The call for proposals is open. For those of you who already know all the tricks, you can just click here to start submitting a proposal. THEMIS 2012 observing campaign may take place approximately from Apr 15th to October 31st, 2012. (Dates to be confirmed). Incoming information (and confirmations) will be posted on our website as soon as it becomes available. We encourage everyone interested to apply for time.

Deadline for french time is February 20th, 2012
Deadline for spanish time: please look at this page
Deadline for Opticon/Access time: No Access time is available in 2012. Please look at this page
Deadline for CCI-ITP time: Please look at this page

Via email at bgelly@themis.iac.es, or by phone: +34 922314850 (WET timezone).

Use of the THEMIS telescope is granted by rights to the French and Spanish partners, and also to a much broader International Community under the CCI and OPTICON time allocation mechanisms. The International Scientific Committee (CCI) overseeing the Canary Island Telescopes awards observing time in its International Time Program (ITP). OPTICON offers observing time under its transnational ACCESS program: users from EU member countries and EU Associated States are welcome to enter proposals. Some preference is given to from new users, young researchers, and users from countries with no similar research infrastructures. Proposals for french time are allocated by THEMIS CATTT. Proposals for Spanish time are allocated by IAC solar CAT. Proposals for CCI and OPTICON time are both allocated by the EAST-TAC, a joint European time allocation committee of the European Association for Solar Telescopes. Proposals for ITP and ACCESS are handled jointly. Campaigns may combine both programs. Campaigns will be awarded for a minimum length of 7 days in case of VTT and THEMIS and 10 days in case of SST and DOT. Certain criteria of eligibility apply to the OPTICON time.

• Applicants to “French time” (75% of the total): French users have their travel and subsistance expenses handled by PNST or PNP or PNPS funds. That should still be the case for 2012, although some restrictions may occur.
• Applicants to “Spanish time” (20% of the total, or approximately 40 days): you can apply for this time lower on this page.
• Applicants to the “Comite Cientifico Internacional time” (CCI time, Solar ITP: 5% of the total, or 10 days). Get all the information here for requesting daytime observing time.
• As a European Union or associated state member, you can apply to the french time above using the OPTICON Access program. Look here about your eligibility and the possibilities for travel and subsistance (T&S) grants for the observing run. Look here for details. Proposals and questions should be sent via email to EAST_TAC@kis.uni-freiburg.de.

Your proposal comes in 2 steps:

1. A short electronic technical proposal form to be filled in on-line. This form is mainly used to assess the technical feasability of the observation, and the definition of the instrumental configuration must be carefully specified.
2. A written scientific proposal
   • Spanish time users should use the IAC solar CAT online proposal system but please do not forget to fill in our electronic technical proposal in (1), to let us know that you are applying. Tick the dedicated box (“For spanish time …”) on our form.
   • French time users: Please use this LaTex or pfd application form and e-mail it to: bgelly@themis.iac.es.
   • Opticon time users: Please use this LaTex form and e-mail it to EAST_TAC@kis.uni-freiburg.de. Please do not forget to fill in our electronic technical proposal in (1), to let us know that you are applying. Tick the dedicated box (“For OPTICON time…”) on our form.

The website technical proposal section is beeing updated and is not fully available at the moment. As always, we encourage everybody to contact us directly to express your needs. For 2012 we plan to make available instrumentation the following (please contact us for details and update on status):

• MTR2 spectropolar
  • in Semel's grid mode
  • in multislit ( 3' FOV on 2 cameras, one wavelength at a time)
• TUNIS spectroimaging (contact us for details)
• MSDP (9 channels mode only)
• Analyzers 2 (mechanical) and 3 (LCVR) are both available

As soon as the appropriate refereeing steps for each community have been taken, I will quickly inform you of the outcome of your proposal.

I am looking forward to see you observing fruitfully at THEMIS.

Bernard GELLY,
THEMIS telescope Director
— Bernard Gelly 2011/12/14 13:59