NSF Visitor and Observing Support for the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility

AST 0607574德永NASA红外望远镜设施（IRTF）是由NASA建立的国家天文观测站，主要用于支持太空任务和获得太阳系天体的红外观测，大约50%的可用观测时间分配给这些计划。美国航天局提供该设施的全部运营费用，并为天文学家提供游客支持，以开展以太阳系天体为重点的方案。其余的观测时间被分配给太阳系外的科学观测计划，特别是通常由NSF支持的天文研究。根据NSF和NASA之间的一项协议，NSF为大约50%的项目与太阳系天体无关的观测者提供访问支持资金。在过去的5年里，IRTF一直根据与夏威夷大学（UH）通过其天文学研究所签订的合作协议为美国航天局进行管理、操作和维护。该合作协定为国际太阳系工作队的业务费用和对参与太阳系观测的访问观察员的支助提供资金。在过去5年中，根据国际辐射工作队的观测结果编制了145份参考出版物。该奖项涵盖了与国家科学基金会有关的访问者和观察员的观察支持费用，这些观察员要么来到天文台，要么进行远程观察。这些费用包括莫纳克亚天文台中层设施的住宿和食物费用，希洛和山顶之间的地面交通费用，仪器的冷冻剂费用，以及IRTF出版物的一半页面费用（每年高达5000美元）。对于远距离观察，费用包括在山顶的第二个人的支持（出于安全原因）和在中层设施的这个人的食物和住宿。IRTF的大多数工作人员都在希洛的UH设施工作，该设施主要位于农村地区，有大量的少数民族社区。一些代表性不足的群体（如夏威夷土著）是IRTF的雇员或UH学生。作为UH天文学研究生培训的一部分，IRTF资助的一两名研究生将获得仪器经验。除了向科学界传播研究结果外，国际天文学工作队还通过两个主要方案-宇宙之旅（JTTU）和莫纳克亚天文学教育中心（MKAEC）-在希洛社区内开展外联活动。JTTU计划（IRTF是团队的一部分）是由国家空间，地球和飞行科学中心赞助的一个基于社区的计划，汇集了整个当地社区（学校，家庭，企业，民间团体，地方政府和学术/研究机构）的资源，通过为所有年级制定天文学课程，向K-12学生推广天文学和科学。IRTF将成为突出希洛令人兴奋的科学和技术范例的资源。MKAEC是一个最近资助的外展中心，目前正在希洛建设，旨在教育更大的社区天文学及其与夏威夷社区的联系，无论是现在还是过去。IRTF将向MKAEC提供教育材料，并与其工作人员进行互动。

AST 0607574TokunagaThe NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) was established by NASA as a national astronomical observatory primarily to support space missions and to obtain infrared observations of solar system objects, and approximately 50% of the available observing time is allocated to such programs. NASA provides the entire cost of operation of the facility as well as visitor support for the astronomers carrying out programs focused on solar system objects. The rest of the observing time is allocated to observational programs of scientific interest outside the solar system and in particular astronomical studies typically supported by the NSF. Under an agreement between NSF andNASA, the NSF provides funding for visitor support for the approximately 50% of observers whose programs are not related to solar system objects. The IRTF has been managed, operated and maintained for NASA under a Cooperative Agreement with the University of Hawaii (UH) throughits Institute for Astronomy during the past 5 years. This Cooperative Agreement provides funding for the cost of IRTF operations and for support of visiting observers engaged in solar system observations. Over 145 refereed publications resulting from IRTF observations have been produced in the last 5 years. This award covers the NSF-related visitor and observing support costs for observers who either come to the observatory or observe remotely. These costs include the cost of lodging and food at the Mauna Kea Observatory mid-level facility, ground transportation between Hilo and the summit, cryogens for instruments, and payment of up to one-half of page charges for IRTF publications (up to $5K per year). For remote observing the costs include support for asecond person at the summit (for safety reasons) and food and lodging for this person at the mid-level facility. Most of the IRTF staff is based at the UH facilities in Hilo, and it is situated in a largely rural setting with large minority communities. Several underrepresented groups (e.g. native Hawaiian) are employees of or are UH students with the IRTF. As part of the training of astronomy graduate students at UH, one or two graduate students funded by the IRTF will acquire instrumentation experience. In addition to disseminating the results to the scientific community the IRTF contributes to outreach within the Hilo community through two major programs Journey through the Universe (JTTU) and the Mauna Kea Astronomy Educational Center (MKAEC). The JTTU program (the IRTF is part of the team) is a community based program sponsored by the National Center for Space, Earth, and Flight Sciences that brings together the resources of the entire local community (schools, families, businesses, civic groups, local government, and academic/research institutes) to promote astronomy and science to K-12 students through the development of an astronomy curriculum for all grade levels. The IRTF will be a resource for highlighting exciting examples of science and technology in Hilo. MKAEC is a recently funded outreach center currently under construction in Hilo and is intended to educate the greater community on astronomy and its connection to the Hawaiian community, both present and past. The IRTF will be supplying MKAEC with educational materials and interacting with its staff.***