OPTICON
Optical Infrared Coordination Network for Astronomy
Horizon 2020
- VPHG Workshop - 16th June
- OPTICON RadioNet Pilot (ORP) website online
- OPTICON Horizon 2020 contract extended until 30 June 2021 due to COVID-19 delays
- OPTICON-RADIONET Pilot project approved and started on 1 March 2021
Latest News for OPTICON
Virtual OPTICON Archival School Using ESO and ALMA Data
19 - 26 June 2021
In this school the students will do a project using data available either in the ESO or ALMA archive. The project is lead by an experienced tutor who will guide the students in retrieving, reducing and analysing the data. The school also includes basic lectures on ESO and ALMA, but the emphasis is on hands-on work. There will also be general interest lectures on different aspects of multi-messenger astrophysics, including very high energy gamma-rays, neutrinos and gravitational waves.
More information on the school:
https://opticon-schools.nbi.ku.dk/other-schools/virtual-archival-school/
Application form:
https://opticon-schools.nbi.ku.dk/other-schools/virtual-archival-school/programme/application-form/
This school is mainly meant for PhD students, but also MSc students in the later stages of their studies and young postdocs can be considered.
The deadline for applications is Friday April 23, and the applicants will be notified about the selection in late May.
MCIFU: The Multi-Core fiber-fed Integral-Field Unit spectrograph Workshop Announcement
March 31, 2021 | 2-6pm GMT (3-7pm CET)
An online Workshop on: MCIFU: The Multi-Core fiber-fed Integral-Field Unit spectrograph
MCIFU is an OPTICON pathfinder for high performance diffraction-limited spectroscopy in the NIR
The workshop will feature serveral talks about the features and developments of the project. The workshop will conclude with details about the project results and future plans. There will also be opportunities for extensive discussion.
More Information [PDF/255 KB]
Contact:
The Future of MOS Technologies - OPTICON-CSIC Workshop
April 26th-29th 2021
This event will provide an excellent opportunity to bring together experts from different areas and groups with the goal to: Present current and future MOS instruments and facilities. Discuss and share innovative ideas for the design and development of new MOS instrumentation. Identify the key enabling technologies that will require active industrial development. Recognise new techniques and manufacturing capabilities in the market. Examine optimal target acquisition and positioning methods and algorithms. Review unbiased estimators to account for MOS assignment strategies.
Key Dates
15 March - Deadline for abstract submission
21 April - Closing of registration
More information about the conference and registration details are available from the confence website:
The Future of MOS Technologies Website
AHEAD 2020
Integrated Activities for High Energy Astrophysics
Opening: 11 January 2021 - Announcement of Opportunity Cycle 1
The AHEAD2020 (Integrated Activities for High Energy Astrophysics) project has been funded under the Horizon 2020 Research Infrastructure Program. The AHEAD2020 main goal is to integrate and open research infrastructures for high energy and multi-messenger astrophysics. We offer a wide program of transnational access (TNA) to the best European test and calibration facilities and training/mentoring on X-ray data analysis and computational astrophysics at AHEAD2020 astronomical institutes and data centres. Moreover, we offer the possibility for scientists and engineers at all expertise levels to visit European institutes of their choice through our visitor program call. Proposals will be peer-reviewed by specific AHEAD2020 selection panels and ranked according to their merit. The access costs for the selected facility will be covered by AHEAD2020 as well as travel costs and daily allowances for the successful applicants.
More Information & Application Details
OPTICON team member awarded prestigious fellowship
15 October 2020
Dr Carolyn Atkins, a member of the OPTCON team working on additive manufacturing in astronomy, has been awarded a prestigious UKRI fellowship to expand on her work.
The programme, from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), supports the next generation of talented people in their field. Carolyn’s research is focused on methods to 3D-print lightweight mirrors for telescopes in space – when weight and volume limits are critical.
The 11th OPTICON Gaia Science Alerts workshop
18-22 January 2021
The eleventh OPTICON Gaia Science Alerts workshop will be held online 18-22 January 2021 The main goals of this year's workshop are:
- update on the Gaia mission
- update on the improvements in the Gaia Alerts
- Gaia Alerts highlights and results
- synergies with radio, X-ray and high energy
- new members of the telescope network
- new photometric calibration server
- organization of the follow-up
- future of alerts and extension of Gaia
Registration is open until January 10th 2021
More Information & Registration
STFC joins European astronomy network
30 November 2020
UK scientists are working with European colleagues in a new network to enable the fastest-growing type of astronomy – using as many wavelengths as possible in every study.
