Optical telescopes available to UK astronomers (May 2006)

La Palma
========

ING   WHT 4.2m    ISIS: low-medium resolution double-arm grating spectrograph
                        Blue arm: dispersions 0.11-1.62 A/px, range 3500-5100 A
                        Red arm:  dispersions 0.23-1.63 A/px, range 5500-9000 A
                  AF2/WYFFOS: multi-object low-resolution spectrograph
                        maximum 150 fibres, distributed over 25 arcmin field
                  NAOMI/INGRID: IR imaging (40 arcsec! field)
                  NAOMI/OASIS: IR integral-field spectroscopy
                  LIRIS: IR imaging and low-resolution spectroscopy (4 arcmin field)
                  PFI: prime focus optical imaging with two 2048x4096 mosaiced CCDs
                        (16 arcmin field at 0.24"/px)
                  Aux port:  optical imaging with 1024x1024 CCD, mounted when the PFI is
                        not available (e.g., with ISIS). 1.8 arcmin field at 0.11"/px.

      INT 2.5m    WFC: four mosaiced 4096x2048 CCDs have 34.2 arcmin field at 0.33"/px
                  IDS: low-medium resolution grating spectrograph
                        ** Only the 235mm camera is available at present **
                        235mm camera: dispersion 0.24-3.7 A/px, coverage 536-8000 A
                        500mm camera: dispersion 0.10-0.8 A/px, coverage 245-4000 A

NOT 2.5m          ALFOSC: optical faint-object imaging, spectroscopy, MOS, polarimetry
                        imaging: 5-7 arcmin field depending on filter
                        spectroscopy: grisms give 0.65-36 A resolution (2 pixel, 0.5" slit)
                        echelle spectroscopy: double grisms used (medium resolution)
                  MOSCA: four 4096x2048 CCD mosaic (7.7 arcmin field at 0.2"/px binned x2)
                  NOTCam: NIR imaging, spectroscopy, polarimetry (commissioned early 2006)
                        imaging: 4' fov at 0.2 AA/px or 1.4' fov at 0.08 AA/px
                        spectroscopy: grism or long-slit
                  FIES: high-resolution fibre-fed echelle spectrograph. Maximum resolving
                        power is 65000. Spectral coverage is 4000-8300 A.

TNG 3.6m          SARG: echelle spectrograph (R = 29000-164000)
                  NICS: NIR imaging (4.2 arcmin field), spectroscopy (R=50-2000), polarimetry
                  DOLORES: focal reducer imager (9.4 arcmin field) and spectrograph
                        (R = 300-3000) with MOS capability
                  OIG: optical imaging with field up to 10 arcmin with two 4096x2048 CCDs

Liverpool         RATCam imager: 2048x2048 CCD, 4.6 arcmin field, 0.135"/px, ugrizBV filters
Telescope         SupIRCam: IR imaging: 1.7' fov at 0.4 AA/px, JHK' filters available
2.0m              FRODOSpec: integral-field spectrograph intended to be available late 2007


Calar Alto
==========

3.5m              ALFA: adaptive optics including a laser guide star
                  LAICA: large area imager with four 4096x4096 CCDs, field 44'x44' at
                        0.23"/px, read-out 70 sec, Johnson UBVRI and Sloan ugriz filters
                  MOSCA: multi-purpose focal reducer instrument for imaging, slit spectroscopy
                        and MOS.  Imaging: field 11x11 arcmin at 0.32"/px, UBVRIZ filters.
                        Slit spectroscopy: seven grisms available for 3000-10000 A giving
                        between 1 and 4 A/px.  MOS: you have to bring your own masks!
                  OMEGA-2000: prime focus large-field IR imager: 15.4 arcmin field at 0.45"/px
                  OMEGA-Cass: IR imaging, grism spectroscopy, polarimetry for 1.0-2.5 microns.
                  OMEGA-Prime: IR imaging, 1.0-2.5 microns, 6.8 arcmin field at 0.4"/px.
                  PMAS Potsdam Multi Aperture Spectrograph: Cassegrain IFU spectrograph.
                        Gives 16x16 grid of spectra at 0.35, 0.8 or 1.7 A/px.
                  TWIN two-channel spectrograph: 2000x800 CCDs, resolutions 0.3 to 2.25 A/px,
                        12 gratings available, and several beamsplitters.
                  MAGIC IR imaging camera: 256x256 pixels at 0.81, 0.32, 0.18, 0.08 "/px.
                        Has been superseded by OMEGA.

