PROJECT NEWS - Para español, vea abajo

The Data Management team has made significant progress with its support of Python 3, up to and including the afw library (the core library of astronomical routines that the LSST stack makes use of). This is a major step towards supporting both Python 2.7 and 3.x versions of the language. More details on the Python 3 compatibility effort, look here.

A new Operations Simulator (OpSim) Reference Simulated Survey, minion_1016, has been approved and placed under change control.  This Reference Run replaces opsim3.61 and is an updated demonstration of the primary capabilities of the OpSim v3.3.5 codebase.  For more information, start here. 

The Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network has been awarded funding through the NSF MSIP program to offer access to the U.S. community “to effectively follow-up on current time domain surveys … and to help the community prepare for time domain research in the LSST era by developing relevant programs, methods, and technologies”.  Further information available here.

The National Academies have released a prepublication version of the midterm assessment of their 2010 Decadal Survey, New World, New Horizons (NWNH) in Astronomy and Astrophysics.   The midterm report notes that LSST planning and construction are progressing well on schedule and within budget, and that current projections for LSST performance and data products promise transformational scientific impact, as envisioned by NWNH.  An overview of the report is available on the AAS website, or you can download/read the full report here.

CORPORATION NEWS

The biannual Face-to-Face Meeting of the LSSTC Executive Board takes place October 5 followed by a meeting of the full Board on the 6th.  Both meetings take place in Tucson, AZ. 

The LSSTC Data Science Fellowship Program seeks host venues for its next session!  Apply today here.  This program is a two year training program for graduate students designed to teach skills required for LSST science that are not easily addressed by current astrophysics programs.

PERSONNEL NEWS

Kaylyn Rogers has joined the Data Management subsystem as Assistant Project Manager at NCSA to assist in project management and reporting duties as we build up the Archive Center.  Kaylyn has been working at NCSA for almost two years as a Finance Management Specialist, handling financial and business administration of several cyberinfrastructure programs and major projects.

UPCOMING MEETINGS with LSST INVOLVEMENT

(those with asterisk* are LSSTC funded):

Noticias del Proyecto

El equipo de Administración de Datos ha realizado importantes progresos con el soporte de Python 3, hasta e incluyendo la biblioteca afw (la biblioteca básica de rutinas astronómicas de la cual hace uso LSST). Este es un paso importante para respaldar tanto Python 2.7 y las versiones 3.x del lenguaje. Para más detalles sobre el esfuerzo de compatibilidad con Python 3, vea aquí here.

Un nuevo Simulador de Operaciones (OpSim) Encuesta de Referencia Simulada, minion_1016, ha sido aprobado y puesto bajo el control de cambios. Esta Marcha de Referencia sustituye OpSim3.61 y es una versión actualizada de las capacidades principales de la base de código OpSim v3.3.5. Para obtener más información, empiece aquí.  

Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network ha concedido financiación a través del programa de la NSF MSIP para ofrecer acceso a la comunidad estadounidense "para hacer un seguimiento eficaz de las actuales encuestas de dominio del tiempo … y para ayudar a la comunidad a prepararse para la investigación en el dominio del tiempo en la era de LSST mediante el desarrollo de programas relevantes, métodos y tecnologías". Más información disponible aquí here.

Las Academias Nacionales han lanzado una versión pre publicación de la evaluación de mitad de período de su 2010 Decadal Survey, Nuevo Mundo, Nuevos Horizontes (NWNH) en Astronomy and Astrophysics. El informe intermedio señala que la planificación y la construcción de LSST está avanzando según lo previsto y dentro del presupuesto, y que las proyecciones actuales de productos de datos y rendimiento de LSST prometen un impacto transformacional científico, tal como lo previsto por NWNH. Un resumen del informe está disponible en el AAS website, o puede descargar y leer el informe completo aquí here.

Noticias de la Corporación

La Reunión Cara a Cara bianual de la Junta Ejecutiva de LSSTC tiene lugar el 5 de Octubre, seguida por una reunión de la Junta en pleno el 6. Ambas reuniones tendrán lugar en Tucson, AZ.  

 LSSTC Data Science Fellowship Program Busca lugares donde organizar su próximo período de sesiones.  Postular hoy aquí here.  Este programa es un programa de formación de dos años para estudiantes de posgrado diseñado para enseñar las habilidades necesarias para la ciencia de LSST que no son tratados fácilmente por los actuales programas de astrofísica.

Noticias del Personal

Kaylyn Rogers se ha sumado al subsistema de Gestión de Datos como Gerente Asistente de Proyecto en NCSA para ayudar en la gestión de proyectos y obligaciones en materia de presentación de informes mientras se desarrolla el Centro de Archivos. Kaylyn ha trabajado en NCSA durante casi dos años como Especialista en Gestión de Finanzas, manejando la administración financiera y de empresas de varios programas de infraestructura cibernética y proyectos importantes.

