Astronomy Australia Limited
Encyclopedia
The Astronomy Australia Limited (AAL) is a not-for-profit company whose members are a range of Australian universities and research organisations. Its core purpose is to manage programmes which provide astronomers with access to national optical/infrared and radio astronomy infrastructure.
The organization was incorporated in 2007. as recommended by the National Committee for Astronomy of Australia, a committee of the Australian Academy of Science
. AAL is currently managing a A$45M NCRIS grant expending money 2007-2011, and was allocated A$10M of funds from the Australian Government's Education Infrastructure Fund (EIF) for expenditure in 2011-2013.
In addition, AAL manages funds from the Australian Research Council
for the Gemini Telescopes
, and is in partnership with the Australian National University
for building the Giant Magellan Telescope
.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors is Dr Martin Cole.
The organization was incorporated in 2007. as recommended by the National Committee for Astronomy of Australia, a committee of the Australian Academy of Science
Australian Academy of Science
The Australian Academy of Science was founded in 1954 by a group of distinguished Australians, including Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London. The first president was Sir Mark Oliphant. The Academy is modelled after the Royal Society and operates under a Royal Charter; as such it is...
. AAL is currently managing a A$45M NCRIS grant expending money 2007-2011, and was allocated A$10M of funds from the Australian Government's Education Infrastructure Fund (EIF) for expenditure in 2011-2013.
Projects
Projects funded by the NCRIS program- Anglo Australia TelescopeAnglo-Australian TelescopeThe Anglo-Australian Telescope is a 3.9 m equatorially mounted telescope operated by the Australian Astronomical Observatory and situated at the Siding Spring Observatory, Australia at an altitude of a little over 1100 m...
Upgrade and HERMES instrument (A$10M) - Australian Square Kilometre Array PathfinderAustralian Square Kilometre Array PathfinderThe Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder, or ASKAP, is CSIRO’s new radio telescope currently under construction at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in Mid West region of Western Australia...
Digital Systems development (A$14.6M) - Australian Partnership in the Gemini TelescopeGemini ObservatoryThe Gemini Observatory is an astronomical observatory consisting of two telescopes at sites in Hawai‘i and Chile. Together, the twin Gemini telescopes provide almost complete coverage of both the northern and southern skies...
(A$10.9 million) - Giant Magellan TelescopeGiant Magellan TelescopeThe Giant Magellan Telescope is a ground-based extremely large telescope planned for completion in 2018. It will consist of seven diameter primary segments, with the resolving power of a primary mirror and collecting area equivalent to one...
Design Development (A$4.9 million) - Murchison Widefield ArrayMurchison Widefield ArrayThe Murchison Widefield Array is a joint project between MIT, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, the Raman Research Institute and an Australian consortium of universities, to build a low-frequency radio array operating in the frequency range 80-300 MHz...
Design and Build (A$4.6 million) - PILOT Antarctic Telescope Design Study (A$1 million)
In addition, AAL manages funds from the Australian Research Council
Australian Research Council
The Australian Research Council is the Australian Government’s main agency for allocating research funding to academics and researchers in Australian universities. Its mission is to advance Australia’s capacity to undertake research that brings economic, social and cultural benefit to the...
for the Gemini Telescopes
Gemini Observatory
The Gemini Observatory is an astronomical observatory consisting of two telescopes at sites in Hawai‘i and Chile. Together, the twin Gemini telescopes provide almost complete coverage of both the northern and southern skies...
, and is in partnership with the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
for building the Giant Magellan Telescope
Giant Magellan Telescope
The Giant Magellan Telescope is a ground-based extremely large telescope planned for completion in 2018. It will consist of seven diameter primary segments, with the resolving power of a primary mirror and collecting area equivalent to one...
.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors is Dr Martin Cole.
Membership
The current Members are- Anglo-Australian ObservatoryAnglo-Australian ObservatoryThe Australian Astronomical Observatory , formerly the Anglo-Australian Observatory, is an optical/near-infrared astronomy observatory with its headquarters in suburban Sydney, Australia...
, - Australian National UniversityAustralian National UniversityThe Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
, - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research OrganisationCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research OrganisationThe Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation is the national government body for scientific research in Australia...
, - Curtin University of TechnologyCurtin University of TechnologyCurtin University is an Australian university based in Perth, Western Australia, with additional campuses in regional Western Australia and at Miri , Sydney and Singapore...
, - James Cook UniversityJames Cook UniversityJames Cook University is a public university based in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The university has two Australian campuses, located in Townsville and Cairns respectively, and an international campus in Singapore. JCU is the second oldest university in Queensland—proclaimed in 1970—and the...
, - Macquarie UniversityMacquarie UniversityMacquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
, - Monash UniversityMonash UniversityMonash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
, - Swinburne University of TechnologySwinburne University of TechnologySwinburne University of Technology is an Australian public dual sector university based in Melbourne, Victoria. The institution was founded by the Honourable George Swinburne in 1908 and achieved university status in June 1992...
, - University of MelbourneUniversity of MelbourneThe University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, - University of New South WalesUniversity of New South WalesThe University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, - University of QueenslandUniversity of QueenslandThe University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
, - University of SydneyUniversity of SydneyThe University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, - University of TasmaniaUniversity of TasmaniaThe University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
, - University of Western AustraliaUniversity of Western AustraliaThe University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
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