Rules
Rules for Access to the RACIO Scientific Infrastructure
Access to observing time is made by submitting an application and taking a decision by the Time Allocation Committee elected by the Scientific Council of IA and NAO. Fully guided by the principles of scientific policy, the Committee takes its decisions on making a proposal to allocate observation time by consensus.
1. Proposals shall be drawn up for six-month calendar periods and submitted for examination and validation by the Scientific Council of IA and NAO. These periods are: February 1 – July 31 and 1 August 1 – January 31.
2. The boundaries of observing seasons between photometric and spectral observations shall be determined at least 30 days before the expiry of the relevant filing period.
3. The time limits for submission of requests for observation time are: March 20 (1 August 1 – January 31) and September 20 (February 1 – July 31). In the event that these dates fall on non-working days, the deadline for submitting applications expires at the end of the first business day following them. Requests submitted after these deadlines will be diverted.
4. Requests shall be completed exhaustively for each telescope and focus individually and sent online or to the e-mail address of the Committee. Upon expiration of the submission deadline, requests distributed by focus and telescope are analyzed, summarized and evaluated by the members of the Committee, who submit their proposals for discussion and decision-making.
5. The Committee shall have its meetings twice a year:
- (a) October (for the period February 1 – July 31), with the proposal for allocating the observing time submitted for consideration and approval by the Scientific Council at its November meeting
- (b) in April (August 1 – January 31), with a proposal to allocate observing time submitted for consideration and approval by the Scientific Council at its May meeting
6. The deadlines for elaboration and coordination of calendar schedules are:
- (a) December 15 (for the period February 1 – July 31)
- (b) June 15 (for the period August 1 – January 31).
