Optical/infrared telescopes available to UK astronomers (2008 March)

This is a list and basic details of the groundbased optical and infrared observing facilities which accept applications for telescope time from UK astronomers. The list is sorted according to observing type and wavelength domain, and includes basic details on each instrument (resolution, field size, etc). All information on this page is supplied without guarantee of correctness.
Last update: 2008 March 3rd.

• Overview of capabilities
• Application eligibility and deadlines
• Details for each telescope and instrument
• Date of last modification: 17/03/2008

WHT   --   INT   --   NOT   --   TNG   --   LT   --   CAHA   3.5m   2.2m   --   UKIRT   --   ESO Paranal   VLT   --   ESO La Silla   3.6m   NTT   2.2m   --   LCO   Baade   Clay   2.5m   1.0m   --   Gemini   North   South   --   CTIO   4.0m   SOAR   1.5m   1.3m   1.0m   0.9m   --   SAAO   SALT   1.9m   1.0m   --   AAT  

Many of the application deadlines are general guidelines only, based on experience from previous years. Anyone wishing to submit an application should confirm these dates (and all other relevant information in this document) directly on the official webpages of the telescope concerned. You have been warned.....

Isaac Newton Group (ING)

William Herschel Telescope 4.2m (WHT)

The long-term future of the WHT is not completely secure as its present status is reliant on funding from several Governments, one of which (UK) is becoming increasingly reticent. However, the WHT is an excellent telescope which is also demonstrably cheap to run. Its future lies probably either as part of the Common Northern Observatory, as a support instrument for the new 10m Grantecan, or through selling large amounts of observing time to interested customers. The last of these possibilities is currently the favoured model, and a new high-resolution spectrograph will soon be installed with the main task of following up the transiting extrasolar planet candidates produced by the Kepler satellite.

Isaac Newton Telescope 2.5m (INT)

The future of the INT is not secure, and depends on the ING being given sufficient funding for its continued low-level operation. At present (2007) the UK government is actively seeking to minise the funding it give to the ING, which is not a good sign for the INT. The telescope is also coming closer to the end of its economic life.

Nordic Optical Telescope 2.5m (NOT)

The short-term future of the NOT is stable as the Nordic countries are fully aware of its high capability, reliability and low running costs. In the longer term there are indications that it may struggle to attract a high number of applications for observing time, although it would be a valued part of the prospective Common Northern Observatory.

Telescopio Nazionale Galileo 3.58m (TNG)

The future of the TNG must be regarded as uncertain as it is unable to obtain any funding to improve or replace its current (first-generation) instruments. It may find a good home if the Common Northern Observatory is brought to life.

Liverpool Telescope (robotic) 2.0m (LT)

An integral-field spectrograph, FRODOspec, is being constructed for the LT. But the future of the telescope is not completely certain at this point, partially due to a history of technical problems.

Calar Alto

3.5m telescope

2.2m telescope

From the Call for Proposals from 2008 February: "Presumably FOCES will be no longer available from September 2009. Please take this into account when preparing long term proposals."

FOCES is on loan from the Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics of the University of Munich, and will be returned to them in the second half of 2009. There are plans for a replacement échelle spectrograph at Calar Alto, but this will take a while to build if it is given the go-ahead. FOCES will be moved to Wendelstein Observatory

There is a 1.23m telescope at Calar Alto, also operated by CAHA, which is undergoing refurbishment. The site also contains a 0.8m Schmidt telescope which is no longer used, and a 1.5m telescope which is operated by a separate group and used only intermittently.

There is an IR multi-mode instrument, MAGIC, which may be available at all telescopes but is only at the 2.2m at present.

United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT)

The MICHELLE mid-IR imaging and spectrosocpy instrument has been loaned to Gemini-North on a long-term basis. Much of the UKIRT time now goes on large surveys using WFCAM, for example UKIDSS.

European Southern Observatory (ESO)

Paranal observatory (VLT)

FORS2 will be acquiring polarimetric capabilities soon to replace some of the functionality of FORS1.

FORS1 will be discontinued during Period 82 (2008 October to 2009 March) and will effectively be replaced by X-SHOOTER. X-SHOOTER and modifications to FORS2.

VISIR will be replaced during Period 82 (2008 October to 2009 March) by X-SHOOTER. X-SHOOTER is a new single-object échelle spectrograph which will use dichroics to give simultaneous coverage of the full wavelength range from the UV to the near-IR: 300-550 nm (UV-Blue arm), 550-1000 nm (Visual-red arm) and 1.0-2.5 microns (Near-IR arm). There will also be a small integral-field unit.