2.2m              BUSCA simultaneous four-colour imaging: 4096x4096 CCDs with 12 arcmin field
                        at 0.18"/px (but 2x2 binning used under normal conditions), optimised
                        for uvbyHbeta and Bessell I filters (u and v are not both usable at
                        the same time). Readout time is large: about 2 minutes
                  CAFOS focal reducer does imaging, spectroscopy, MOS, polarimetry. Two CCDs
                        are available, optimised for blue (SITe) or red (LORAL) wavelengths.
                        Imaging: 16 arcmin field, 0.53"/px (SITe) or 11 field, 0.33"/px (LORAL).
                        Spectrscopy: 8 grisms available giving between 2 and 10 A/px.
                        MOS: you have to bring your own slit masks.
                  FOCES high-resolution echelle spectrograph. Maximum resolving power 65000
                        (two pixels), optimal is 40000. Full spectral coverage is 3000 A in
                        70 orders, usable from 3600 to 9400 A.
                  MAGIC IR imaging camera: 256x256 pixels at 1.62 or 0.64 "/px.

1.23m             MAGIC IR imaging camera: 256x256 pixels at 1.2"/px.


European Southern Obervatory, Chile
===================================

La Silla    2.2m        WFI Wide Field Imager: 2 4Kx2K CCD mosaic, 33' fov at 0.24"/px
                        FEROS: fibre echelle spectrograph: resolving power = 48000, coverage
                              3500-9200 A each observation, setup is fixed.
                        GROND Gamma-Ray Burst Optical/Near-Infrared Detector: available 2007.

            3.6m        HARPS fibre echelle spectrograph intended for RV searchs for planets:
                              resolving power = 120000, coverage each exposure 3780--6901 A.
                              Second fibre available for simultaneous arc lamp or sky spectra.
                        EFOSC2: imaging, low-res spectroscopy, spectropolarimetry and MOS
                              imaging: 5.2arcmin field at 0.157"/px with 20948x2048 CCD
                              spectroscopy: resolution is 5.9-41 AA (6 px!) depending on grism
                        TIMMI2: multi-mode instrument for the IR (3-25 um)      ** RETIRED **
                        CES: Coude Echelle Spectrograph (very high resolution)  ** RETIRED **

            NTT 3.6m    EMMI: ESO Multi-Mode Instrument (has a blue and a red arm)
                              blue arm: CCD is 1024x1024 Tektronix
                              red arm: two mosaiced MIT/LL CCDs, each 2048x4096
                              wide-field imaging: 6.2 arcmin field (blue), 9.1x9.9 (red)
                              high-resolution imaging: 2.2 arcmin field at 0.13"/px
                              low-resolution spectroscopy: resolving power 280-1670 depending
                                on grating (and multi-object capability)
                              medium-dispersion spectroscopy: resolving power 840-9000 in the
                                blue arm and 600-70000 in the red arm
                              echelle spectroscopy: resolving power 7700-70000
                        SOFI: NIR (0.9-2.5 um) imaging (4.9arcmin field) and low-resolution
                              spectroscopy (resolving power 600-2200)
                        SUSI2: high-res imaging over 5.5 arcmin field at 0.08"/px.
                              Has two 4096x2048 CCDs mosaiced together.

