Observing Time Policy and Procedure

Policy

The equipment and facilities of the Wise Observatory are constructed and maintained for the use of the scientific community in general. Available observing time on the Wise Observatory telescope will be shared between staff members and visitors, and will be allotted on the basis of scientific merit and suitability of instruments. The final responsibility for all allocation of time shall be the director's.

Procedure

1. Requests for observing time are submitted to the observatory office using the standard Observing Time Request Form. Tex and postscript files of the Time Request Form are available over the Internet at http://wise-obs.tau.ac.il/observations/forms/ .

2. Requests for observing time should be made for the six month periods October 1 - March 31 or April 1 - September 30, and should be submitted prior to the preceding August 1 and February 1 respectively. Late requests will be granted only in exceptional cases at the discretion of the director.

3. Graduate students must submit an endorsement from their faculty advisor along with the form. The endorsement must contain statements concerning the student's academic standing, the acceptability of the proposed research to the department, and the capability of the student to perform the proposed work.

4. Requests will be reviewed by a scheduling committee appointed by the director.

5. Any applicant who feels that the decision on the telescope allocation has been unfair may appeal directly to the observatory director for reconsideration.

6. Once telescope allocations have been made, revisions in schedules must be negotiated through the director.