Members of the European astronomy community from 37 institutions, including teams from the UK, have been granted €15 million funding to improve how radio and optical telescopes across the continent work together.
This network, the OPTICON-RadioNet PILOT (ORP), brings together experts from the ground-based astronomy community to develop radio and optical instrumentation and to support improved access to a wider range of astronomy facilities.
Astronomers in the UK from STFC’s UK Astronomy and Technology Centre (UK ATC) as well as the Universities of Durham, Cambridge and Manchester have joined the consortium, funded by the EU H2020 programme and led by the French National Centre for Scientific Research.
2nd OPTICON Instrumentation School
September 16-25, 2020 Postponed date TBD
The 2nd OPTICON Instrumentation School will take place in Milan September 16-25, 2020. This school has a theme 'Integral Field Spectroscopy', and during it the students will carry out a 'Phase A' study of an instrument under supervision of an experienced tutor.
This school is meant for both astronomers and engineers at almost any level (from MSc students to young postdocs). The first half of the school consists of morning lectures and afternoon group sessions with hands-on instrument planning. The lectures include, among other topics, science with integral field spectrographs, systems engineering, optical design, and detectors. The second half of the school is dedicated to group work, and at the end of the school the students will present their instrument ideas. The local costs are covered by OPTICON, and some travel support is also available (see application form).
Instrumentation School Website | Application Form
The application deadline is on Thursday April 30 (23:59 CET), and the applicants will be notified about the selection at the end of May.
High-Angular Resolution Observations from the ground: the hitchhiker’s guide to the PSF
October 5th-9th 2020
With the deployment of adaptive telescopes and the upcoming ELTs high-angular resolution is the new standard for ground-based observations. The objective of the school is to prepare the new generation of astronomers to make the best use of their High-Angular Resolution data
The deadline for registration is March 15th 2020.
More information about the school and registration details are available from the school website:
High-Angular Resolution Observations from the ground: the hitchhiker’s guide to the PSF
The Sharpest Eyes on the Sky - A 2020 vision for high angular resolution astronomy
April 20th-24th 2020
The focus of the conference will be on discussing the latest scientific results obtained with optical interferometry and other high angular resolution imaging techniques (ALMA, SPHERE, GPI, ....). There will be presentations on operational aspects, ongoing and future instrumentation development activities at CHARA and VLTI, and opportunities to discuss synergies between facilities.
The deadline for registration and talk/poster abstract submissions is March 6th 2020.
More information about the conference and registration details are available from the confence website:
The Sharpest Eyes on the Sky Conference Website
Fizeau Exchange Visitors Program
Call for Applications
The Fizeau exchange visitors program in optical interferometry funds (travel and accommodation) visits of researchers to an institute of his/her choice (within the European Community) to perform collaborative work and training on one of the active topics of the European Interferometry Initiative. The visits will typically last for one month, and strengthen the network of astronomers engaged in technical, scientific and training work on optical/infrared interferometry. The program is open for all levels of astronomers (Ph.D. students to tenured staff), with priority given to PhD students and young postdocs. Non-EU based missions will only be funded if considered essential by the Fizeau Committee. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek also partial support from their home or host institutions.
The deadline for applications is November 15. Fellowships can be awarded for missions to be carried out between January 2020 and July 2020!
Further informations and application forms can be found at www.european-interferometry.eu
The program is funded by OPTICON/H2020.
Looking forward to your applications,
Josef Hron & Peter Abraham (for the European Interferometry Initiative)
CANARY Experiments Report
July 2019
A report is available for the CANARY run from July 2019.
https://sites.google.com/view/opticon-ao/canary/canary-experiments
PhD in Physics and astrophysics (Universtità dell'Insubria - Italy) Scholarship
Deadline 31st of July 2019 - 12:00
PhD in Physics and astrophysics (Universtità dell'Insubria - Italy) on "Development of innovative technologies for optical astronomical instrumentation”
https://www.uninsubria.eu/opportunity/call-phd-xxxv
NEON Observing School and Hot Topic Conference
Sophia, Bulgaria September 15-29, 2019
Deadline for applications: Friday May 3 2019
The 2019 NEON Observing School is hosted by the Rozhen Observatory in Bulgaria September 15-29. During the second week of the school, which will take place in Sofia, a Hot Topics Conference will also take place.