Paranal     VLT UT1     CRIRES: high-res IR longslit spectrograph (newly commissioned), 1-5
                              um sensitivity, R=100000 with 0.2" slit, 1024x1024 CCD mosaic
                        FORS2: two 4096x2048 CCDs for imaging (6.8 arcmin field), spectroscopy
                              (resolving power 260-2600 depending on grism), MOS (up to 19
                              slitlets), or high-speed spectroscopy (HIT mode).
                        ISAAC: IR (1-5 um) imaging (2.5 arcmin field), spectroscopy (R=500-3000)

            VLT UT2     FORS1: similar to FORS2 but with one 2048x2048 CCD: less sensitive in
                              the red, more sensitive in the blue. Imaging: 6.8 arcmin field.
                              Spectroscopy: R=260-1700 dep on grism. It can also do polarimetry
                        FLAMES: multi-object fibre feed to the GIRAFFE or UVES spectrographs
                              to GIRAFFE: up to 132 objects for R=5600-46000 grating spectroscopy
                              to GIRAFFE: IFU with field of view up to 11.5x7.3 arcmin
                              to UVES:    8 fibres and R=47000 with 2000 A range each exposure
                        UVES: high-resolution cross-dispersed echelle spectrograph with red and
                              blue arms (sensitive between 3000 AA and 1.1 um). R=4000 with 1"
                              slit, but can achieve R=80000 in the blue arm and R=11000 in the
                              red arm. Iodine cell is avaiable for high-accuracy RV studies.

            VLT UT3     VISIR: mid-IR (8-24 um) imaging (19" or 32" field!) and grating or
                              echelle spectroscopy (R=320, 3200 or 25000)
                        VIMOS: optical wide-field imaging (7'x8' fov) and MOS (R=200-2500
                              dep on grism) with an IFU capability. There are four separate
                              arms, so imaging may be conducted over more than 7'x8'?

            VLT UT4     SINFONI: near-IR IFU spectroscopy (R=1500-4000) with adaptive optics
                        NACO=NAOS/CONICA: near-IR (1-5 um) adaptive optics assisted imaging,
                              imaging polarimetry, coronography and spectroscop, 1024x1024 CCD

Gemini
======

Gemini North            Altair: facility adaptive optics imstrument for use with other ones
                        GMOS:  Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph. 0.36-1.10 um long-slit and
                              multi-object spectroscopy and imaging over a 5.5 arcmin field.
                              Detector: three 2048x4608 CCDs give 0.073" pixels!
                              Six gratings give 0.2-1.7 A/px with coverage 1430-10000 A!
                              Also does integral field spectroscopy over 35"x35".
                        Michelle: mid-IR (7-26 um) imaging and long-slit spectroscopy
                              Detector: 320x240 px SiAs array. Imaging: 0.1"/px gives field
                              32"x24". Spectroscopy: resolving powers of 110 to 30000.
                        NIFS: Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrometer.
                        NIRI: Near-IR (1.0-5.5 um) imager and grism spectrograph. 1024x1024
                              InSb detector array with three cameras giving 0.022, 0.050,
                              and 0.117"/px (fields 22, 51, and 120 arcsec).
                        TEXES: high resolution (R~100000) mid-IR (5-25 um) spectrometer

Gemini South            GMOS:  Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph. 0.36-1.10 um long-slit and
                              multi-object spectroscopy and imaging over a 5.5 arcmin field.
                              Detector: three 2048x4608 CCDs give 0.073" pixels!
                              Six gratings give 0.2-1.7 A/px with coverage 1430-10000 A!
                              Also does integral field spectroscopy over 35"x35".
                        bhROS: high resolution optical spectrograph. Optical fibres feed a
                              cross-dipersed echelle giving resolving power 150,000.
                              ** INDEFINITELY REMOVED FROM USE IN 2007 **
                        Acquisition Camera: can be used for high-speed photometry. CCD is a
                              1024x1024 frame-transfer with no shutter (2.2 arcmin field).
                        Phoenix: high-resolution near-IR (1-5 um) spectrograph. Resolving
                              powers of 50000 to 75000. Detector is 1024x1024 InSb device.
                        GNIRS: near-IR (1-5.5 um) spectrograph, operable in long-slit, cross-
                              dispersed and integral-field modes. Resolving power 1700-18000.
                        T-ReCS: mid-IR (8-26 um) imager and long-slit spectrograph. Detector
                              is 320x240 px SiAs array. Imaging: 0.09"/px gives 28.8x21.6
                              arcsec field. Spectroscopy: resolving powers 100 to 1000.


