The UK Service Observing program allows UK astronomers (*) to request small amounts of time for high-priority observations using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT). The application form is shorter and simpler than the full (PATT) application system run by Northstar. The UK Time Allocation Group (TAG) will evaluate applications as soon as possible after they are received and successful proposals will be entered quickly into the UK queue. To try to ensure that these high-priority observations will be completed, service proposals will remain in the queue up to the end of the second semester after the semester in which they were accepted. Applicants can request that basic data reduction be completed before the data are communicated back to the investigator.

It is not necessary to be an experienced user of the JCMT to use this program: assistance from JCMT support staff will be available for the preparation and basic data reduction of their observations.

Service programs are limited to maximum of 8 hours and will generally fall into one of the following classes:

1. Targets-of-opportunity
2. Requests for small amounts of data needed to finish a project or a thesis.
3. Observations that are intended to serve as a pilot project or a feasibility study for a future proposal

To submit an application

• Read the instructions
• fetch the blank, plain-text form
• fill it in
• submit by e-mail (with any figures attached) to i.coulson @ jach.hawaii.edu.

Proposals will be assessed by two TAG members, ranked (if successful), and placed in the UK observing queue.

Progress Reports will be sent to the Principal Investigator (PI)

1. upon receipt of the proposal, giving the proposal identification number,
2. after refereeing by the TAG, saying whether or not the proposal has been successful and, if applicable, queued for observations,
3. from the Observation Management Project (OMP) after each observing session in which data were obtained, and
4. after the basic data reductions (if requested) have been completed, with instructions on how to access the dataset.

* - for a definition of whether you qualify : see To Which Queue Should You Send Your Application?