README web version of /home/usg/OPS/MTS/readme_xml/readme_79068700
Principal Investigator Email Address
Estimated Total Execution Time (hours, including overheads)
General Description
Science
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Please communicate about this program to: lbarrera@umce.cl (PI) AND tubiana@mps.mpg.de
AND boehnhardt@mps.mpg.de!
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R filter imaging of the ROSETTA target comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in parallel
with Spitzer. In principle it is a simple point-and-shoot program on a MOVING TARGET.
The only difficulty is its time criticality - see below.
The main goal of the combined observations Spitzer/VLT is to measure the reflected
light (VLT) and the thermal emission (Spitzer) of the nucleus in order to determine
its size and surface albedo. For this reason, it is important that the FORS2 imaging
of the comet is performed as much as possible simultaneously with the Spitzer observations
and that the VLT OBs (duration 0.25h/OB) are spread as much as possible equally
over the Spitzer observing windows.
The Spitzer windows are scheduled for
15 May 2007 2:30-11:10 UT
16 May 2007 2:20-11:10UT.
A minimum requirement are 3 OBs per night: one at the beginning, one in the middle
and one at the end of the nightly Spitzer window. The OBs that cannot be performed
in parallel to Spitzer, should be executed within 3 days from the Spitzer ones.
Special note: large offsetting amplitudes at the beginning of the science template
(change of guidestar is ok, also guide probe vignetting of the lower CCD).
Do not worry about the field crowdiness, observations happen close to the galactic
plane.
IMPORTANT NOTES
===============
(1) If possible, please perform all OBs within Spitzer observing windows ,i.e.:
5 on May 15
(OBS name:
- MOV_67P_Spitzer_15May_A
- MOV_67P_Spitzer_15May_B
- MOV_67P_Spitzer_15May_C
- MOV_67P_Spitzer_15May_D
- MOV_67P_Spitzer_15May_E)
5 on May 16
(OBs name:
- MOV_67P_Spitzer_16May_A
- MOV_67P_Spitzer_16May_B
- MOV_67P_Spitzer_16May_C
- MOV_67P_Spitzer_16May_D
- MOV_67P_Spitzer_16May_E)
at roughly equal time steps (typically every 1.8h).
(2) If (1) is not possible, try to execute one OB at the beginning, one in the middle
and one at the end of the Spitzer window as close in time to the Spitzer observing
epoch as possible.
(3) If (2) is not possible, try to execute the OBs within 3 days from Spitzer covering
the maximum possible time interval,i.e. at least spread over the nightly visibility
window. In that case avoid execution of more than 2 OBs in sequence.
- Blind acquisition, i.e. object identification is not necessary, though easily
possible (by blinking). Please check telescope pointing through DSS image!
- Ephemeris provides in 10min time steps for the daily visiblity window of the comet
at Paranal
* RADEC positions (hh mm ss.ss, sdd mm ss.s)
* RADEC velocities (arcsec/s)
* Airmass
* Vis. Brightness (mag)
* distance comet-moon TOM (deg)
* moon phase (%)
Cook instructions for OB execution:
===================================
- perform at least 3 OBs (beginning, middle, end), ideally all OBs (5 the first
night and 5 the second night), in parallel to Spitzer observations
- all OBs to be executed within 3 days from Spitzer runs
- if more OBs executed per night, try to spread them as much as possible over the
nightly observing window of the comet (15 May 2:30-11:10UT, 16 May 2:20-11:10 UT)
- select OB for execution
- check requirement for environmental conditions (CLR, moon phase/distance)
- in OB enter RA and DEC from target ephemeris (fields RA and DEC) that are closest
in time to the expected start time of the OB
- in OB enter differential velocity in RA and DEC (fields VEL_RA and VEL_DEC) from
target ephemeris that are closest in time to the expected start time of the OB
- perform preset and start R filter offset exposures
- change of guide star is not a problem, also not vignetting of lower CCD
Waiver Requests
Critical Observing Condition Constraints
Time-Critical Aspects
It is important that the FORS2 imaging of the comet is performed as much
as possible simultaneously with the Spitzer observations and that the VLT OBs (duration
0.25h/OB) are spread as much as possible equally over the Spitzer observing windows.
The Spitzer windows are scheduled for
- 15 May 2007 2:30-11:10UT
- 16 May 2007 2:20-11:10UT.
A minimum requirement are 3 OBs per night: one at the beginning, one in the middle
and one at the end of the nightly Spitzer window. The OBs that cannot be performed
in parallel to Spitzer, should be executed within 3 days from the Spitzer ones.
Special Execution Requirements
Special Calibration Information
ToO Information
ToO Activators List
Is this a Pre-imaging run ?
Pre-imaging Requirements
Source(s) of Pre-imaging
Pre-imaging sources not listed above
Do all your OBs comply with the instrument-specific requirements listed
on the instrument-specific Phase 2 web page ?
If this is a pre-imaging run, did you select PRE-IMAGING for the Observing
Category for each Observing Template ?
Do all your finding charts comply with both the general and instrument-specific
Phase 2 Web Pages ?
If you submitted OBs for standard stars, did you specify the magnitude
and spectral type of all standard stars in the OBs ?
Have you included OBs for any calibrations that you need but which are
not part of the Calibration Plan ?
If you are observing Moving Targets, have you attached suitable ephemeris
files to your OBs?
If you have preferences which OBs should be executed first, did you make
use of the User Priority field in the OBs ?
If this is a run that requires coordinated observations with other facilities,
did you give proper instructions in the Time-Critical Aspects Section ?
If you have prepared your finding charts with tools other than FIMS,
do they comply with the specifications on the FORS1 Phase 2 web page ?
Last creation of page: Tue Oct 6 15:40:19 2009
If you have comments, please contact usd-help@eso.org