THE UNITED KINGDOM INFRARED TELESCOPE
ANNUAL REPORT
1997

3.2. Telescope Usage

The following table summarizes the telescope usage for the two semesters 97A and 97B, which cover the period February 1, 1997 to January 31, 1998.

The percentage of nights observed during Semester 97B was the highest ever recorded during a semester at UKIRT, and was due in part to the beneficial (for Mauna Kea) effects of El Niño during the second half of the semester. The higher than normal percentage loss of time due to faults in semester 97B was due in large part to problems encountered by a visitor instrument.