README web version of /home/usg/OPS/MTS/readme_xml/readme_80025900

Principal Investigator Email Address

• lbarrera@umce.cl

Estimated Total Execution Time (hours, including overheads)

• 01h26m

General Description

• Science 
  ======= 
  ------------------- Please communicate about this program to:  lbarrera@umce.cl
   (PI) AND 				tubiana@mps.mpg.de AND boehnhardt@mps.mpg.de! ------------------- 
   
  
  Program: R filter imaging of the ROSETTA target comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
   to monitor the dust environment of the comet while it is approaching the Sun. The
   main goal of the monitoring is the detection of distant activity of the comet. 
   In principle a simple point-and-shoot program on a MOVING TARGET. It is a sequence
   of 4 OBS (0.33h/OB), 2 OBs to be executed during 20 Sep and 24 Oct 2007) and 2 OBs
   during (24 Oct and 15 Nov 2007). Both OBs of each time interval can be executed
   either subsequently or one per night. The latter is in particular adviceable for
   the second time interval (24 oct to 15 Nov 2007). 
  
  - Object visibility: The comet is low in the early evening sky and requires pointing
   soon or immediately after end of twilight. It is acceptable to start the OB before
   the end of astronomical twilight, i.e. about 10 min before dark sky conditions are
   reached (Sun 18 deg below horizon).  
  
  - 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.
    
  
  - Blind acquisition, i.e. object identification is not necessary, though easily
   possible (by blinking). Please check telescope pointing through DSS image!  
  
  - The OB names contain the time interval when the OBs should be executed.  
  
  - 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: 
  =================================== 
  - select OB for execution (check time constraints) 
  - 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 no problem, also not vignetting of lower CCD

Waiver Requests

• no applicable

Critical Observing Condition Constraints

• CLR conditions are required!

Time-Critical Aspects

• In Nov. 2007 the comet is observable only shortly after the end of astronomical
   twilight. In order to get the OBs performed in time before pointing limits of the
   telescope are reached, it is therefore acceptable to start the OBs max. 10min before
   end of evening twilight.

Special Execution Requirements

• no applicable

Special Calibration Information

• According to FORS calibration plan

ToO Information

• Not a ToO program.

ToO Activators List

• Not applicable.

Is this a Pre-imaging run ?

• false

Pre-imaging Requirements

• Not aplicable.

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 ?

• N/A

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?

• YES

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

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 ?

• N/A