Phase II Proposal Instructions 25.0 HST Cycle 25 Phase II Proposal Instructions Operations and Data Management Division 3700 San Martin Drive Baltimore, Maryland 21218 [email protected] Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Revision History Release Version Type Editors Date Cycle 25 GO June 2017 HST Instrument Team Members and S. Rose See Significant Changes Since the Previous Cycle Cycle 24 GO June 2016 HST Instrument Team Members and S. Rose Cycle 23 GO June 2015 HST Instrument Team Members and S. Rose Cycle 22 GO June 2014 J. Younger and S. Rose 21.0 GO May 2013 J. Younger and S. Rose 20.0 GO June 2012 J. Younger and S. Rose This version is issued in coordination with the APT release and should be fully compliant with Cycle 25.2 APT. This is the General Observer version. If you would like some hints on how to read and use this document, see: Some Pointers in PDF and APT JavaHelp How to get help 1. Visit STScI’s Web site: http://www.stsci.edu/hst where you will find resources for observing with HST and working with HST data. 2. Contact your Program Coordinator (PC) or Contact Scientist (CS) you have been assigned. These individuals were identified in the notification letter from STScI. 3. Send e-mail to [email protected], or call 1-800-544-8125. From outside the United States, call 1-410-338-1082. Table of Contents HST Cycle 25 Phase II Proposal Instructions Part I: Phase II Proposal Writing ................................. 1 Chapter 1: About This Document ............................... 2 1.1 Document Design and Structure ........................................ 3 1.2 Significant Changes Since the Previous Cycle............... 3 1.3 Document Presentation ........................................................ 4 1.4 Technical Content .................................................................. 4 1.5 Where to Find Additional Information................................ 5 1.6 Some Pointers in PDF and APT JavaHelp ...................... 5 Chapter 2: The Basics of Phase II Proposals... 8 2.1 How to Prepare and Submit Phase II Information.......... 8 2.1.1 Astronomer’s Proposal Tool (APT)........................................ 8 2.1.2 Entering Information: The APT Graphical Use Interface (GUI) versus the Text Proposal File ................................. 9 2.1.3 APT Tools............................................................................ 10 2.1.4 Submitting Your Program .................................................... 10 2.2 What to Submit ......................................................................11 2.3 General Instructions ............................................................ 12 2.3.1 Proposal Information [Proposal_Information] ...................... 12 2.3.2 Proposal Description ........................................................... 14 2.3.3 Investigators ........................................................................ 14 2.3.4 Target Information [Fixed_Targets, Solar_System_Targets, Generic_Targets] .................................... 14 2.3.5 Visit Information [Visits] ....................................................... 14 iii iv 2.4 Examples and General Advice.......................................... 15 2.4.1 Acquisitions and Pointings................................................... 15 2.4.2 Examples............................................................................. 16 2.4.3 Common Problems.............................................................. 16 2.4.4 Consideration of Limited Resources.................................... 17 2.5 Text Proposal File ................................................................ 18 2.5.1 Basic Syntax Rules.............................................................. 18 2.5.2 Sample Text Proposal File Template .................................. 19 Chapter 3: Fixed and Generic Targets ................. 23 3.1 Target Identification ............................................................. 24 3.1.1 Target Number [Target_Number] ........................................ 24 3.1.2 Target Name [Target_Name and Alternate_Names]........... 24 3.1.3 Target Category and Target Description [Description] ........ 26 3.1.4 Target Extent [Extended] Required for COS observations only............................................................. 27 3.2 Target Coordinates .............................................................. 32 3.2.1 Required Accuracies of Target Positions ............................ 32 3.2.2 Target Position Type [Position]............................................ 33 3.2.3 Equatorial Coordinates........................................................ 33 3.2.4 Positional Offsets................................................................. 35 3.2.5 Region of Sky (Extended Targets) ...................................... 36 3.2.6 Determining Coordinates in the Reference Frame Appropriate for HST Observations..................................... 37 3.2.7 Getting Coordinates from the GSC2 or DSS....................... 38 3.2.8 Early Acquisitions ................................................................ 39 3.2.9 Equinox for Coordinates [Equinox]...................................... 39 3.2.10 Coordinate Reference Frame [Reference_Frame]............ 39 3.2.11 Is Proper Motion or Parallax Relevant?............................. 40 3.3 Target Brightness and Bright Object Checking............. 42 3.3.1 Flux Data [Flux and Other_Fluxes]...................................... 42 3.3.2 Radial Velocity or Redshift [RV_ or _Z]............................... 44 3.3.3 Bright-Object Constraints .................................................... 44 3.4 Comments [Comments]...................................................... 46 3.5 Generic Targets [Generic_Targets] ................................. 46 3.5.1 Target Number(s) [Target_Number].................................... 47 3.5.2 Target Name [Target_Name]............................................... 47 3.5.3 Target Description [Description] .......................................... 47 3.5.4 Flux Data [Flux] ................................................................... 47 3.5.5 Comments [Comments]....................................................... 47 3.5.6 Generic Target Specifications [Criteria]............................... 47 v Chapter 4: Solar System Targets.............................. 48 4.1 Introduction ............................................................................ 49 4.2 Target Identification ............................................................. 50 4.2.1 Target Number [Target_Number] ........................................ 50 4.2.2 Target Name [Target_Name]............................................... 50 4.2.3 Target Description [Description] .......................................... 53 4.2.4 Target Extent [Extended]:.................................................... 53 4.3 Pointing HST - Target Position ......................................... 54 4.3.1 Target Pointing Specification (TPS) and Levels.................. 54 4.3.2 Target Position Level 1 [Level_1] ........................................ 56 4.3.3 Target Position Level 2 [Level_2] ........................................ 58 4.3.4 Target Position Level 3 [Level_3] ........................................ 65 4.3.5 Ephemeris Center [Ephem_Center] .................................... 65 4.3.6 Ephemeris Uncertainty [Ephem_Uncert] ............................. 65 4.3.7 Acquisition Uncertainty [Acq_Uncert] .................................. 66 4.4 Observing Windows [Windows] ........................................ 66 4.4.1 Default Target Windows ...................................................... 71 4.5 Flux Data [Flux and Other_Fluxes]............................... 72 4.6 Comments [Comments]...................................................... 73 4.7 Illustrations of Orbital Longitude....................................... 73 4.8 Examples of Target List Blocks ........................................ 74 Chapter 5: Visits, Exposures and Exposure Groups......................................................... 77 5.1 Visit Number and Status ................................................... 79 5.2 Visit Label [Visit_Label]....................................................... 80 5.3 Visit-level Special Requirements [Visit_Requirements] ................................................................... 80 5.4 On Hold Comments [On_Hold_Comments] .................. 81 5.5 Visit Comments [Visit_Comments]................................... 81 5.6 Exposure Number [Exposure_Number].......................... 81 5.7 Exposure Label [Exposure_Label] ................................... 82 5.8 Target Name [Target_Name] ............................................ 82 5.8.1 Astronomical Targets........................................................... 82 5.8.2 Special Targets.................................................................... 82 5.9 Instrument Configuration [Config] .................................... 83 5.10 Operating Mode [Opmode].............................................. 84 vi 5.11 Aperture or Field of View [Aperture].............................. 84 5.12 Spectral Element [Sp_Element] ..................................... 85 5.13 Central Wavelength or Range if Grating or Prism Used [Wavelength]...................................................... 85 5.14 Number of Times to Iterate the Exposure [Number_of_Iterations] ..............................................................