Emilios Harlaftis, National Observatory of Athens OPTICAL AND IR Coordination Network An EU Infrastructure Cooperation Network (FP5) with the aim to bring together European users and operators of astronomical infrastructures in order to identify common approaches and improve access to the benefit of European astronomy. OPTICON Board : The contract partners are Research Institutes (IoA, MPfA Heildeberg,MPfA Garching,IAP, IAC,Leiden, NOVA, CDS), national agencies (PPARC, CNRS, CNAA) and multi-national organizations (ESO, ESA, NOTSA). See opticon.org for the full list. opticon.org EAS has an observer’s status.Greece, Belgium, Germany have been invited to join the Management Board (Paris, September 2002)

OPTICAL AND IR Coordination Network Seven working groups 1.Extremely-large telescopes (100m OWL, Euro-50) 2.AVO (EU funded, FP5) 3.3D-spectroscopy (EU contract, 1/7/2002) 4.Wide-field imaging (EU contract, 1/12/2001) 5.Interoperability 6.Technology development 7.Middle-size telescopes (COMET proposal, 2002)

COMET Co-operative Operation of Many European Telescopes Many small European countries, and many of the associated states, do not have access to state of the art astronomical facilities. At the same time several EU countries own or share fine astronomical facilities, but are having trouble affording them. Under FP5 an EU programme to provide access to telescopes in the Canaries was funded (ENO )

Objectives Lasting integration of EU Astronomers. Create opportunities for mobility. Remove duplicated or obsolescent facilities to release funding for new initiatives. Rationalise use of existing facilities Use astronomy as an educational tool

The next step: a pan-European network. Create a pool of European observing time Establish an international management board and a time allocation committee Provide resources for operation of the telescopes and support of observing runs.

The community Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Astronomical Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences Bulgarian Academy of Sciences CNAA/INAF (Italy) CNRS (France) ESO (International) Hungarian Academy of Sciences IAC (Spain) Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astronomy (Lithuania) MPIA (Germany) National Observatory of Athens -GSRT (Greece) NOTSA (International) NWO (Netherlands) PPARC (UK) Tartu Observatory (Estonia) Torun (Poland)

The Telescope Network

The 2.3m ARISTARCHOS telescope (alt-azimuth f/8) at the Carl Zeiss factory, Jena The telescope building with its supporting buildings was completed in October The services building (generators, water and petrol tanks) is next to the telecommunication tower (Observatory microwave link to Athens). The stone building towards the telescope building includes the control room, a workshop and lodging facilities for four people. The ancient “Styx” spring is just beneath the “Neraidorahi” peak of the Chelmos mountain

The 2.3m ARISTARCHOS telescope will be supported from a new ground-based station at the 2.3 km “Neraidorahi” peak of Chelmos mountain, Peloponese, South Greece (see arrow on map). The closest village, 25 km away, is Kalavryta (prefecture of Achaia). Other mountains peaks higher than 2 km are also marked. Athens is just off the map (right-centre).

FP6 Schemes Available (p5) Transnational access (stand alone activity) Integrating Activities (including transnational access) Communication Network Development Design studies (for new Euroscale Infrastructures) Construction of new Infrastructures (Europeanisation of funded projects)

What is an I3? (p8) Networking (mandatory) Trans-national access Joint Research Projects (R & D) The objectives of an I3 are to support the provision of infrastructure related services at a European level. They are intended to have a structuring effect by promoting the coherent use and and development of related infrastructures (p44). They are expected to mobilise a large number of stakeholders. They have three elements.

The OPTICON I3 Networking via working groups similar to the present OPTICON network. Catalyse pooling of resources Share common protocols and good practice. Establish common databases Infrastructures must be world class and provide rare or unique capabilities. Relate to each other in a coherent way. Provide high standards of scientific, technical support. Demonstrate that there is widespread interest in their use. Show how they will attract new users Demonstrate full and open peer review Quantify the amount of access and its impact Transnational access Should concern essential technologies to upgrade existing infrastructures or move to the next generation of peripheral equipment. How the research adds European Value Indicate which I3 members have an interest in these new technologies. Joint Research Projects defined by the Key Technology WG