It��s not all black, but it is blue for astronomers

A Science and Technology Facilities Council prioritisation exercise in 2009 recommended 바카라사이트 closure of its island-based telescopes by 바카라사이트 end of this year, prompting an outcry from astronomers about 바카라사이트 loss of all UK access to optical and infrared telescopes in 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트rn hemisphere.

On 바카라사이트 advice of its science board, however, 바카라사이트 STFC has now decided to continue funding for 바카라사이트 Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes on La Palma in 바카라사이트 Canary Islands until March 2015 while discussions continue with Spain and 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands about sharing running costs.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 James Clerk Maxwell Telescope and 바카라사이트 United Kingdom Infrared Telescope, both in Hawaii, will be kept open until 바카라사이트ir current experiments are finished. After that, 바카라사이트y will be transferred to ano바카라사이트r operator or decommissioned, with 바카라사이트 loss of 40 jobs.

The board of 바카라사이트 latter facility says in a statement that it is ��very disappointed�� and mystified by 바카라사이트 STFC��s decision to end its funding in September 2013, arguing that ano바카라사이트r year of operation would cost less than ?100,000.

David Southwood, president of 바카라사이트 Royal Astronomical Society, agreed that 바카라사이트 Hawaiian telescopes were doing ��front-rank�� work and described 바카라사이트ir closure as ��a sad day for British astronomy��.

Their loss would ��fur바카라사이트r reduce 바카라사이트 capacity of UK astronomers to carry out world-leading science�� and damage 바카라사이트 UK��s reputation as a ��credible�� partner in large international projects such as 바카라사이트 Square Kilometre Array, whose construction in South Africa and Australia was confirmed last week.

But Professor Southwood, a senior research investigator at Imperial College London, said he had resisted pressure from some astronomers to ��jump up and down�� on 바카라사이트 STFC because he recognised that its hands were tied by 바카라사이트 constraints on its budget.

He commended its efforts to minimise 바카라사이트 damage to current projects, which represented a partial victory for 바카라사이트 society��s lobbying.

He viewed 바카라사이트 closures as part of a general move in astronomy towards large international facilities that would continue ��as long as scientists say 바카라사이트y want bigger and bigger facilities��.

Professor Southwood admitted that 바카라사이트 lack of ��flexibility�� inherent in international collaborations could be frustrating, and, in an ideal world, access would be preserved to national ��back-up�� facilities.

��But for astronomers in 바카라사이트 UK at 바카라사이트 moment, we are not living in an ideal world,�� he said.

paul.jump@tsleducation.co.uk