Introduction

Before using the telescope the first time, each observer must be introduced properly by an authorized person. 
Send an email to  if you are interested in using the telescope.



Applying for time

Requests for observing time should be sent to . The following information is requested: 

Title of the observing project
Name(s) of observer(s) and other participants
Short description of the purpose of the observations
Observing time needed (dates and hours) 
Instrument(s) to be used 

Please put something appropriate in the subject line of the mail. Requests will be handled by the time 
allocation committe (TAC) and may be submitted at any time.



Usage regulations 

All observers must possess a driving licence for the telescope. Ask Johan Warell or Ola Karlsson about 
training and licence.
All observations (except the lowest priority 6) must have been granted observing time through the TAC. 
Shows for public groups must also be booked in the calendar.
Observing time applications are due four times per year: December 15, March 15, June 15, and September 15. 
Observing periods are Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun, Jul-Sep, and Oct-Dec, respectively. ToO applications may be submitted 
at any time. The TAC will decide on whether observing time shall be granted, the number of nights, and the 
priority state for the project. Booking of the same time slot by different projects is possible and encouraged, to 
guarantee that any given night that is clear will also be used for observations. 
In the case that the highest-priority project can not be executed on a booked time slot, the change of 
status should be reported by a) immediately canceling the time in the calendar, b) immediately informing 
the project with the next highest priority that the time is available (that is, let one of the observers 
know personally by verbal communication or a telephone call). This has to be notified to other observers 
well in advance, at least before noon the day of the observing run. In this scenario, the canceled time 
may be rebooked on another night during the current period.
Observers who fail to comply with any of the above rules may have their observing time completely withdrawn. 
Specifically, breaking rule 5 implies that the missed observing night will be logged as actually used and thus 
cannot be rebooked.
Any problems with the telescope or dome must be reported immediately to the people in charge .  Make sure one of these people receives the information, so that the problem may be fixed! 
If the problem is urgent, use the telephone, particularly if problems are likely to remain until the next 
night. All errors and problems must be reported, in detail, via email in order to save a written record.

In order to get adequately acquainted with the telescope prior to usage, prospective observers should 
arrange to sit by and/or assist observers that have been granted individual access to the telescope.  



Usage priorities

The Westerlund telescope is a dedicated scientific instrument. Projects that have scientific merit will 
have absolute priority over other uses. 

The descending priority order for user categories is as follows. Priorities are explicitly assigned to each 
project by the TAC.


Technical time: Repairs or instrument testing, or other highly overriding situations.
ToO: Target of Opportunity observations.
(Under)graduate students taking (under)graduate courses: lab work needing observing time
Undergraduate students performing exam projects
Other users that have been granted observing time
Usage of the telescope when no time is booked for any project (includes daytime shows). Note: also these 
occasions must be booked in the calendar.




Observing schedule

Observing time registered in the on-line telescope calendar has absolute priority. Failure to obey the above 
rules may result in restriction to use the telescope.

The observing time schedule may be found in the telescope almanac. Use calendar fucntion to register and 
edit your observing time.