Hello Rubin Community,
We are pleased to announce a unique opportunity to secure high-impact observations on a premier 10m-class facility. Through the Rubin Observatory International In-kind Program, a special allocation of approximately 2 nights per semester on the 10.4-meter Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) is now available to the US and Chilean astronomical community.
This time is contributed jointly via the Spanish in-kind initiatives ESP-BCM-S5 (Barcelona-Madrid) and ESP-IAC-S1 (Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias). This inaugural cycle marks the beginning of an expected 10-year program spanning the lifetime of the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST).
For full program details, including capacity caps and scientific scope management, please see the attached PDF.
How the Process Works
Because this observing time is integrated into the Spanish national allocation, proposals must follow a collaborative workflow:
- 1. Submit a Letter of Intent (LoI): PIs from the US or Chilean community must submit a brief LoI outlining their teams, science case, targets, and instrument requirements.
- 2. Technical Review & Matchmaking: The Spanish In-kind Coordination Team will evaluate LoIs for feasibility. Successful LoIs will be paired with a Spanish host institution scientist who will serve as the formal PI for the proposal.
- 3. Full Proposal Submission: Paired teams will jointly prepare and submit a full proposal to the Spanish Time Allocation Committee (TAC).
Key Information
- Eligibility: Open to all astronomers affiliated with US institutions and the Chilean astronomical community.
- Available Instruments: Time can be requested for any standard, currently operating GTC instruments, including OSIRIS+, EMIR, MEGARA, and HiPERCAM.
- Collaboration Terms: A Spanish co-PI is a procedural requirement to submit to the Spanish TAC. While deeper international scientific connections are highly encouraged, fully integrated collaborations are not a strict requirement.
Important Timeline Milestones
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Announcement of Opportunity Released | July 2, 2026 |
| Letters of Intent (LoI) Due | August 7, 2026 |
| Matchmaking & Feasibility Notifications | Late August 2026 |
| Official GTC Call for Proposals Opens | September 1, 2026 |
| Hard Deadline for Spanish TAC Submission | October 1, 2026 |
Next Steps & Questions
- Where to Apply: Letters of Intent must be submitted directly via the official submission portal at https://lsst.ice.csic.es/.
- General & Process Questions: Please contact Steven Margheim at steven.margheim@noirlab.edu.
- Technical & Instrument Capabilities: Please consult the GTC website or use the contacts available within the submission portal.
Please download the attached PDF for the complete Announcement of Opportunity text.
July 2026 Announcement of Opportunity_ GTC Observing Time.pdf (111.9 KB)