Próximas reuniones con participación de LSST 

(aquellos con un asterisco* son financiados por LSSTC):

PROJECT NEWS - Para español, vea abajo

The LSST2016 Project & Community Workshop is wrapping up as we go to press with today’s Digest.  Plenary sessions were recorded and will be made available online; group photo can be found here. 

The LSST Science Advisory Committee (SAC) met face-to-face on Monday, August 15, discussing survey strategy, the deep drilling fields, community time to be available through Las Cumbres Observatory and its relevance for LSST planning, and the LSST Science User Interface.  The SAC is preparing a series of recommendations to the Project Office on these and related topics. 

Next year’s Project & Community Workshop will take place the week of August 14th, 2017, in Tucson, AZ.  Mark your calendars now for LSST2017!

CORPORATION NEWS

LSSTC shares the sad news that Richard F. Caris, a friend and enthusiastic supporter of the LSST project, died on August 9th at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was 81.  Richard’s $2.3 million gift to the LSST Corporation marked the first philanthropic support of the novel 8.4-meter diameter primary and tertiary (M1M3) mirror for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) and enabled the purchase of the special high purity glass. Read more …

PERSONNEL NEWS

Nadine Kurita is stepping down as LSST Camera Project Manager and transitioning into a technical engineering role as subsystem lead for the Cryostat.  Vincent Riot will assume the role of Interim Camera Project Manager, while a search is initiated for Nadine’s permanent replacement.  We all thank Nadine for her dedication, hard work, and contributions to LSST, including this week’s successful DOE/NSF Joint Status Review!

UPCOMING MEETINGS with LSST INVOLVEMENT

(those with asterisk* are LSSTC funded):

Noticias del Proyecto

El LSST2016 Project & Community Workshop esta terminando mientras se publica el Digest de hoy.  Las sesiones plenarias fueron grabadas y estarán disponibles en línea; la foto grupal se puede encontrar aquí.  

El Comité Asesor de Ciencias (SAC) de LSST se reunio cara a cara el lunes, 15 de agosto, para discutir estrategias de encuestas, campos de perforación profunda, tiempo comunitario para estar disponible a través del Observatorio Las Cumbres y su relevancia para la planificación LSST y la Interfaz de Ususario de Ciencias de LSST. SAC está preparando una serie de recomendaciones para la oficina del proyecto sobre estos y otros temas relacionados.  

El Taller de Proyecto y Comunidad del próximo año tendrá lugar la semana del 14 de agosto, 2017, en Tucson, AZ. Marque ahora su calendario para LSST2017!

Noticias de la Corporación

LSSTC comparte la triste noticia de que Richard F. Caris, un amigo y entusiasta promotor del proyecto LSST, murió el 9 de agosto en su casa en Scottsdale, Arizona. Tenía 81 años de edad. El regalo de Richard de 2,3 millones de dólares a la Corporación LSST marcó el primer apoyo filantrópico del espejo 8,4 metros de diámetro, primaria y terciario (M1M3) para el Gran Telescopio de Estudio Sinóptico (LSST) y permitió la compra del vidrio especial de alta pureza. Read more …

Noticias del Personal

Nadine Kurita está cesando como Cámara Project Manager de LSST y transicionara hacia un papel de ingeniero técnico como lider del subsistema para el Cryostat. Vicent Riot asumirá el rol de Gerente de Proyecto de la cámara provisional, mientras se inicia una búsqueda para la sustitución de Nadine permanente. Todos nosotros agradecemos a Nadine por su dedicación, trabajo duro, y contribuciones a LSST, incluida esta exitosa semana del DOE/NSF Joint Status Review!

Próximas Reuniones con Participación de LSST 

(aquellos con un asterisco* son financiados por LSSTC):

PROJECT NEWS - Para español, vea abajo

The Project team has been busy this past week preparing for next week’s LSST2016 Project & Community Workshop and concurrent DOE/NSF Joint Status Review.  Almost 300 people have registered for the week-long Workshop.

LSST2016 will feature a Public Talk on Wednesday, August 17th, by Dr. Lucianne Walkowicz.  The talk will be recorded and made available online for those not able to attend in person.

Cosmologist Risa Wechsler explains how LSST will contribute to our understanding of dark matter and dark energy in this three-minute video and twitter conversation presented as part of the #AskSymmetry video series.

CORPORATION NEWS

The LSSTC Data Science Fellowship Program (LSSTC DSFP) is a two-year training program, designed to teach astronomy graduate students essential skills for dealing with big data from LSST.  LSSTC Member Institutions may apply to host a session of the LSSTC DSFP by completing the online application.  LSSTC DSFP applicant review takes place on a rolling basis, and we are currently accepting applications for both 2017 and 2018. Note that hosts are responsible only for providing a venue, and are not required to provide instructors or funding. 

