The 100th Observing Programmes Committee (OPC) met on 16–18 May 2017. A total of 1082 (8-hour equivalent) nights of Visitor Mode and Service Mode observations were allocated on the VLT/VLTI, VISTA, VST, the 3.6-metre and NTT, and APEX telescopes. The submission deadline for Phase 2 Service Mode observations is 3 August 2017; see the separate announcement for further details.
Period 100 Telescope Allocation
Published: 05 Jul 2017
On the VLT, the balance between Visitor and Service Mode in P100 was about 50/50, excluding filler programmes. Public Spectroscopic Surveys and new and ongoing Large Programmes on the VLT occupy about 30% of the allocation. This exceptionally large fraction (normally below 20%) is produced by the massive allocation (85 nights in Visitor Mode) of the two VIMOS surveys, VANDELS and LEGA-C. Both surveys will be completed in P100, after which VIMOS will be decommissioned. The time committed to Large Programmes on the 3.6-metre and NTT is 17% and 37%, respectively.
The outcome of the time allocation was communicated to the Principal Investigators of the 895 proposals submitted for Period 100 on Tuesday, 4 July 2017.