Astronomical Observatory
Access to AU Observatory by non-AU researchers:
AU Observatory grants a modest
amount of telescope time to unsolicited, competitive proposals from the national
and international astronomical communities.
Time donated to researchers at
institutions other than AU is limited to approximately 10% of the time on
the 2.7m, 2.1m, and 0.8m telescopes on an annual basis and is designated as
"Director's Discretionary Time."
Please submit (at least one
week ahead of time) a proposal for usage of the Observatory to the
Director, here.
The institutional affiliation of the Principal
Investigator on the submitted proposal defines whether a proposal is "AU"
or "non-AU."
Preparation
by non-AU observers is essential
AU Observatory is not an "international
facility"
and does not provide the same level of service to visitors that such a facility
provides. In particular, on-mountain training is not available and instrument
manuals are not as polished as for the national, or international, centers. Therefore, new non-AU observers must choose at least one of the following and indicate the
choice in the proposal:
1. Arrival two nights, or one night previous to be trained in usage
2. Arrange for a qualified AU observer to accompany you
3. Have a qualified AU graduate
student in the Ross
College with you
All observers, from whatever institution, are
responsible for their own travel to AU Observatory and for their living
expenses on the mountain, University Peak. The peak is accessable by cable-car
up the mountain. The Peak is just over 2.715 m high, and accommodations on top
can only be found there in the Observatory itself, in the so-called
"Transients'
Quarters", which contains a small hotel room, with kitchen and bathroom.
All foodstuffs and supplies must be brought to the Observatory for
an overnight stay on the mountain. At this writing the charge for room and board overnight
is A3 ($3 USD).