PERSONNEL NEWS

Maria Patterson has joined the Data Management group as a Research Scientist based at UW. Maria worked on characterizing galaxy outer disks for her thesis before completing a postdoc at the University of Chicago's Center for Data Intensive Science, where she worked on cloud-based pipelines for automated analysis of NASA satellite imagery and architectures for scientific data commons.  She will be contributing to LSST's alert generation and distribution system.  

A new posting for a Mechanical Engineer to support the Integration and Verification Testing of the LSST camera was added to our hiring page this week.  LSST continues to seek top talent to work in a team environment that inspires excellence!

UPCOMING MEETINGS with LSST INVOLVEMENT

(those with asterisk* are LSSTC funded):

Noticias del Proyecto

El equipo del proyecto ha estado ocupada esta semana preparándose para LSST2016 Project & Community Workshop de la próxima semana  y concurrente la Revisión de estado mixto DOE/NSF. Casi 300 personas se han inscrito para participar en el taller que tiene una semana de duración.

LSST2016 ofrecerá una Public Talk el miércoles, 17 de agosto, por el Dr. Lucianne Walkowicz. La charla será grabada y disponible online para aquellos que no puedan asistir en persona. 

Risa Wechsler Explica cómo LSST Cosmologist contribuirá a nuestra comprensión de la materia oscura y la energía oscura en este three-minute video y twitter conversation presentado como parte del #AskSymmetry video series.

Noticias de la Corporación

El Programa de Becas de Datos de Ciencia de LSSTC (LSSTC DSFP) es un programa de formación de dos años, que se ha diseñado para enseñar a los estudiantes de astronomía las habilidades esenciales para tratar con grandes volúmenes de datos de LSST.  Las instituciones miembros LSSTC puede solicitar ser anfitriones de una reunión de la LSSTC DSFP completando el online application.  LSSTC DSFP Revisión solicitante tiene lugar sobre una base continua, y actualmente estamos aceptando solicitudes para 2017 y 2018. Nota que los anfitriones son responsables sólo para proporcionar un lugar de reunión, y no están obligados a proporcionar instructores o financiación. 

Noticias de personal

Maria Patterson se ha unido al grupo de Gestión de Datos como Científico de Investigación basado en la UW. Maria trabajó en la caracterización de discos exteriores de la galaxia para su tesis antes de completar un postdoctorado en el Centro de Ciencia Intensiva en Datos de la Universidad de Chicago, donde trabajó en ductos basados en la nube para la automatización del análisis de imágenes de satélite de la NASA y las arquitecturas de datos científicos comunes. Ella estará contribuyendo a la generación de alertas del LSST y sistema de distribución.  

Una nueva publicación para un Ingeniero Mecánico para apoyar la Integración y Pruebas de Verificación de la cámara LSST fue añadida a nuestra hiring page esta semana. LSST sigue buscando los mejores talentos para trabajar en un ambiente de equipo que inspira excelencia!

Las próximas reuniones con participación LSST 

(aquellos con un asterisco* son financiados LSSTC):

PROJECT NEWS - SPANISH VERSION WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE SOON

A joint AURA/SLAC review of the progress of LSST construction was held at SLAC on July 27-29.

Co-chaired by Fred Gilman for AURA and Carl Strawbridge for SLAC, this review was preparatory and had a very similar structure to the NSF/DOE LSST Status Review that will be held mid-August. Overall, the LSST is within a few percent of the planned schedule and cost and the project team's performance received a strong endorsement.  Many recommendations were made by the reviewers, with particular attention to the data management portion of the project, where both an in-progress replan and search for a new data management lead should be completed in the next few months. The closeout report was positive with the committee reporting the Project is close to schedule and under budget.

Three members of the Telescope & Site team are in Germany this week, visiting the the Von Ardenne GmbH facility in Dresden, Germany for an inspection of progress on the LSST Coating Plant. 

The week-long LSST2016 Workshop will feature a Public Talk on Wednesday, August 17th, by Dr. Lucianne Walkowicz.  The talk will be recorded and made available online for those not able to attend in person. 

PERSONNEL NEWS

Fred Moolekamp has joined the Data Release Production group within Data Management at Princeton University, where he will work on algorithm development and testing for the LSST Science Pipelines.  Fred has just completed his PhD dissertation entitled "New Stellar and Substellar Objects in Scorpius Centaurus" at the University of Rochester.

Joel Plutchak has joined the Data Management team as Associate Project Manager.  Joel will be assisting with management duties of the LSST construction project at NCSA.

