Time Change Policy

• Nickel Observers
  • Proposal Guidelines
  • Remote Observing Policy
  • Time Change Policy
  • Cancelling an Observing Run
  • Undergraduate Observing Policy

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I. It is possible for an observer wishing to trade nights to first find another scheduled observer willing to make the trade. However, in all cases observers should not assume that once a trade is agreed upon it automatically has the approval of the Director’s office. The decision to authorize a change resides with the Associate Director of Lick Observatory and/or the Director, who must consider if an equipment change is needed as a result of the change, if a requested support scientist is available, if lodging is available, and so forth. Trades that involve no equipment changes are usually straightforward, but even these may not always be convenient to schedule.

II. All requests for time swaps must be made to Deputy Director Matthew Shetrone, who can be contacted at mshetrone@ucolick.org.

III. An observer wishing to give up nights cannot reassign them to someone else. This also pertains to a swap in which the numbers of nights exchanged between observers is not equal. For example, a three-night run cannot be traded to an observer who has two scheduled nights; one of the three nights must be given back to the Observatory. Matthew Shetrone should be informed of the nights that are no longer desired, who will have the responsibility for reassigning them consistent with the recommendations of the Time Assignment Committee.