Reportfrom Subaru Advisory Committee

The main issues of the current SAC:

・ Extensive (strategic) program of Subaru telescope・ International collaborations over Subaru Telescope・ Next generation instruments for Subaru Telescope

in the era of extremely large telescopes

Almost once in every month, SAC has meeting to discuss over the above issues. Subaru users are encouraged to join in the discussion.

Other tasks

・ Recommendation of TAC member・ Organization of Subaru Users Meeting (this symposium)・ Exchange program of telescope time (KECK, GIMINI)・ Discussion over instrumentation proposals, TMT, ….・ … .

Extensive program for strategic use of Subaru telescope

Following the approval at the last UM in 2007, SAC announced the Call for Proposal and selected one from two proposals for the second stage of the reviewing, based on the comments by TAC and celebrated reviewers.

2007/03/24 Call for Proposal (dead line July 31)2007/09/25 Reviewing by SAC, based on the reports celebrated reviewers2007/11/20 hearing from TAC 2008/01/29 final TAC report

HiCAO group will have a workshop tomorrow

The project program should involve nationwide observers and theoreticians to produce scientific outcomes of highest quality.

If the proposal is accepted by SAC, Subaru will flexibly schedule the observations, e,g., from DDT, taking into account of the status of the instruments (AO188, HiCAO).

A new unique instrument has its peak time to produce good scientific results. We should not lose the chance. Therefore, the observations will be started as early as possible even using DDT.

International collaborations with Subaru Telescope

Proposal from Princeton University (this symposium) (coupled with HSC construction and Subaru extensive program)

MOU is expected to be concluded soon between NAOJ and Princeton Univ. key words; 10-year collaboration 100 nights with HSC, HiCAO, exchange of young astronomers, joint research data archive for open use

Proposal from ASIAA (this symposium) ・ Education of Taiwan astronomers by Japanese astronomers, especially in optical and infrared.

SAC will send young astronomer to the mini-workshop at Taiwan.

・ Finance contribution to Subaru To join in the construction of HSC (technical staff & scientists) To have a right to submit proposals to Subaru open use without any restriction.

Other offers from foreign institutes AURA, VLT, …… We expect other many cases with various styles or options.Possible offers from Subaru Telescope e.g., exchange of VLT and Subaru telescope time

Next generation instruments for Subaru Telescope

Proposal of WFMOS from Gemini Observatory The preliminary design is in progress and will finish in late 2008 . The contribution by Japanese astronomers are highly welcome. However, it is not clear yet when and how Japanese astronomers join in this project? Proposals from two groups e.g., Galaxy group (The final report has not been submitted yet) Such a highly efficient spectrograph like WFMOS is strongly anticipated from group of galaxy researchers. The second new instrument is a near-infrared camera with very wide field of view or a 3-D spectrograph.

The guideline of future astronomical instrumentation by Japanese, especially young, researchers for Subaru and other telescopes should be discussed and proposed in conjunction with such large instruments for Subaru and TMT.

However, it is not clear yet how to develop and construct the instruments. SAC should be responsible for making the process(?). However, collaboration of scientists, instrumentation groups, Subaru staff and their hard efforts are indispensable.