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

From: KEVIN ROBERTS (grimly_fiendish@No-Spam)
Date: Thu Jul 03 2003 - 15:10:34 MST

  • Next message: Tony Hurtado: "Fw: [pastro] Digest Number 348"

    Brian, The Euro is now worth more than the US dollar. I believe that
    it would be around $130,000 USD

    Kevin

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: brian zehring <brianz@No-Spam>
    Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2003 5:15 pm
    Subject: Re: [TAC] [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 [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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