User-support models at the Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes

摘要

The user support model at the ING telescopes has evolved considerably over the last 20 years, mainly in responseto improvements in the reliability and efficiency of the observing systems. Observers at the 4.2-m William Her-schel Telescope (WHT) currently get first-night (afternoon + evening) support from staff support astronomers,and all-night support from telescope operators. As of 2010, the telescope operators also provide engineering sup-port at night. Observers at the 2.5-m Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) get first-night support from student supportastronomers, but no night-time operator/engineering support. Feedback from observers indicates a continuinghigh level of satisfaction with the support they receive.© (2012) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.