The Science and Technology Facilities Council press release is reproduced below:


Gemini Observatory

At the Gemini Board meeting yesterday in Chile the STFC informed the Board that the STFC, in shaping its programme for the next 3 years and beyond, is planning to withdraw from the Gemini Observatory. In the current financial climate this is one of a range of measures that has become necessary in order to invest in what it considers its highest priority programmes, including other areas of ground-based astronomy.

With regard to withdrawal we have informed our partners of our intent but we have not given formal notice. Our aim will be to achieve withdrawal in a way which minimises damage to our longstanding partnership and the impact on the Observatory, its programme and the UK research community, while enabling us to reinvest the planned savings in a timely way. There are also issues relating to forthcoming operations funding and the Aspen programme which we will work through with our partners.

Council will approve its overall investment strategy at its meeting on 21 November

Page last updated: 15 November 2007 by Andy Mckinna

Source: STFC Press Release

The Royal Astronomical Society press release is reproduced below:

Shock at decision to pull UK out of Gemini Observatory
Contributed by Robert Massey
Thursday, 15 November 2007

The Council of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), the UK’s society for professional astronomers and geophysicists, have expressed their shock at the sudden decision of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) to withdraw the UK from the Gemini Observatory.

Gemini consists of two 8-m optical telescopes, one in Hawaii (Gemini North) and one in Chile (Gemini South), which together can be used to observe the entire sky. The two telescopes saw ‘first light’ in 1999 and 2000 respectively and the UK has been a key partner in the Observatory since its inception. The decision to withdraw from the project appears to have been made without any consultation with the astronomical community.

The RAS Council issued the following statement:

‘The Royal Astronomical Society is shocked by the STFC's announcement of withdrawal from the Gemini Observatory. Although we are aware of the shortfall in STFC's funding over the 3 years 2008-11 covered by the recent Comprehensive Spending Review, this sudden announcement without consultation of the community is regrettable.

Although it can be argued that UK astronomers have access to excellent 8-m optical telescopes in the south through its membership of the European Southern Observatory, the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii is crucial for UK astronomers to remain in the front rank of international astronomy. One example is that the UK is active in a variety of space missions at far infrared, submillimetre and X-ray wavelengths. These space observatories find exciting new objects over the whole sky that need to be followed up at optical wavelengths.

The UK invested about 35 million pounds in the capital phase of the Gemini Observatories, in which we have a 23% stake. This is being written off to make a saving of the running costs of about 4 million pounds a year. The damage to UK astronomy this will cause is severe and we urge that at the very least the Gemini agreement be renegotiated to retain access to Gemini North.’

RAS President Professor Michael Rowan-Robinson further commented ‘This decision is a serious mistake and a shock to all of us. If it goes ahead it will deny UK scientists access to large telescopes in the northern hemisphere and hinder their ability to study almost half the sky. I call on the STFC to rethink this proposal.’

CONTACTS:

Professor Michael Rowan-Robinson
President, Royal Astronomical Society
Burlington House
Piccadilly
London W1J 0BQ
Mobile: +44 (0)781 793 9950
Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 7530
E-mail: m.rrobinson@imperial.ac.uk

Professor Roger Davies (RAS Council)
Chairman of Physics & Wetton Professor of Astrophysics
Department of Physics
University of Oxford
Clarendon Laboratory
Parks Rd
Oxford OX1 3PU
United Kingdom
Mobile: +44 (0)7808 727080
Tel: +44 (0)1865 282190
E-mail: rld@astro.ox.ac.uk

NOTES:

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organizes scientific meetings, publishes international research and review journals, recognizes outstanding achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 3000 members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others.

Last Updated ( Thursday, 15 November 2007 )

Source: RAS Press Release

The Gemini Observatory press release is reproduced below:

Important Announcement from the Gemini Board – November 16, 2007

Friday, 16 November 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 16 NOVEMBER 2007

STATEMENT OF THE GEMINI OBSERVATORY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of the Gemini Observatory has concluded its meeting of November 14-16, 2007 in La Serena, Chile. In addition to its normal business, it considered the implications of the communication by the Science and Technology Facilities Council of the United Kingdom that it may withdraw as a (23.8%) partner in the Gemini Observatory.

The Board deeply regrets the announcement that the UK will likely withdraw as a partner in the Gemini Observatory. The UK astronomical community has made substantial and very valuable contributions to the success of the Gemini partnership from its earliest days. The Board reaffirms its vision for the Observatory and resolves to address any resource problems brought on by the announced UK intentions expeditiously and with minimum impact on the current operation of the Observatory. The Board is confident that the Gemini Observatory will continue to operate efficiently and productively.

The Board approved contracts for conceptual design studies for the cornerstone Wide Field Multi-Object Spectrograph instrument and continues its support for the Gemini Planet Imager currently under construction, both of which are major elements of the “Aspen” instrumentation plan, thereby reaffirming its commitment to the Aspen science vision.

Source: Gemini Observatory press release

Friday, 25 January 2008

The Gemini Board determined during a special session on January 24, 2008 that a recently submitted proposal from the UK’s Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) for reduced on-going participation in the Gemini partnership is not in the best interest of the observatory. As a result, the board concluded that the UK has withdrawn from the Gemini partnership. The effects of this action are immediate and are articulated in the Board resolutions which can be found here.

The observatory, together with the Gemini Board, reiterates their confidence that their vision for Gemini, as a world-class astronomical research facility, will be fulfilled despite the loss of a long-time partner. The partnership, through the Board and in close consultation with the Observatory and our Gemini communities, will be looking to the future in the coming months and taking a measured and deliberate approach to the reformulation of the partnership.

Funding for astronomical research in the UK is through the Science & Technology Facilities Council and an announcement of the UK withdrawal can be found at: _http://www.scitech.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/Gemini-Update.aspx

Source: Gemini Observatory press release

Monday, 11 February 2008

The Executive Agency and the STFC agreed this morning on the terms for discussion of possible continued UK involvement in Gemini. Dates are being set for this discussion. Accordingly the Gemini Observatory has been asked to reinstate the 2008A UK observing time allocation according to the Board's resolution. The agreement between the Executive Agency and the STFC removes the conditional nature of the reinstatement in the Board resolution:

Resolution 2008.Feb.09 The Board has received new correspondence from the STFC regarding the UK involvement in Gemini. The UK has committed to continue their Operations payments during 2008, and wishes to open negotiations with the Executive Agency and the Board to explore their options for continued participation in the Gemini Observatory.

Therefore, the Board resolves to conditionally reinstate 2008A UK observing time allocations on both Gemini-North and Gemini-South.

The Board asks that the Chair and Designated Members, including the UK, meet face-to-face at the earliest opportunity to further discussion of possible continued UK involvement in Gemini.

Source: Gemini Observatory press release