1. Our Mission The OPTICON Integrated Infrastructure Initiative brings together all of Western Europe's owners and operators of large observatories and data centres. Our goal is to identify opportunities where greater progress can be made by collaboration than by competition, and to take unified actions to achieve those agreed goals. Dr. John K. Davies OPTICON Project Scientist UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, EH9 3HJ United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0)131 668 8348 E-mail: jkd@roe.ac.uk Dr Jesus Burgos Trans-national Access Office Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias Via Lactea, s/n 38205 La Laguna, S/C de Tenerife. SPAIN Telephone.: +34 922605203 E-mail jburgos@iac.es / Prof Michel Dennefeld Research Enhancement WG IAP, Paris E-Mail: Dennefel@iap.fr Contacts OPTICON - The Optical Infrared coordination Network for Astronomy OPTICON is funded by the European Commission under Contract no RII3-CT-2004-001566 Our Mission The OPTICON Integrated Infrastructure Initiative brings together all of Western Europe's owners and operators of large observatories and data centres. Our goal is to identify opportunities where greater progress can be made by collaboration than by competition, and to take unified actions to achieve those agreed goals. OPTICON - The Optical Infrared Coordination Network for Astronomy OPTICON Telescope Network Europe has a number of medium sized (2-4metre) telescopes funded by a variety of national agencies and consortia. These telescopes and their operators face similar challenges in the next few years. The OPTICON telescopes network provides a forum to share ideas and agree exchanges of observing time. Widening access to these telescopes across the entire EU community is being achieved through a trans-national access programme. Using existing medium sized facilities to enhance European research is also one of our priorities. As 8 metre telescopes such as the ESO VLT become the de facto large facilities, telescopes in the 2-4 metre class have become 'medium sized' by comparison. However these facilities can still carry out unique and significant scientific programmes. For example, projects that require more observing time than is available on the highly oversubscribed large telescopes, or that require particular, specialised instrumentation. They also offer new opportunities for the development of astronomers by providing access to scientists from across the European Community whatever their nationality. TRANS-NATIONAL ACCESS EC funds allow astronomers from user communities across Europe to travel to more telescopes and use instruments not available at their national facilities. Qualifying EU users receive travel grants to visit telescopes operated by other EU nations and the telescope operators receive a contribution to their operational costs. The Telescope network includes 18 night time and 4 solar telescopes. For details of access rules visit www.otri.iac.es/opticon/ OPTICON TELESCOPE NETWORK OBJECTIVES Achieve a lasting integration of EU astronomers. Maximise scientific return within the available resources. Create opportunities for trans-national mobility. Remove duplicated facilities to release funding for new initiatives. Use medium sized telescopes to develop research skills. DIRECTOR’S FORUM The OPTICON director’s forum brings together the operators of world class European astronomical infrastructures to discuss and develop new operational paradigms. Time-swapping, instrumentation rationalisation, standardisation of proposal processes and common software are all discussion topics RESEARCH ENHANCEMENT The research enhancement activity will investigate how to use existing medium-sized facilities to improve the research experience of younger scientists and provide them better insight into the observational skills needed when they use larger telescopes or space facilities.

2. The OPTICON Telescope Network Anglo Australian Observatory3.5m Telescope Telescopio Nazionale Galileo 3.5m Telescope Anglo Australian Observatory Schmidt Telescope Nordic Optical Telescope2.5m Telescope Centro Astronomico Hispano Aleman3.5m Telescope Aristarchos2.5m Telescope Centro Astronomico Hispano Aleman2.2m Telescope Observatoire de Haute Provence 1.9m Telescope Canada France Hawaii Telescope3.6m Telescope Telescope Bernard Lyot2m Telescope ESO La Silla3.6m Telescope Telescopio Carlos Sancez 1.5m Telescope ESO La Silla3.5m Telescope THEMISSolar Telescope ESO La Silla2.2m Telescope Swedish Solar Telescope Solar Telescope Isaac Newton Group4.2m Telescope Vacuum Tower Telescope Solar Telescope Isaac Newton Group2.5m Telescope Liverpool Telescope2m Telescope UK Infrared Telescope3.8m Telescope Dutch Open TelescopeSolar Telescope