README web version of /home/usg/OPS/MTS/readme_xml/readme_60940700

Principal Investigator Email Address

• dellavalle@na.astro.it

Estimated Total Execution Time (hours, including overheads)

• 2.5

General Description

• Important: for any communication about this program, please contact Daniele
   Malesani (malesani@astro.ku.dk) further to the PI (Massimo Della Valle).
  
  The aim of this proposal is to observe Hbeta from our two targets, both at z=2.38
   and close in the sky. The line falls at the observed wavelength lambda = 16440 AA.
   The aim is to measure its luminosity, the ultimate goal being to use it as a distance
   indicator and build a Hubble diagram independent of the type-Ia SNe.
  
  Since the two targets of the program are very close in the sky (10 arcmin apart)
   it may save pointing overheads to observe them one just after the other. The targets
   have good visibility during both the August and September runs, although they become
   very close to the Moon in the September run, we thus recommend their observation
   in August. Indeed, while the main goal is to measure the flux of a line in the H
   band (where Moon is not an issue), other useful lines fall in the optical, so a
   dark sky, although not mandatory, would be beneficial.
  
  The first target ("B1") is faint and acquisition is carried out through a blind
   offset from a nearby star (see finding chart). The second target ("B6") is bright
   enough for direct acquisition.
  
  By verifying the OBs, a warning is issued, namely that the UVB and VIS arms may
   be undersampled. This is not a major problem, since we are primarily interested
   to the NIR arm, and any line possibly detected in the optical region will be likely
   intrinsically broad.

Waiver Requests

• A waiver request was submitted to allow the total execution time of the
   two OBs of this run to exceed 1 hr. The request was approved by Ferdinando Patat
   on 2009 July 23.

Critical Observing Condition Constraints

• No critical observing condition constraints.

Time-Critical Aspects

• Given the Moon and airmass constraints, the target should be observable
   on Aug 10-15 (the entire Aug SV run) and Sep 25-26. We express a mild preference
   for the August run, since the proximity of the Moon in September will make the UVB
   and VIS observations less valuable. Our main goal is however in the NIR.

Special Execution Requirements

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Special Calibration Information

• Since we're interested in the NIR part, it would be valuable to have the
   observation of a telluric standard star at comparable airmass and within a couple
   of hours of the observation of our targets.

ToO Information

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ToO Activators List

• ---(Empty)---

Do all your OBs comply with the instrument-specific requirements listed
 on the instrument-specific Phase 2 web page ?

• YES

Do all your finding charts comply with both the general and instrument-specific
 Phase 2 Web Pages ?

• YES

If you submitted OBs for standard stars, did you specify the magnitude
 and spectral type of all standard stars in the OBs ?

• N/A

Have you specified the S/N ratio at given wavelength in the User Comments
 field of each OB?

• YES

Have you included OBs for any calibrations that you need but which are
 not part of the Calibration Plan ?

• N/A

If you are observing Moving Targets, have you attached suitable ephemeris
 files to your OBs?

• N/A

If you have preferences which OBs should be executed first, did you make
 use of the User Priority field in the OBs ?

• N/A

If this is a run that requires coordinated observations with other facilities,
 did you give proper instructions in the Time-Critical Aspects Section ?

• N/A