THE UNITED KINGDOM INFRARED TELESCOPE
ANNUAL REPORT
1997

3. Report on Operations

3.1. Summary

• High efficiency observing with both of UKIRT's major instruments, CGS4 and IRCAM3, was a nearly constant feature of the UKIRT operation in 1997.

• CGS4's slit wheel operated nearly flawlessly after its repair early in the year and the instrument was converted to a pixel scale of 0.6 arcseconds/pixel, more appropriate for the improved image quality of the telescope.

• The tip/tilt fast guide system operated successfully in its first full year of use.

• The performances of already installed Upgrades systems (including tip/tilt, focus, and primary mirror figure), were refined and optimized, with a resultant significant improvement in image quality.

• Progress toward bringing the final Upgrades components into regular operation slowed considerably, largely due to high staff turnover, especially on the engineering and technical side, and the time lag in replacing them and training the new staff. However, by the end of the year UKIRT was close to being fully staffed once again and Upgrades effort had been ramped up.

• The software group and some PPARC staff at ROE began a major project to replace much of the current diverse instrument control and data reduction software by comprehensive and modular Observatory Reduction and Control (ORAC) software for preparing and sequencing observations, controlling instruments, and reducing data. Parts of the ORAC project were drawing the interest of other observatories, including Gemini and the JCMT. There is scope for collaboration with both.

• Demand for UKIRT reached an all-time high in 1997 with 135 proposals being submitted for semester 98A. There were 84 refereed publications including UKIRT data in 1997, the most ever in one year.