README web version of /home/usg/OPS/MTS/readme_xml/readme_75042502

Principal Investigator Email Address

• pwoudt@circinus.ast.uct.ac.za

Estimated Total Execution Time (hours, including overheads)

• 0.6

General Description

• This OB describes a long-slit red (1.5-2.5 micron) low-resolution spectoscopic
   observation of V445 Pup with SofI. V445 Puppis is a slowly evolving helium nova;
   the latest brightness measurement of V445 Pup in Ks is 12.98 mag (17/01/2005). The
   object is very red (J-K ~ 4 mag) and the optical spectrum is dominated by blueshifted
   He emission lines (and forbidden oxygen lines; also redshifted). Given the optical
   spectrum, we expect the He I emission at 2.058 micron to be present and we want
   to determine its strength and radial velocity. The SofI spectrum will be used as
   a basis for a follow up proposal to use SINFONI to determine the dynamics of the
   expanding helium nova shell, and is supplemented in P75 by NACO observations of
   V445 Pup is 2005 April (to determine the expansion parallax of the nova shell and
   hence the distance to V445 Pup).
  
  V445 Pup's elongated expanding nova shell (diameter of a few arcsec) has a position
   angle of ~ 64 degrees (measured from north, towards east, ie. counterclockwise on
   the finding chart). We request the slit to be orientated along the major axis of
   the nova shell (as clearly indicated on the finding chart).

Waiver Requests

• No Waiver Request was submitted

Critical Observing Condition Constraints

• The observing constraints on this OB are not very strict. The observation
   can be done in thin cirrus conditions (although clear skies are preferred), and
   in seeing conditions better than 1 arcsecond. The airmass constraint is not stringent
   either (< 2).

Time-Critical Aspects

• V445 Puppis is observable in P75 during April/May 2005 and later on only
   in September 2005. We request that the SofI spectroscopic observation is scheduled
   in April, or at the earliest convenience of the scheduler.

Special Execution Requirements

• ---(Empty)---

Special Calibration Information

• ---(Empty)---

ToO Information

• ---(Empty)---

ToO Activators List

• ---(Empty)---

Is this a Pre-imaging run ?

• false

Pre-imaging Requirements

• ---(Empty)---

Source(s) of Pre-imaging

• ---(Empty)---

Pre-imaging sources not listed above

• ---(Empty)---

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

• YES

If this is a pre-imaging run, did you select PRE-IMAGING for the Observing
 Category for each Observing Template ?

• N/A

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 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