherlands and Spain, but due
    > to changing scientific priorities this telescope can be made available
    > to the wider international scientific community, provided that the full
    > operating cost is recovered.
    >
    > This announcement calls for expressions of interest from potentially
    > intertested parties in the use of the telescope. Guidelines are set out
    > below.
    >
    > Expressions of interest should reach the Director ING by September 5th,
    > 2003.
    >
    >
    > The telescope
    > -------------
    > The 1-m Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope (JKT) is equatorially mounted on a
    > cross-axis mount. The telescope has a conventional f/15 Cassegrain
    > focus. A wide-field f/8 focus is an alternative option.
    >
    > The JKT is located at an elevation of about 2400m, close to the highest
    > point of the steep volcanic island of La Palma at the spanish
    > Observatorio de Roque de los Muchachos. The telescope and has been in
    > operation since 1984. A historic and pictoral overview of the JKT is
    > posted at http://www.ing.iac.es/PR/jkt_info/.
    >
    > Although in operation for nearly 20 years, the telescope and instrument
    > control systems have been well maintained and modernized continuously,
    > experiencing technical down-time losses at no more than the 2-3% level.
    > System operation takes place from a Unix console, while for data
    > capture and reduction separate systems are in place. The telescope
    > building includes office space and basic amenities. A more complete
    > description of telescope functionality and operation may be found at
    > http://www.ing.iac.es/Astronomy/telescopes/jkt/BASIC_GUIDE/ and
    > http://www.ing.iac.es/Astronomy/observing/manuals/html_manuals/
    > jkt_instr/jkt_jag/index.html
    > The full system is easily operated by a single person from a
    > dedicated control room. Full automation of telescope operation for
    > remote control observation is a possibility but would require
    > investments in upgrading the infrastructure.
    >
    > The telescope is routinely equipped with a state-of-the-art scientific
    > quality CCD imager in the Cassegrain focus, with a field of view of
    > 10 by 10 arcminutes. A large choice of filters is available.
    > Infrastructure for data storage and automatic archiving is also
    > available, as well as extensive software tools and computing
    > infrastructure for advanced automated data processing.
    >
    > The telescope has remained competitive in its class and has been
    > scientifically highly productive. To date the JKT has been operated
    > and maintained by the Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes (ING), on
    > behalf of the UK Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council
    > (PPARC), the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO),
    > and the Spanish Astrophysics Institute of the Canary Islands (IAC).
    > Apart from the JKT, the ING also operates the 2.5-m Isaac Newton
    > Telescope and the 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope. The overall
    > observatory site is operated by the IAC, and is home to a large and
    > growing number of telescopes, including the 10-m GRANTECAN. The
    > observatory is renowned for its generally very good observing
    > conditions with highly transparent and dark skies, and excellent
    > seeing conditions (see http://www.iac.es/gabinete/orm/). The
    > observatory itself provides facilities for accommodation as well
    > as engineering facilities for maintenance and repair, and for
    > essential consumables.
    >
    >
    > Management and operational constraints and models
    > -------------------------------------------------
    > For the telescope to remain operational and supported by the ING the
    > full running cost will have to be financed by the interested parties.
    > Only long-term (years) commitments to use the telescope will be
    > considered under this announcement. For reasons of efficiency and cost
    > effectiveness the telescope should be in operation at least 50% of the
    > nights for a minimum of two years. This operational threshold could be
    > shared between different users. Depending on the expressions of
    > interest received, consortia could be created ad-hoc, or groups could
    > combine their scientific objectives into a single operational plan.
    > But within these general boundary conditions, ING is open to consider
    > all possible astronomical modes of use of the telescope.
    >
    > Using the telescope as a training tool for university students would
    > be accepted, but all else being equal scientific use would take priority.
    >
    > The existing CCD detector will be available for use at the telescope,
    > but interested parties may also bring or develop their own instrument.
    >
    > Groups from anywhere in the world may express interest and will be
    > considered on equal terms.
    >
    > Ownership of the telescope and infrastructure would remain with ING.
    >
    >
    > Cost indication
    > ---------------
    > The agreed cost will scale with the level of service provided
    > by the observatory, which again depends on how the telescope will be
    > used. Hence a precise figure cannot be provided at this stage, but
    > it is anticiapted to be in the region of 100,000 Euros per year for
    > year-round use, depending of the service given by the observatory.
    > This indicative cost would include consumables, basic system
    > maintenance and problem solving on a best-efforts basis, but
    > excludes night-time support, system enhancements, as well as any
    > cost associated with the presence of observers at the telescope.
    >
    > It must be noted that under the international agreements that provide
    > the foundation for the observatory, up to 25% of the observing time
    > must be offered to the spanish or wider observatory community. The
    > means to satisfying these agreements can be worked out through
    > discussion with those expressing interest in using the JKT.
    >
    >
    > Expressions of interest
    > -----------------------
    > Expressions of interest for the future use of the JKT should be sent,
    > preferably by email to the address below. You will receive an
    > acknowledgement of receipt.
    >
    > Your statement should include an indication of how you expect to use
    > the telescope (i.e. for a specific long-term scientific programme, as
    > part of a consortium, student training etc) and how you expect to
    > acquire funding. Note that at this initial stage no firm commitments
    > are requested.
    >
    > Expressions of interest should be received by September 5th. These
    > will be reviewed by observatory management and the ING Board and
    > subsequently taken forward for detailed discussion.
    >
    > Further enquiries can be obtained at the same address given below.
    >
    >
    > Date: 1 July 2003
    >
    > Dr R G M Rutten
    >
    > Postal address:
    > Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes
    > Apartado de Correos 321
    > E-38700 Santa Cruz de la Palma
    > Spain
    >
    > email: rgmr@No-Spam
    >
    > tel: +34 922 425421 (direct)
    > +34 922 425400 (switchboard)
    > fax: +34 922 425408
    >
    >
    >
    > ***********************************************************************
    > Dr. Rene G.M. Rutten - Director ING
    > Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes tel: +34 922 425421 (direct)
    > Apartado de Correos 321 tel: +34 922 425400 (switchboard)
    > 38700 Santa Cruz de La Palma fax: +34 922 425408 (private)
    > Islas Canarias fax: +34 922 425401 (central)
    > SPAIN email: rgmr@No-Spam
    > ***********************************************************************
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
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