The NEON observing school will provide lectures on observing techniques and hands-on observing experience on professional telescopes. During it students will, together with an experienced tutor, go through all the steps from planning and carrying out the observations to reducing and analysing the obtained data.
In the Hot Topics conference you will learn about the newest developments in astrophysics, and also on how to write observing time proposal and scientific papers.
These schools are mainly meant for Ph.D students in astronomy (MSc students in the later stages of their studies and young PostDocs can also be considered). The NEON observing school is meant for students who do not have prior observing experience with professional telescopes, and would need that in their future careers.
The local costs (accommodation and meals) are covered by OPTICON, and some travel support is also available (and needs to be applied for with the application form).
More information on the 2019 Neon Observing school
More information on the Hot Topics conference
You can apply to both events or only to the Hot Topics conference. The deadline for applications is Friday May 3, and the applicants will be notified about the selection in the end of May.
OPTICON and ERASMUS+ School
Observational Astrophysics: from proposals to publication
Stará Lesná, Slovak Republic June 17-27, 2019
Deadline for applications: Sunday March 31
The school Observational Astrophysics: from proposals to publication will take place 17 - 27 June 2019 at the Astronomical Institute of Slovak Academy of Sciences in Stará Lesná, Slovak Republic. This school is mainly meant for PhD students in astronomy, but also MSc students in the later stages of their studies and young postdocs can be considered.
The school consists of two parts: hands-on project using archival data, and observing time proposal evaluation. In the first part the students will learn about the basics of data reduction and will work on archival data - reducing and analysing them with the help of an experienced tutor. During the second part the students will learn about proposal writing and will participate in a 'Telescope Time Allocation Committee meeting' where they will evaluate real observing time proposals. Additionally, the school also includes sessions on writing articles and careers in astronomy.
This school is jointly organised by OPTICON and ERASMUS+ programme 'Per aspera ad astra simul'. The local costs (accommodation and meals) are covered by OPTICON and ERASMUS+, and some limited travel support is also available (and needs to be applied for on the application form).
More information on the school
The deadline for applications is Sunday 31st March, and the applicants will be notified about the selection by the end of April.
Call for AO experiment proposals on Canary at the WHT now Open
Deadline: 23:59 UTC on 14th December 2018
CANARY currently have an initial call for proposals that will close at 23:59 UTC on 14th December 2018 for experiments covering the observing periods 19A (Feb-July), 19B (August-Jan). It is expected that a second call in April next year for periods 19B and 20A/B will be made.
Report on OPTICON workshop published
ESO Messenger Report
Bianco, A.; Bernstein, R.; de Ugarte Postigo, A.; Garzon, F.; Holland, W.; Manescau, A.; Navarro, R.; RivaM., "Report on the Workshop "Dispersing Elements for Astronomy: New Trends and Possibilities", ESO Messenger, 172, 40-41, (2018) DOI:10.18727/0722-6691/5081
https://www.eso.org/sci/publications/messenger/toc.html?v=172&m=Jun&y=18
OPTICON TAC Meeting
8th May
The OPTICON time allocation committee met on May 8th. The PIs of sucessful proposals have already been advised of their allocations informally. Formal feedback will be sent to all applicants as soon as possible.
INAF & OPTICON Workpackage 7 Feature in Italian Business Magazine
PLATINUM: March 2018 Special Edition - Research & Innovation
INAF & OPTICON workpackage 7 are featured in the March 2018 edition of "PLATINUM" an Italian business magazine. The March edition focusses on research and innovation and is published in Italian and English.
The magazine is available to view online:
http://www.platinum-online.com/marzo-2018-speciale-ricercainnovazione/
Select either Italian or English to view the publication from the previous link.
The article about INAF & OPTICON is also available from the following link:
INAF & OPTICON ARTICLE [PDF/103 KB]
9th VLTI Summer School
Lisbon, 9th to 14th July 2018
By combining the light from four telescopes, the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) delivers angular resolution at milli-arcsecond scale and astrometry at tens of micro-arcsecond. The available instrumentation covers the H to N-band with low to moderately high spectral resolution.
