Editorial

Welcome to the October 2004 ATNF newsletter.

Our cover article presents a major milestone at the Compact Array with the successful installation of new millimeter receivers on five antennas of the array. We present one of the first science results from this exciting new facility. The unraveling of the puzzling Class-I methanol masers making use of the high resolution enabled by the Compact Array is described on page 18. (Note added in the web version: We point out that in the associated figure in the print version of this newsletter the grayscale is flipped in the north-south. We display a corrected figure here.)

Our two science articles reflect the growing popularity of the 12-mm system at the Compact Array. On page 14, Juergen Ott discusses the mapping of different molecular gas species (in particular ammonia in nearby starburst galaxies) leading to measurement of their physical parameters. The 12-mm system also allows mapping of quasar jets in exquisite detail — a project described by Jim Lovell on page 19.

Public outreach continues to have a high priority at the ATNF as can be seen from the outreach items in this issue. Developments at the observatories can be found in the observatory reports. A new mapping mode implemented at Mopra is reported on page 8. The time assignment information on page 29 provides useful information for prospective observers following the installation of the mm systems and attendant constraints.

We hope you enjoy this issue. We thank all our contributors for their support. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome. You can get in touch with us at (newsletter@atnf.csiro.au).

A special thanks to Vicki Drazenovic for standing in for Joanne Houldsworth for this issue. Our best wishes to Joanne while she is on leave.

Lakshmi Saripalli, Jessica Chapman
ATNF News Production team
(newsletter@atnf.csiro.au)