Skies dim for UK astronomers :-(

[Hampshire Astronomer]

A sad sad day

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7210342.stm

Dave

[Hampshire Astronomer]

Heres a video clip about the news as well

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/chec ... am=1&asb=1

Dave

[Jade]

NO! This is not allowed

[gyro]

There seems to be a spate of funding cuts recently, affecting the Sciences/arts.......Are the spiralling costs of the London Olympics analogous to a funding Black Hole. I also believe the National Lottery is being misused with a disproportionate amount of money going to Sport.

Full list of affected Astro' projects here :-
http://www.saveastronomy.org.uk/cuts.shtml

Vote against these here:-
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Physics-Funding/

[Mike Feist]

Will make no difference to us amateur astronmers/stargazers though unlike nasty light pollution and damned awful clouds clouds clouds.
MF

[KendalAstronomer]

Except those of us who happen to be finishing their studies and applying for STFC jobs in the near future...

Outreach events are also to be slashed by this round of cuts, so feweer open days and events at professional institutions for people to look around, fewer programs, leaflets, speakers and books to promote astronomy and bring people into the various astronomical societies. Things like the Liverpool telescope and other robotic scopes, which are used to promote astronomy in schools are also under threat. In the marketplace of hobbies, we just lost another billboard or three.

[Hampshire Astronomer]

More news on the impacts the funding cut will have

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7213917.stm

This really is a sad day for the UK....we are now going to fall so far behind everyone else its unbelievable

Dave

[mark_smith]

Sounds Like Good news

For this year anyway

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7240840.stm

Mark

[Hampshire Astronomer]

Thats excellent news

Hopefully it wont be shortlived and the UK will continue to be a part of Gemini

Dave

[KendalAstronomer]

Yep, this is good as far as it goes. Access to both Gemini North and South has been reinstated, which STFC still intends to cut down to North only, meaning their battle, if they continue it, will rage on in the summer, but at least there's some grace period now for UK observations that had already been planned.