9.4 Coordinated Observations

(This item is required only for GO proposals)

If you have plans for conducting coordinated observations with other facilities that affect the HST scheduling, please describe them here (examples are coordinated or simultaneous observations with other spacecraft or ground-based observatories). Describe how those observations will affect the scheduling.

If you have plans for supporting observations that do not affect HST scheduling, then don't describe them here. If they improve your science case, then describe them in the 'Scientific Justification' section of the proposal (see Section 9.1).

A limited feasibility check on coordinated observations between HST and a few other observatories (Chandra, XTE, and FUSE) may be performed via the Visual Observation Layout Tool (VOLT), developed at the Goddard Space Flight Center. See the VOLT Web site for more information. Note that VOLT cannot be used for detailed (Phase II) scheduling of HST observations.

9.4.1 Joint HST-Chandra Observations

Proposers requesting joint HST-Chandra observations (see Section 3.5) must provide a full and comprehensive technical justification for the Chandra portion of their program. This justification must include:

• the choice of instrument (and grating, if used),
• the requested exposure time, justification for the exposure time, target count rate(s) and assumptions made in its determination,
• information on whether the observations are time-critical; indicate whether the observations must be coordinated in a way that affects the scheduling (of either Chandra or HST observations),
• the exposure mode and chip selection (ACIS) or instrument configuration (HRC),
• information about nearby bright sources that may lie in the field of view,
• a demonstration that telemetry limits will not be violated,
• a description of how pile-up effects will be minimized (ACIS only).

Proposers should note the current restrictions on uninterrupted observations of more than 40 ksecs at certain pitch angles. Please refer to the Chandra Proposers' Observatory Guide (POG), Section 3.3.2, for details. Proposers should check the pitch angles of their targets and be sure that any constraints they request do not render the proposed observation infeasible. Please note that the Chandra Proposal Documentation and observation planning software will be updated for Cycle 9 in mid-December 2006.

Technical documentation about Chandra is available from the Chandra X-ray Center (CXC) Web Page, which also provides access to the Chandra Help Desk. The primary document is the Proposer's Observatory Guide, available from the Chandra Proposer Web Page. Full specification of approved observations will be requested during the Chandra Cycle 9 period when detailed feasibility checks will be made.

Proposers requesting joint HST-Chandra observations must specify whether they were awarded Chandra time in a previous Chandra or HST cycle for similar or related observations.

9.4.2 Joint HST-Spitzer Observations

Proposers requesting joint HST-Spitzer observations (see Section 3.7) must provide a full and comprehensive technical justification for the Spitzer portion of their program. This justification must include:

• the choice of instrument and Astronomical Observation Template(s),
• the requested observing time, justification for the requested time, target fluxes, required sensitivity and assumptions made in its derivation,
• information on whether the observations are time-critical; indicate whether the observations must be coordinated in a way that affects scheduling of either HST or Spitzer observations.

Technical documentation about the Spitzer Space Telescope is available from the Spitzer Science Center (SSC) Web Page, which also provides access to the Spitzer Help desk (help@spitzer.caltech.edu). The primary document is the Spitzer Observer's Manual, available, together with other relevant documents, from the Proposal Kit Web Page. The SSC strongly recommends that observers proposing Spitzer observations estimate the required observing time using Spot, the Spitzer proposal planning software, also available from the online proposal kit.

Proposers requesting joint HST-Spitzer observations must specify whether they were awarded Spitzer time in a previous cycle for similar or related observations.

9.4.3 Joint HST-NOAO Observations

Proposers requesting joint HST-NOAO observations (see Section 3.6) must provide a full and comprehensive technical justification for the NOAO portion of their program. This justification must include:

• the telescope(s) and instrument(s) on which time is requested,
• the requested observing time per telescope/instrument, a specification of the number of nights for each semester during which time will be required, a breakdown into dark, grey and bright time, and an explanation of how the required exposure time was estimated,
• information on whether the observations are time-critical; indicate whether the observations must be coordinated in a way that affects the scheduling (of either the NOAO or the HST observations),
• a description of any special scheduling or implementation requirements (e.g., optimum and acceptable dates).

Successful proposers will be asked to supply additional details about the observations, i.e., the same details required for NOAO proposals for the particular telescope/instrument. This "Phase II - NOAO" information must be submitted by the 30 April 2007 NOAO deadline for the Fall 2007 semester. Submission instructions will be forthcoming following notification of the results of the HST review.

Technical documentation about the NOAO facilities is available from the NOAO Web Page. Questions may be directed to the NOAO Proposal Help Desk by email to noaoprop-help@noao.edu. NOAO will perform feasibility checks on any approved proposals.

Proposers requesting joint HST-NOAO observations must specify whether they were recently (in the last two years) awarded NOAO time for similar or related observations.

A full and comprehensive scientific justification for the requested NOAO observing time and facilities must be given in the 'Scientific Justification' section of the proposal (see Section 9.1).