• 1 Introduction
• 2 Calls for Comms, EPO and Training Coordinators
• 3 Community feedback sought on timeseries features
• 4 Recent LSST:UK outputs
• 5 Forthcoming meetings of interest

Open

Introduction

Registration for the 2021 Project and Community Workshop (PCW) is now open, with this year’s event taking place - from August 9-13 - in the comfort of your own home, rather than in sweltering Tucson. The PCW is one of the primary interfaces between Rubin staff and the wider community, with each workshop covering a lot of ground. Registration is free, and all those reading this newsletter will find some sessions of interest, while there is the opportunity for members of the community to propose a breakout session.

Those with ideas for future newsletter items should contact the LSST:UK Project Managers (@George Beckett and @Terry Sloanlusc_pm@mlist.is.ed.ac.uk), while everyone is encouraged to subscribe to the Rubin Observatory Digest for more general news from the US observatory team.

Calls for Comms, EPO and Training Coordinators

The LSST:UK Consortium is seeking volunteers to coordinate teams organising the Consortium’s Communications, Education & Public Outreach, and Training activities. All three Coordinator roles are available from Autumn 2021 for a period of three years, in the first instance. This term will cover Rubin Observatory commissioning and the start of Rubin LSST operations (currently expected to begin in late 2023), culminating in agreement of plans for activities in each of the three areas in preparation for Rubin LSST Data Release 1 (due by the end of 2024).

Descriptions of all three roles are available on this wiki page, which also explain the selection process, starting with submission of a brief expression of interest by 30 July 2021. Informal enquiries about the roles or the appointment process may be emailed to the selection panel chair, Alastair Edge (alastair.edge@durham.ac.uk) or myself (rgm@roe.ac.uk).

Community feedback sought on timeseries features

In the latest solicitation from the Rubin team for community input, Eric Bellm is requesting, via a post on the community forum, feedback on a technical note describing the timeseries features that the observatory is planning to compute for inclusion in alerts and data release catalogues. Eric’s post has already attracted a number of responses within the forum itself, including some interesting references to relevant papers from other domains.

Recent LSST:UK outputs

LSST:UK has recently produced the following technical reports.

Forthcoming meetings of interest

The global pandemic has led to almost all face-to-face meetings being cancelled. However, in light of continued restrictions on travel, Rubin Observatory business has moved online and we aim to maintain a list of relevant/ interesting upcoming meetings on our Confluence site. Some specific highlights include:

• The AGN Science Collaboration will hold its Summer 2021 meeting, online, during 12th--14th July 2021. Details are available on the AGN website (login required).

• The next DESC Virtual Collaboration Meeting is scheduled for 19th--23rd July 2021. Details provide on the DESC Confluence site (login required).

• The 2021 Rubin Project and Community Workshop will take place online from 9th--13th August. Registration is now open at the Workshop page.