UK Science and Technology Facilties Council has a "Delivery Plan" for 2008-2011
STF...
They confirm withdrawal from Gemini, but also say they want to negotiate access to Gemini (North), since they are also ramping down the Isaac Newton Group telescopes on the Canaries, which would leave them with acres of glass in the south, but nothing in the northern hemisphere.
Y'know half of all the galaxies are in the northern hemisphere...
I suspect Gemini would let then negotiate access to the northern telescope, and that bidding will start at $8 million per year.
'Course if the brits wait for a couple of more US fed reserve meetings, that will be a bout two sovereigns and one farthing sixpence
More like this
"So numerous are the objects which meet our view in the heavens, that we cannot imagine a point of space where some light would not strike the eye;—innumerable stars, thousands of double and multiple systems, clusters in one blaze with their tens of thousands of stars, and the nebulae
“In my better sense of mind, I know that I’m far from alone and far from the worst, and the earth keeps spinning. Everything keeps moving, with or without me.” -Phil Anselmo
Events
1965 - Launch of Gemini 4, the first multi-day space mission by a NASA crew.
"But certainly the laser proved to be what I realized it was going to be. At that moment in my life I was too ignorant in business law to be able to do it right, and if I did it over again probably the same damn thing would happen." -Gordon Gould, inventor of the laser
Wow. Just, wow. I like the second comment in the physicsworld announcement that points out that the savings introduced by the planned cuts will be to cover the new 'full economic cost' accounting procedure...
"Hey, British astronomers - don't think of it as losing Gemini North, but as gaining extra paperwork!"
I guess I won't be looking for jobs back in Britain anytime soon then.