OPTICON

INTEGRATING ASTRONOMY ACROSS EUROPE

Building on the present for the future

OPTICON is a project funded by the European commission as part of its Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) . OPTICON's activities form part of the EC's strategy to structure the European Research Area by bringing together 47 European groups (http://www.astro-opticon.org/partners.html) with common objectives and interests.

A key objective is to structure the European community around plans for a future European Extremely Large Telescope.You can download our glossy executive summary as a PDF file by clicking on the logo (printed copies are also available in 29cm x 29cm format) -->

OPTICON received a contract for 19.2 million Euros from the EU, plus substantial matching funds, for a 5 year programme starting 1 January 2004. This programme has three inter-related elements, Networking, Trans-national access to existing telescopes and Joint Research Activities in Research and Technology.

An up-to-date summary of all our activities was presented to the EC in September 2007. Click here to see these Mid Term Review presentations.

• Networking

OPTICON networking activity involves a number of working groups which meet regularly to discuss issues of common interest.


• Transnational Access Programme

The transnational Access Programme assists new users to gain access to existing European Telescopes by providing improved proposal opportunities and financial support for some successful proposals.



 

• Joint Research Activities

The six Joint Research Activities are carrying out Research and Development activities required to upgrade existing European telescopes and make possible the next generation of new facilities.



 

You can download an illustrated document summarising the whole of the OPTICON programme by clicking on the telescope montage image on the right:-

Follow the links on the left to find out more and to get involved in building Europe's future in astronomy.