Tony Tache and Duane Miller have joined the M1M3 Mirror Cell assembly team in Tucson.  Tony is working as a Machinist/Instrument Maker Apprentice, and will be involved with machining and assembling details for the Single and Double Axis M1M3 Mirror Actuators and the Hardpoint Assemblies.  Senior Instrument Maker/Assembly Tech Duane was coaxed out of retirement to assist Roger Repp and Ron Harris in all phases of the assembling, machining, and rework of details for the M1M3 Mirror Cell Figure Actuators Assembly.  Duane brings over 40 years of machining, manufacturing and mechanical expertise to the LSST project.

Jeff Carlin has joined the Project Office team in Tucson as a Research Associate to work with Deputy Director, Beth Willman, on pre-cursor LSST science investigations and other high priority Project Office activities.  Prior to joining the LSST team, Jeff wrote a paper based on an early version of the LSST stack that should soon appear in ApJL - "First results from the MADCASH Survey: A Faint Dwarf Galaxy Companion to the Low Mass Spiral Galaxy NGC 2403 at 3.2 Mpc".

Giulia Lanza has joined the Camera team at SLAC to support review of contamination processes and qualification efforts. 

A total of 14 jobs are showing on the LSST hiring page this week in technical, management, science, and engineering areas.  LSST continues to seek top talent to work in a team environment that inspires excellence!

UPCOMING MEETINGS with LSST INVOLVEMENT

(those with asterisk* are LSSTC funded):

Observing our Changeable Universe with the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope 

Presented by
Dr. Lucianne Walkowicz

Adler Planetarium

August 17, 2016 7:00 pm
Westin La Paloma Grand Ballroom
3800 E. Sunrise Drive, Tucson, AZ

Astronomer and TED Fellow Dr. Lucianne Walkowicz will describe how the revolutionary Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), with headquarters in Tucson, will uniquely reveal new astrophysical phenomena and how you can be involved.

Following the talk, Dr. Walkowicz and other LSST team members will be available for informal conversations. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided as well as a no-host bar.  Weather permitting, staff from the Kitt Peak Visitor Center will be on hand for binocular stargazing. We invite you to join LSST for an evening of astronomy August 17. 

FREE Public Lecture – Meet the team building the LSST: astronomers, engineers, educators, administrators & communicators – Stargazing

From a mountaintop in Chile, LSST will relentlessly scan the sky for a decade with a 3200 megapixel camera, gathering data to address four science areas:

• Understanding the Mysterious Dark Matter and Dark Energy
• Hazardous Asteroids and the Remote Solar System
• The Transient Optical Sky
• The Formation and Structure of the Milky Way

PROJECT NEWS - SPANISH VERSION WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE SOON

It’s quiet around the LSST Project Office in Tucson this week, as all subsystems are represented at the Director’s Review of Project Status at SLAC, a warm-up for the NSF/DOE Joint Status Review taking place in Tucson, August 16 – 18.

Registration for the LSST Project and Community Workshop 2016 (LSST 2016) has closed, with 250+ registered participants.  In addition to the project and community sessions and the Joint Status Review, plans for the annual soccer matches and a public lecture/mixer/star party are coming together.   

Snowy weather on Cerro Pachón caused a one-day slowdown in construction activities; regular activity has resumed.  Check the webcam to see amazing progress on the summit, as well as the beautiful winter weather and sunsets.  And interact with the 3D model of the summit construction, built from data taken by Jacque Sebag with our DJI phantom 3 pro drone in February 2016.

LSST Fact Sheets have been added to the public website.  These sheets, which we typically put in information packets and media kits, can be read online or downloaded, and will be kept up to date as the project moves forward.  Additionally, videos from LSST@Europe2 have been added to the Events Page:  Andy Connolly’s public talk, the ensuing round-table, and a series of interviews (not all in English).

PERSONNEL NEWS

Kathryn Wesson was recently hired as Systems Engineer with the Systems Engineering team at the Project Office in Tucson.  Kathryn will contribute to the development and maintenance of requirements, verification plans, cross-subsystem interfaces, cross-subsystem deliverables, and integration and commissioning plans.  Additionally, she will be involved with risk and opportunity management and the implementation of approved change requests.

James Buffill has joined the LSST Telescope and Site team working with Francisco Delgado as a Senior Software Engineer, developing control applications for the Observatory Control System. James holds a BSEE from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez and has 10+ years of software experience ranging from embedded to application level software development.

A total of 14 jobs are showing on the LSST hiring page this week in technical, management, science, and engineering areas.  LSST continues to seek top talent to work in a team environment that inspires excellence!

UPCOMING MEETINGS with LSST INVOLVEMENT

(those with asterisk* are LSSTC funded):