ESO Community Days

Following the signing of the Strategic Partnership agreement between the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and the Australian government on 11 July 2017, Australian-based astronomers will be eligible to apply for observing time on the facilities of the La Silla Paranal Observatories in Chile commencing with Period 101 (1 April – 30 Sep 2018). The Call for Proposals will be issued at the end of August, and the proposal deadline will be Thursday 28 September 2017.

In the lead up to this proposal round the AAO’s International Telescopes Support Office (ITSO) is coordinating a series of “ESO Community Days” around Australia, on behalf of ESO, the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, and Astronomy Australia Ltd. The ESO Director for Science Dr Rob Ivison, and the Head of the Observing Programs Office at ESO Dr Ferdinando Patat, will provide a comprehensive overview of the current and future observing facilities available, as well as the proposal preparation, submission, and assessment process. The sessions will run from 10am until lunchtime as follows:

Monday 18 Sep 2017: AAO, Sydney
Tuesday 19 Sep 2017: RSAA Mt Stromlo, Canberra
Wednesday 20 Sep 2017: Swinburne University, Melbourne
Thursday 21 Sep 2017: University of Western Australia, Perth
Friday 22 Sep 2017: University of Queensland, Brisbane

Further details can be found on AAO’s website: https://www.aao.gov.au/itso/eso