Flexible Scheduling of Automatic

This paper outlines a new telescope operations paradigm that is intended to achieve low operating costs with high operating ef-ciency and high scientiic productivity. The paradigm is based on the existing Principal Astronomer approach used in conjunction with atis, a language for commanding remotely located automatic telescopes. This paper describes a telescope management system called the Associate Principal Astronomer, or apa. At the heart of the apa is automatic observation loading and scheduling software, and it is this software that is expected to help achieve eecient and productive telescope operations. The purpose of the apa is to make it possible for many astronomers to submit observation requests to, and obtain resulting astronomical data from, a remotely located automatic telescope. All communication is conducted via the Internet in a highly-automated way that minimizes day-today human management of the system and that maximizes the scientiic return from observing time.