US Egypt Cooperative Research: Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Planning Visit to Kottamia Astronomical Observatory

这次规划访问由史密森学会天体物理观测站的Charles Alcock博士指导，并与埃及赫勒万国家天文学和地球物理学研究所的Salah Mahmoud和Hamed Ismail博士合作。 此次计划访问的目的是对Kottamia望远镜的光学和支持系统进行全面评估，并就其维修和恢复提出建议。SAO提议与Kottamia天文台合作，以促进美国和埃及之间的天文学和天体物理学合作。 具体而言，SAO将对埃及赫勒万以南的Kottamia天文台（KAO）进行工程规划访问，该天文台是1.8米Kottamia望远镜的所在地。KAO是北非和中东最大的望远镜。这次实地考察的目的是评估如何最好地使十年来没有提供稳定天文图像的科塔米亚望远镜恢复其全部能力。 除了NSF的这一奖项之外，埃及科学技术发展基金还为望远镜的维修分配了资源。一旦完成必要的维修并重新启用望远镜，SAO和KAO的合作伙伴将探索继续研究合作的途径，其中可能包括与望远镜的联合观测计划，研究生交流，该项目由美国-埃及联合基金计划资助，该计划为两国的科学家和工程师提供赠款，以进行合作研究。

This planning visit is under the direction of Dr. Charles Alcock, Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), in cooperation with Drs. Salah Mahmoud and Hamed Ismail, from the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics in Helwan, Egypt. The purpose of the planning visit is to undertake a thorough evaluation of the optics and support system of the Kottamia Telescope and to make recommendations for its repair and restoration.The SAO proposes to partner with The Kottamia Astronomical Observatory for the purpose of advancing astronomy and astrophysical collaboration between the United States and Egypt. Specifically, SAO will undertake an engineering planning visit to the site of the Kottamia Astronomical Observatory (KAO), home to the 1.8-meter Kottamia Telescope, south of Helwan, Egypt. The KAO is the largest telescope in North Africa and Middle East. The purpose of this site visit is to assess how best to bring the Kottamia Telescope, which has not provided stable astronomical images for ten years, back to its full capabilities. In addition to this NSF award, the Egyptian Science and Technology Development Fund has allocated resources for the telescope repair.Once the necessary repairs have been completed and the telescope has been re-commissioned, the SAO and KAO partners will explore avenues for continued research collaboration, which may include joint observing programs with the telescope, graduate student exchanges, and joint workshops and conferences.The project is funded under the US-Egypt Joint Fund Program, which provides grants to scientists and engineers in both countries to undertake cooperative research.