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ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN OBSER V a T O R Y the Eye of the Serpent

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ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN OBSER V a T O R Y the Eye of the Serpent NUMBER 111 FEBRUARY 2007 NEWSLETTER The Eye of the Serpent ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN OBSERVATORY IRIS2 “true colour” near-infrared image of the Serpens molecular cloud, obtained in September 2006 with the new science-grade array, from imaging in the J (blue), H (green), and Ks (red) filters. The blue butterfly-like object near the centre is the Serpens Reflection Nebula, while the yellow object just below it, surrounded by braided nebulosity, is the Young Stellar Object Ser B6 (IRAS 18274+0112). Numerous outflow and embedded sources are also visible. The images were pipeline-reduced by ORAC-DR, then processed with GIMP by Stuart Ryder. contents 5 The Millennium Galaxy Catalogue (Simon Driver, Jochen Liske & Alister Graham) 10 Asteroseismology with UCLES (Tim Bedding for the UCLES asteroseismology team) 13 Hunting down benchmark brown dwarfs with IRIS2 (A.C. Day-Jones et al.) 17 The formation of cluster early-type galaxies (Craig Harrison et al.) 22 Examples of new evolved planetary nebulae from the SuperCOSMOS Hα Survey (Jayne Birkby et al.) 25 Observatory News 30 Local news DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE DIRECTOR’S In the last AAO Newsletter, I noted that the AAO was awaiting the outcomes of the Australian government’s Review of the Observatory. The Review Panel’s report† made ten important recommendations for the future of the AAO. In abridged form, these are: 1.The AAO should continue in its role as the major national facility manager for optical astronomy in Australia until at least 2015. 2.The Australian Government should increase the planned recurrent funding for the AAO by $10.5 million over the five-year period 2006–07 to 2010–11. 3.Noting that the outstanding success of the AAO is based on the conjunction of research, instrumentation and facility management, maintaining this capability combination should be a priority when considering future funding for the AAO, in order to optimise delivery to the user community. 4.A new instrument should be developed which will extend the life of the AAT for use by Australian researchers and students for at least the period to 2015. The instrumentation capability of the AAO is central to its ability to deliver forefront astronomical capability to users, and in so doing ensures that the AAO retains a strongly competitive position worldwide as a builder of innovative instruments. 5.The AAO should be refurbished as necessary, with funding to address the two most critical categories of repairs of $4.1 million in the budget period 2006–07 to 2010–11. 6.The AAO should be given the broader role of a national optical observatory, managing both national and international projects, and encompassing Gemini, ELTs, Antarctic astronomy facilities and other national investments to the benefit of the Australian astronomical community. 7.An Optical Astronomy Australia (OAA) Board should be established as a statutory corporation after 2010 to own and manage national facilities where appropriate, provide leadership and coordination of optical astronomy research in Australia, undertake strategic planning, provide a point of contact with the Australian Government and international organizations, seek and distribute major facility funds, and appoint the Director and manage the AAO. 8.An Interim OAA Board should be established in 2007 with broad responsibilities to lead and manage the optical astronomy program in Australia from 2007–2010, with suitable transition arrangements as the UK’s involvement in the current AAO reduces and ends in 2010. 9.Consideration should be given in the future to widening the scope of the OAA Board to that of a broader peak body for all Australian astronomy beyond 2010. 10. A further review should be held in the period 2010–11 with the purpose of developing guidance for the AAO for the period out to 2015. The first steps towards realising this program were made on 27 November 2006, when initial outcomes of the Australian National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy were announced. Optical and Radio Astronomy was one of nine capabilities that received substantial funding. Over the next 4½ years, $45 million will be injected into a variety of programs in Australian astronomy, including existing facilities such as the AAT and Gemini, new facilities such as the Square Kilometre Array and its precursors, and design and development work for the Giant Magellan Telescope and PILOT, a proposed Antarctic 2m-class telescope. The AAO component of this broad investment plan is $10 million, of which $4.1 million will be used to refurbish and revitalise the AAT’s 33-year-old systems and infrastructure, while the other $5.9 million will be used to build a new front-line instrument for the AAT. A specific instrument concept being explored is the AAOmicron near- infrared multi-object spectrograph described by Simon Ellis & Roger Haynes on page 18 of the August 2006 Newsletter, which aims to exploit both prior instrumentation developments and revolutionary new technologies. Together, these investments will help ensure that the AAT remains