Objectives

OPTICON FP7 (2009-2012) Objectives

The OPTICON consortium exists to deliver a simple yet challenging set of strategic objectives. Structuring the European astronomical community by ensuring astronomers are able to carry out state of the art research on state of the art facilities. Developing European astronomy by allowing astronomical communities to develop scientific plans for their own future facilities. Strengthening European astronomy by delivering technology research and development, helping ensure extant and future astronomical research facilities are state of the art. The consortium membership required to attain those goals defines the OPTICON partnership. The consortium is composed of all the national and international organisations which (wholly or in-part) own and operate Europe’s medium-sized modern optical-infrared astronomical observatories, and several major Institutes and organisations which develop and build innovative instrumentation – hardware and software – for those observatories and telescopes. All modern mid-sized telescopes are involved, both night-time and Solar. OPTICON will incorporate the following networking (NA), trans-national access (TNA) and joint research activities (JRA) activities

List of OPTICON FP7 (2009-2012) Activities
Workpackage Number Description
WP1 Adaptive Optics Systems: seeing beyond atmospheric limits
WP2 Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics detectors
WP3 Astrophotonics
WP4 High Angular Resolution by Interferometry: Enhancing the scientific output and reaching the fundamental limits
WP5 Smart Instrument Technologies
WP6 New Materials and Processes for Astronomical Instrumentation
WP7 Transnational Access
WP8 Management
WP9 Europe of the Future: Technologies
WP9.1 Key Technologies
WP9.2 Software Standards
WP10 Europe of the Futures: Science
WP10.1 Science Case Development for the European Extremely Large Telescope
WP10.2 European Network for High Time Resolution Astrophysics – HTRA
WP11 Enhancing Community Skills: Strengthening Skills
WP11.1 Community Development
WP11.2 The European Interferometry Initiative
WP12 Enhancing the Community: Optimising Science Access
WP12.1 Telescope Directors’ Forum
WP12.2 Planning for a viable future
WP12.3 The European Association for Solar Telescopes (EAST)