UK access to Gemini terminated
Despite Professor Keith Mason (Chief Executive of the STFC) requesting the UK astronomical community to look forward to a "brighter future" STFC's cunning plan to reduce its funding to the Gemini telescopes has been firmly rejected by the Gemini board. Personally I don't blame the Gemini Board; STFC's behaviour has been desparate and the plan to fund only the Gemini North telescope goes against the original agreements to operate both Gemini North and Gemini South as one observatory. With the hastily put together proposal rejected, the UK will have to pay a £7 million (or perhaps £8 million) penalty fee to leave the collaboration. That cessation of access is pretty much immediate (February 1st 2008) with all the UK's future observations scheduled after that date cancelled. The time will be shared out amongst the other nations involved. The UK will no longer have access to the largest professional telescopes in the northern hemisphere. My sympathies go to anyone who was relying on Gemini data for their PhD. Apparently you should consider retraining in medicine or as a stockbroker.
Perhaps the one-time astronaut candidate Keith Mason can explain what the bright side of this is.
Comments: UK access to Gemini terminated
Very interesting, I have heard talk that the UK is thinking of putting together some equipment that will go to the ISS. Do you know anything about this?
Also I have added your blog to my blogroll and would appreciate it very much if you would look at my site and see if it would fit in on your blogroll.
The Fool
Posted by The Fool on Sunday 27th Jan 2008 (00:16 UTC)
The Fool, Chris Lintott has a debate on his site about the topic of the UK contributing to the ISS. Personally I think it is a bit of a waste of our money especially at a time when real science is suffering.
Posted by Stuart on Sunday 27th Jan 2008 (15:06 UTC)
That is bizarre and I don't understand it at all. They are a partner in one of the greatest astronomical observatories in the world and they bow out 4 years early at the price of âˆUS16M? That is insane.
I know âˆ16M is not a lot of money for a government, per se, but it seems to me like throwing the baby out with the bath water.
Posted by Michael on Sunday 27th Jan 2008 (20:39 UTC)
7M penalty.... whoopee-doo. That's just the icing on the cake up here at Daresbury Laboratory, where 7M is about the amount STFC want to save here, using the simple method of sacking 70 percent of the staff - 350 people. It's nice to know that all of our jobs are f*cked because of a contract c*ck-up.
Posted by The Anonymous Physicist on Monday 28th Jan 2008 (18:35 UTC)
And our good friends Keith and Richard spent their weekend spinning a yarn that it was all the fault of the Gemini Board. Fortunately Abe Lincoln's words still hold - you can't fool everyone all of the time.
Posted by Amy on Monday 28th Jan 2008 (22:04 UTC)