The troubled body in charge of a large chunk of UK physics funding has just announced what it likes and what it doesn’t. Faced with something of a budget shortfall (see Nature from December, January, January again, and again) the Science and Technology Facilities Council has now ranked its projects.

STFC’s new Programmatic Review document rates projects as high, medium-high, medium-lower, and lower priority. “Obviously those in the lower categories are those most at risk,” the document says, ominously (PDF).

So what does it seem UK physicists can do without? Here are some of the lower priority projects:

Gemini [ground based telescope]

UKIRT [“world’s largest telescope dedicated solely to infrared astronomy”]

Ground-based Solar Terrestrial Physics facilities

CLF lasers for science programme [provides lasers for science]

High Performance Computing Operations

Luckily for some of those about to get their marching orders, the STFC is quick to point out it’s not because they’re not doing good science. It’s because some of the lower priority projects don’t have “strategic fit to STFC”.

Writing before the announcement, one sky-gazing blogger noted, “Of course now it could well descend into astronomer vs. astronomer as we all fight over the scraps.”

That’s a view point shared by another astronomy blogger, who says, “Many people affected are passionate about their subject and truly believe that their project is worth funding. All these projects are doing good science, there just isn’t enough funding to go around and something has to give. It’s not going to be pretty.”

As you can see, astronomers are already pretty riled up in the UK. This new document isn’t easing matters. Despite the fact that this is officially a consultation document it’s being taken as pretty final list of who is for the chop.

Some in the field have set up the Save Astronomy website, noting that 2009 is international year of astronomy, “unless you’re from the UK”. There’s also a Save Daresbury site for the science campus at that location.

Andy Lawrence , on his e-Astronomer blog, says “the bloodbath starts now”.

”People will be queuing up to shout at anybody with an STFC badge on,” he adds. This is probably true but possibly unfair. The STFC was handed this funding level by the government, despite telling them what it would mean for UK researchers.

Not that STFC is without its own problems. The Guardian is reporting that an assessment of its management found a fair few problems. Those with a real interest in the topic should head over to the transcripts of a recent parliamentary hearing on the issue (here and here).

UPDATE

The Royal Astronomical Society has put in its view. Here is an extract:

The RAS does not accept the classification of many of the projects classified as ‘lowest priority’. Some of these have a high profile, including the Gemini Observatory, the e-Merlin network centred on the Jodrell Bank radio observatory, and UK involvement in the Hinode space observatory currently being used to study activity on the Sun.

…

There is also a real concern that the consultation with the science community on the Review is too brief for responses to be heard.

Image: Gemini North, Mauna Kea, Hawai’i / Gemini Observatory