South Africa
============

1.9m Radcliffe    grating spectrograph: resolution 0.5-3 A, range 350-3200 A
                  GIRAFFE: fibre echelle spectrograph, R=39000, sensitivity 3820-9240 A but obs
                        only in blue or red simultaneously. Second fibre for sky or arc spectrum.
                  CCD imaging: 1024x1024 CCD (is oversampled) gives 2.5 arcmin field at 0.14"/px.
                  UCT frame transfer CCD: 576x420 px gives 1.2x0.9 arcmin field at 0.13"/px

1.0m Elizabeth    CCD imaging: 1Kx1K CCD gives 5 arcmin field at 0.31"/px
                  UCT frame transfer CCD: 576x420 px gives 2.7x2.0 arcmin field at 0.30"/px


Australia
=========

AAT 4.0m          UHRF: ultra high resolution echelle spectrograph with R=300000,600000,940000
                        and spectrum length 4-45 AA depending on resolving power and wavelength
                  UCLES: echelle spectrograph with R=40000 (1" slit) to R=100000. Good wavelength
                        coverage possible, and an iodine cell for high-accuracy RV studies
                  IRIS2: IR (0.9-2.5 um) imaging (7.7' fov), longslit spectroscopy (R~2400) or
                        multi-object spectroscopy (up to 40 objects)
                  AAOMEGA/2dF: multi-object spectrograph for 350-400 objects at R=2000-13000
                        (tbc). 2dF fibre feed has 2 degree fov. IFU spectroscopy possible too.
                  WFI Wide Field Imager: Mosaic of eight 4096x2048K CCDs gives 33 arcmin field
                        at 0.22 AA/px.  ** NO LONGER AVAILABLE AS COMMON-USER INSTRUMENT **

ATT 2.3m          Imager: 6 arcmin diameter circular field at 0.3"/px. Image quality ~2".
                  DBS Double Beam Spectrograph: blue and red arms with dichroic beamsplitter.
                        Resolution 0.5-4.5 A (blue arm) or 1.1-8.1 A (red arm)
                  CASPIR: IR spectrograph



Applying for time
=================

PATT telescopes:              Apply 15 Sept  for 1 Feb to 31 July
(WHT, INT, AAT)               Apply 15 March for 1 Aug to 31 Jan

NOT:                          Available to all but a Nordic PI is helpful.
                              1st working day of May for 1 Oct to 31 Mar
                              1st working day of Nov for 1 Apr to 30 Sep

TNG:                          no financial support for non-INAF astronomers,
                              but a time-share with PATT is set up


Calar Alto:                   2006 deadlines are 15 March (for 1 July to 31 Dec) and 15 Sept
                              (for 1 Jan to 30 June). No restriction on who may apply.

ESO telescopes:               Apply ~31 March for semester 1 Oct   to 31 Mar
                              Apply ~30 Sept  for semester 1 April to 30 Sept

Gemini:                       semester 2007B (01/08/2007 to 31/01/2008) deadline 02/04/2007

SAAO telescopes:              Apply  1 Oct   for January to March
                              Apply 18 Dec   for April to June
                              Apply  1 April for July to September
                              Apply  1 July  for October to December

ATT:                          any Australian or overseas astronomer may apply for RSAA telescopes
                              Apply 15 Feb for May to July   Apply 15 May for Aug to Oct
                              Apply 15 Aug for Nov to Jan    Apply 15 Nov for Feb to April

LT:                           Deadlines in March and Sept for the same? semesters as PATT.
                              Complication concern which type of observing to go for, as
                              everything happens automatically in robotic queue mode.