Other facilities at Paranal

The VLT also has a well-developed interferometric capibility, which can either use several of the Unit Telescopes or the dedicated 2m Auxiliary Telescopes. Details of these facilities can be found from the Paranal instruments page.

A 2.6m VLT Survey Telescope (VST) is nearing completion at Paranal and will be equipped with a wide-field optical camera which is a mosaic of 32 CCDs with a field of view of 1×1 degree.

The UK-origin VISTA (Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy) is also in a fairly advanced stage of construction at Paranal. It is a 4m telescope and will have a wide-field near-IR mosaic of 16 2k × 2k HgCdTe arrays with a field of view of 1.65×1.65 degrees (which requires four observations for full coverage).

The future of La Silla Observatory is not assured in the long term, as ESO seeks to shift its funding (which is already focussed on the VLT) to ALMA and construction of an Extremely Large Telescope. There has been a shift towards minimising the number of instruments, and now the 3.6m has only HARPS and the NTT has only SofI and EFOSC. Information on the retired instruments can be found here: SUSI-2, EMMI, TIMMI2 and CES. There is a possibility that ULTRACAM may find a semi-permanent home at La Silla in the future.

News from the ESO Period 82 Announcement of Opportunity: "Operation of the La Silla site is expected to continue beyond 2010.''

3.6m telescope

3.6m NTT (New Technology Telescope)

2.2m MPI telescope

Only limited time is available on the 2.2m to visiting astronomers, as much of the time is allocated to German and Chilean research.

Las Campanas Observatory (LCO)

UK astronomers have no direct access to these telescopes, but time can be obtained through collaboration with astronomers who are at some American and Chilean institutions. 50% of the time goes to Carnegie, who effectively operate the telescopes, 25% to Harvard and 10% to Chile. The remainder goes to a small number of other American institutions and to NOAO.

6.5m Magellan Baade telescope

6.5m Magellan Clay telescope

2.5m Irénée du Pont telescope

1.0m Henrietta Swope telescope

Gemini Observatory

Due to the recent funding crisis UK astronomers have limited access to the Gemini telescopes; the exact position is unclear and changing. Up-to-date details can be found here.

Gemini North (Mauna Kea, Hawaii)

Gemini North also hosts the TEXES high-resolution mid-IR échelle spectrograph, but it is unclear for how long it will be offered. Applications for TEXES must include one of the TEXES team.

Gemini South (Cerro Pachon, Chile)

Gemini North also hosts the bHROS high-resolution optical échelle spectrograph, but it was withdrawn from service for semester 2007A on.

The Acquisition Camera is available. It is an optical imager but the Gemini webpage has few details on its scientific capabilities.

The PHOENIX near-IR high-resolution spectrograph may be offered at times (its status is unclear as the Gemini webpage is out of date).

The GNIRS near-IR spectrograph was accidentally damaged in May 2007 by being heated far above room temperature. The instrument is expected to be repaired and return to service, but this may take many months.

The FLAMINGOS near-IR multi-object spectrograph is currently being built and is intended to be offered for service from semester 2008B on.

CTIO: Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory

The 1.5m and 1.3m telescopes are operated entirely in service/queue mode. The 1.3m was originally for 2MASS. The 1.0m is classical observing only, whereas the 0.9m is mixed classical/service observing. All four small telescope (1.5m, 1.3m, 1.0m, 0.9m) are owned and operated by the SMARTS Consortium.

4m Blanco telescope (Cerro Tololo)

4.1m SOAR telescope (Cerro Pachon)

1.5m telescope (Cerro Tololo)

1.3m telescope (Cerro Tololo)

1.0m telescope (Cerro Tololo)

0.9m telescope (Cerro Tololo)

SAAO: South African Astronomical Observatory

There is also a 0.75m telescope with an IR JHKL photoelectric photometer and the possibility to use the UCT high-speed CCD photometer, and a 0.5m telescope with a UBVRI photoelectric photometer.

SALT: Southern African Large Telescope

SALT has only recently been constructed. The Robert Stobie Spectrograph will soon be available for imaging, spectroscopy, and multi-object spectroscopy, and has been designed to have a good UV-blue performance. The High Resolution Spectrograph (HRS) is in preparation.

1.9m Radcliffe Telescope

The 1.9m telescope currently has some pointing restrictions, and cannot go north of δ = -10 degrees.

1.0m telescope

AAO: Siding Springs Observatory

AAT: Anglo Australian Telescope

2.3m ANU Advanced Technology Telescope

Also has CASPIR, which is an IR imager and spectrograph.

There is also a 40 inch telescope which is equipped with a Wide Field Imager (8 CCDs with a field of view of 52×52 arcmin at 0.38 arcsec/px).
2008: this telescope is no longer available.