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Scheduling the Tek 2048 CCD (1Mar93)
(from CTIO, NOAO Newsletter No. 33, 1 March 1993)

Since we still have only one Tek 2048 CCD at CTIO (our second Tek 2048
is still on order), it is not possible to provide it to everyone who
requests it.  This will become an even greater problem once the
Large-Format PFCCD enters service and the Tek 2048 can be used at Prime
Focus.

Our policy is to make the chip available on an aperture-priority basis;
this means that it is often unavailable on the 0.9-m telescope, and may
well be unavailable on the 1.5-m telescope. For some programs this is
an inconvenience, while for others it is disastrous. In order to help
us distinguish among these, if you must have the Tek 2048 please
indicate this clearly in item 2 on the observing time request (for
detector specify "Tek 2048 only"), and please also indicate briefly in
item 5 (technical justification) why a smaller chip is not acceptable.

If you do this, then we will make the Tek 2048 available if you are
granted time (barring unpredictable failures), but we will also not
assign you any time if the chip cannot be scheduled at the time of year
and lunar phase that you request.

You may still express a preference for the Tek 2048, in which case we
will schedule it if available, and will provide a Tek 1024 or other
substitute if not.

Prospective users of the Tek 2048 on the 0.9-m telescope should note in
any case that the coma-free field of the telescope is smaller than the
chip (see accompanying article for details).

Finally, not everyone prefers the larger format; for programs with
relatively short exposures on isolated objects the speed of the smaller
chips (Tek 1024 or even Tek 512) may be preferable. If this is the
case, please indicate this clearly in item 2 on the time request form.
Since we do try to block-schedule detectors in the interest of greater
reliability, you might still get a larger chip unless you specify the
smaller chip as essential (and justify it).

Jay Elias

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