a reliable, efficient and scientifically potent † http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/science_innovation/policy_issues_reviews/reviews/anglo_aus.htm ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN OBSERVATORY page 2 NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2007 telescope for at least another decade. Just as important, however, is the proposed formation of Astronomy Australia, a limited-liability statutory corporation that will have overall responsibility for managing NCRIS funding for astronomy. Membership in Astronomy Australia will be open to all Australian institutions involved in astronomical research. If Astronomy Australia is effective in ANNOUNCEMENTS its role as NCRIS program manager, then, in accord with recommendations 7 & 8 of the Review Panel, it may prove to be the appropriate entity to take over the operation of the Observatory from the AAT Board after the UK’s involvement with the AAO ends in mid-2010. The next 3½ years will therefore see an organic evolution of the AAO, as it transforms itself from a bi-national, one-telescope facility into a fully-fledged national observatory supporting an array of optical and infrared facilities. Indeed this process is already underway: from 2007, the AAO will host the Project Office for the PILOT design study and work closely with the Australian GMT Project Office located at ANU, while from 2008, support activities for Australia’s involvement in the Gemini and Magellan telescopes will be consolidated at the AAO. These changes, and others to follow, will present the AAO with challenges and opportunities, and we welcome both. Matthew Colless LARGE OBSERVING PROGRAMS ON THE AAT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS SEMESTER 07B The AAO aims to provide opportunities for Australian mean programs requiring 50 nights or more (there is and British astronomers to make effective use of the no set upper limit), possibly extending over several Anglo-Australian Telescope’s unique capabilities to years. The science will be expected to be address major scientific questions through large groundbreaking and not just incremental. Proposers observing programs. These large observing programs need to discuss what their program will achieve in may use any instrument, or combination of instruments, comparison with other on-going and future programs on the AAT, although the community’s particular on similar timescales. The scientific program should attention is drawn to the AAOmega spectrograph, which be described in no more than 5 pages (including figures, will be the world’s most efficient instrument for large- tables, and references). scale survey spectroscopy for some years to come. 2. An observing strategy describing the provision of In line with previous announcements, the AAT Board the input target sample, the detailed plan for the (AATB) is issuing this Request for Proposals (RfP) for observations (number of nights including the standard major new observing programs to commence in allowance for weather, cadence of time-critical semester 07B (August 2007 to January 2008) or observations, and total duration of the project), the semester 08A (February 2008 to July 2008). The AATB proposed instrumental setups, constraints on weather expects large observing programs to be awarded more conditions or timing of observations, signal-to-noise or than 25% of the available time on the AAT in semester other figures of merit required to achieve the science 07B; this fraction of time will be reviewed for subsequent goals, and any special support needed for the semesters. The AATB encourages ambitious large observations. The number of targets, required data programs and does not set an upper limit on the fraction quality, sensitivity limits and so on should all be carefully of time large programs can be awarded. and rigorously justified. Programs requiring multiple visits to the same field should present a strategy for All proposals will be evaluated by the Anglo-Australian updating targets to achieve optimum efficiency. The Time Allocation Committee (AATAC), and should use observing strategy should be described in no more than the standard AATAC form (although with non-standard 2 pages. page limits). The case for the proposed large observing program must include: 3. A management plan outlining the collaboration involved in the program, the sharing of responsibilities 1. A major, compelling and feasible scientific program. for scientific management; the planning of The proposal should focus on key questions that the observations; the carrying out of observations; data observational data would address, but should also reduction; quality control at each of these stages; data outline anticipated secondary uses of the data by the release to the AAO community and the International broader community. ‘Major’ in this context will generally ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN OBSERVATORY NEWSLETTER page 3 FEBRUARY 2007 Virtual Observatory; and finally, data analysis and THE AAO’S FOUNDING EXECUTIVE exploitation by the proposing team. The plan should OFFICER SCIENCE HIGHLIGHTS outline the roles of all team members and how members contribute to carrying out the program. Proposers may Russell Cannon also wish to suggest a publication strategy, including the process for determining authorship.
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