NSF Visitor Support for the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility

美国宇航局红外望远镜设施（IRTF）是由美国宇航局建立的一个国家天文台，主要用于支持任务和获得对太阳系物体的红外观测。IRTF由NASA通过其天文研究所与夏威夷大学（UH）签订合作协议，负责管理、操作和维护。美国国家航空航天局提供该设施的全部运营费用，并为天文学家提供访客支持，以执行专注于太阳系物体的计划。大约50%的可用观测时间分配给这些程序。其余的观测时间分配给太阳系以外的科学观测项目。NSF为大约50%的与太阳系天体无关的观测者提供访问支持资金。该奖项包括nsf相关的访问和观测支持费用，用于来天文台或远程观测的观测者。这些费用包括在莫纳克亚山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，以及仪器的冷冻费用。对于远程观测项目，费用包括支持第二个人出席峰会（出于安全考虑），以及此人在中层设施的食宿。就更广泛的影响而言，IRTF的大多数工作人员都在希洛的休斯敦大学设施工作，这些设施主要位于农村地区。一些未被充分代表的群体（例如夏威夷原住民）是IRTF的雇员或UH学生。除了向科学界传播研究成果外，IRTF还通过两个主要项目为Hilo社区的教育和公众宣传做出了贡献。宇宙之旅（JTTU）和伊米洛天文中心。JTTU项目（IRTF是团队的一部分）是一个基于社区的项目，最初由USRA赞助。美国国家空间、地球和飞行科学中心汇集了整个地方社区（学校、家庭、企业、民间团体、地方政府和学术/研究机构）的资源，通过开发所有年级的天文学课程，向K-12学生推广天文学和科学。IRTF是一个资源，用于突出希洛令人兴奋的科学和技术实例。伊米洛天文中心是希洛的一个现代天文教育和推广中心，其目标是向更大的社区传授天文学及其与夏威夷文化的联系，包括现在和过去。IRTF与Imiloa天文中心合作开发教育材料，最近的一个例子是以IRTF为特色的天文馆项目的开发。IRTF的工作人员还与社区项目合作，如天文日，这是一个致力于与公众分享天文学的年度活动。特别值得注意的是，一个由IRTF工作人员领导的、面向当地高中的基于机器人的项目。这个项目导致了国家层面的竞争。

The NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) was established by NASA as a national astronomical observatory primarily to support missions and to obtain infrared observations of solar system objects. The IRTF is managed, operated and maintained for NASA under a Cooperative Agreement with the University of Hawaii (UH) through its Institute for Astronomy. 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. Approximately 50% of the available observing time is allocated to such programs. The rest of the observing time is allocated to observational programs of scientific interest outside the Solar System. NSF provides funding for visitor support for the approximately 50% of observers whose programs are not related to Solar System objects. 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, and cryogens for the instruments. For remote observing programs, the costs include support for a second person at the summit (for safety reasons) and the food and lodging for this person at the mid-level facility. In regard to broader impact, most of the IRTF staff are based at the UH facilities in Hilo, situated in a largely rural setting. Several underrepresented groups (e.g. native Hawaiian) are employees of or are UH students with the IRTF. In addition to disseminating research results to the scientific community, the IRTF contributes to educational and public outreach within the Hilo community through two major programs ? Journey through the Universe (JTTU) and the Imiloa Astronomy Center. The JTTU program (the IRTF is part of the team) is a community based program originally sponsored by USRA?s 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 is a resource for highlighting exciting examples of science and technology in Hilo. The Imiloa Astronomy Center is a modern astronomy education and outreach center in Hilo whose goal is to educate the greater community on astronomy and its connection to the Hawaiian culture, both present and past. The IRTF works with the Imiloa Astronomy Center with development of educational materials, the most recent example being the development of a planetarium program featuring the IRTF. The IRTF staff also works with community-based programs such as Astro-Day, an annual event dedicated to sharing astronomy with the public. Of particular note is a robotics-based program for local high schools that is led by a member of the IRTF staff. This program has led to competition at the national level.