Given that long-baseline optical interferometry observing techniques are still not widespread in the community VLTI schools are periodically organized. The next school will take place the 9th to 14th July in Lisbon.
The school will provide practical hands-on training on observational programme preparation, data reduction and analysis.
Full lodging and subsistence costs will be provided to all attendees. Travel funding can be provided in justified cases.
Further information can be found at:
http://www.european-interferometry.eu/training/2018-school
OPTICON Productivity Still Rising
A search of the Astrophysics Data System, an online database of astronomy and physics, looking for the word OPTICON detects 613 papers. These include observational papers resulting from the Trans-National Access Programme and technical papers resulting from the various Joint Research Activities which have been funded over several contacts. These TNA and JRA activities did not start until the FP6 OPTICON contract (2004-2009) and have continued since then. The continuing increase in productivity since about 2010 shows the impact of the OPTICON programme on European astronomy.
NEON Observing School 2018
Asiago, Italy, September 9-22, 2018
Deadline for applications Friday April 6
The 2018 NEON Observing School is hosted by the Asiago Astrophysical Observatory in Italy September 9-22. This school will provide hands-on observing experience on professional telescopes. During it students will, together with an experienced tutor, go through all the steps from planning and carrying out the observations to reducing and analysing the obtained data.
This school is meant for Ph.D students in astronomy who do not have prior observing experience with professional telescopes (MSc students in the later stages of their studies and young PostDocs can also be considered). The first half of the school comprises of lectures, and planning and carrying out observations. The lectures include, among other topics, modern telescopes, detectors, and optical observing techniques. The second half of the school is dedicated to group work on reducing and analysing the obtained observations, with students presenting their results at the end of the school.
The local costs (accommodation and meals) are covered by OPTICON, and some travel support is also available (and needs to be applied for with the application form).
More information about the school:
http://opticon-schools.nbi.ku.dk/observing-schools/neon-observing-school-2018/
Application Form:
http://opticon-schools.nbi.ku.dk/how-to-apply-form/
The deadline for applications is Friday April 6, and the applicants will be notified about the selection in the end of April.
Gaia Science Alerts Workshop 2017
Warsaw, Poland, 6-8 December 2017
The details of the workshop and the registration are available here:
https://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/ioa/wikis/gsawgwiki/index.php/Workshop2017:main
We encourage all people interested in Gaia Science Alerts, their follow-up observations and scientific study to attend the workshop. We also invite everyone willing to join the worldwide network of Gaia Science Alerts collaborators as well as representatives of other transient surveys programmes. We would appreciate if you could pass this information to your colleagues.
The main goals of the 8th Gaia Science Alerts Workshop are:
- update on the Gaia and Gaia Alerts status
- talk about recent highlights from Gaia Alerts
- organize the follow-up campaigns and scientific goals
- maintain the existing connections between the follow-up partners
- meet new follow-up partners
This year we plan to have a hands-on session on Gaia Alerts follow-up organization. We will learn about and practice with the available tools, developed by the Alerts Team. We will learn how to optimise the observations and how to process them in order to maximise the scientific outcome.
The registration is open until 12. November 2017 and can be directly accessed here:
https://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/ioa/wikis/gsawgwiki/index.php/Workshop2017:registration
Looking forward to seeing you in Warsaw in December!
Lukasz Wyrzykowski
on behalf of the Workshop Organizing Committee.
Fizeau Exchange Visitors Program
Call for Applications
The Fizeau exchange visitors program in optical interferometry funds (travel and accommodation) visits of researchers to an institute of his/her choice (within the European Community) to perform collaborative work and training on one of the active topics of the European Interferometry Initiative. The visits will typically last for one month, and strengthen the network of astronomers engaged in technical, scientific and training work on optical/infrared interferometry. The program is open for all levels of astronomers (Ph.D. students to tenured staff), with priority given to PhD students and young postdocs. Non-EU based missions will only be funded if considered essential by the Fizeau Committee. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek also partial support from their home or host institutions.
The deadline for applications is October 15. Fellowships can be awarded for missions to be carried out between December 2017 and May 2018!
Further informations and application forms can be found at www.european-interferometry.eu
The program is funded by OPTICON/H2020.
Looking forward to your applications,
Josef Hron & Peter Abraham
(for the European Interferometry Initiative)