OPTICON Telescopes network

The objectives of the activity are to exploit the common pool of experience and consolidate the basis for the future productivity of existing European observatories.

A Director's Forum will review all aspects of the management, exploitation, and development of the European observing facilities included in the OPTICON access programme. The Directors Forum will be chaired by the Project Scientist. Its membership will include the Directors, or their representatives, of all of the telescopes in the consortium and the leader of the enhancement activity. It will meet not less than annually to discuss matters of mutual interest. It will monitor progress of the trans-national access activities, make recommendations to the board on the balance of resources and the evolution of this programme. It will promote the activities of the trans-national access programme.

  • The trans-national Access Office: This office will perform the tasks defined by the telescope directors' forum in support of the Access programme.
  • Enhancing research: The participants will form a working group bringing
  • together representatives of major European observatories, data bases, and research institutes to identify the best methods to develop skills across the emerging generation of European astronomers. They will identify areas where additional experience is required and organise practical activities to satisfy these needs and investigate various activities such as those needed for the development of new instrumentation or those related to the use of virtual observatory databases. The participants will discuss the progress and scope of the existing programmes and ensure the participation of experienced observers who can transfer their skills to the new generation of observational astronomers. They will organise activities to address the needs identified. The contact is: Michel Dennefeld dennefel @ iap.fr

The Chair of the OPTICON Telescopes Network activity is J Davies (UKATC): jkd@roe.ac.uk

A list of European Medium Sized Telescopes with the existing and planned instrumentation can be found here (XLS)