Astronomy Australia Limited

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.^[1]

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,^[2] and was allocated A$10M of funds from the Australian Government's Education Infrastructure Fund (EIF) for expenditure in 2011-2013.^[3]

Projects

Projects funded by the NCRIS program^[4]

• Anglo Australia Telescope Upgrade and HERMES instrument (A$10M)
• Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder Digital Systems development (A$14.6M)
• Australian Partnership in the Gemini Telescope (A$10.9 million)
• Giant Magellan Telescope Design Development (A$4.9 million)^[5]
• Murchison Widefield Array 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 for the Gemini Telescopes, and is in partnership with the Australian National University for building the Giant Magellan Telescope.^[5][6]

The Chairman of the Board of Directors is Dr Martin Cole.^[7]

Membership

The current Members are ^[8]

• Anglo-Australian Observatory,
• Australian National University,
• Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation,
• Curtin University of Technology,
• James Cook University,
• Macquarie University,
• Monash University,
• Swinburne University of Technology,
• University of Melbourne,
• University of New South Wales,
• University of Queensland,
• University of Sydney,
• University of Tasmania,
• University of Western Australia,

External links

• Official website

References

1. ^ http://astronomyaustralia.org.au/
2. ^ http://ncris.innovation.gov.au/Capabilities/Pages/Astronomy.aspx
3. ^ http://www.budget.gov.au/2009-10/content/bp2/html/bp2_expense-20.htm
4. ^ http://astronomyaustralia.org.au/projects.html
5. ^ ^{a b} "Nine partners join Giant Magellan Telescope project". Astronomy.com (Kalmbach Publishing Co.). 2009-02-06. http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=7898. Retrieved 2009-08-23. 
6. ^ http://astronomyaustralia.org.au/publications/AAL_07-08_Annual_Report.pdf
7. ^ http://astronomyaustralia.org.au/people.html
8. ^ http://astronomyaustralia.org.au/members.html