For the 2000A observing semester (proposals due 30 September), CTIO will offer a new mode of observing on the 0.9-m telescope with the introduction of the Synoptic/Service/Target-of-Opportunity (SSTO) program. We will be offering this opportunity on a trial basis for the 2000A semester, and may continue the program in subsequent semesters depending on demand. Proposers who need synoptic observations of the Galactic Bulge may be especially interested in the 0.9m SSTO program as an alternative to the YALO telescope (on which NOAO has limited access to the Galactic Bulge).
Approximately 20% of NOAO time on the CTIO 0.9m will be devoted to this new SSTO program, scheduled (on average) as one full night of SSTO observing after every four nights of "classical" observing. The SSTO observations will be scheduled and performed in service mode by the SSTO scientist and/or by qualified CTIO 0.9-m telescope operators.
SSTO observations will be made using the normal CTIO 0.9-m telescope CCD camera (see CTIO web page at http://www.ctio.noao.edu for details) and only standard BVRI filters. Proposals should be tailored to take advantage of optical imaging in a synoptic or service mode, generally requiring only a fraction of any given night. Proposals requiring IR or IR+optical capability and/or different synoptic spacing should apply for NOAO time on the YALO telescope -- see related article in this Newsletter. Programs that can be completed in the classical observing mode should not be submitted for the SSTO program.
This service observing is offered on a shared-risk, "no-guarantee" basis: observations will not be repeated if they cannot be accomplished at the scheduled time due to weather conditions, equipment malfunctions, etc. Conditional scheduling requirements other than timing within the observing semester (e.g. seeing better than 1", photometric conditions, etc.) will generally not be accepted. However, observations of Landolt standard stars will be obtained on all service observing nights having photometric sky conditions, and limited requests for photometric calibration of fields will be considered.
Data will be made available to SSTO proposal PIs via WWW and/or FTP access, typically within 12 weeks of each night of service observing (faster access may be provided, depending on demand). Bias and dome flat-field images will be acquired by the service observer on each night of service observing. Sky flat-field and Landolt standard star images will be acquired by the service observer when sky conditions are judged to be appropriate. SSTO proposals do not need to include overhead time for obtaining these calibration images. All calibration images will be made publicly available via WWW and/or FTP, and all other SSTO observations will be made publicly available following a one-year proprietary period.
The target-of-opportunity (TO) aspect of the SSTO program on the 0.9-m will operate in parallel to the existing CTIO-wide TO program, but will operate only during the scheduled service mode nights on the 0.9-m.
Thus, it is appropriate for targets for which a delay of 0-5 days after the triggering event occurs will not adversely affect the scientific potential of the observations. When the PI triggers an 0.9-m SSTO program by notifying the SSTO Scientist, the TO observation will be added to the schedule for the next upcoming service mode night. TO observations under the SSTO program are offered on the same shared-risk basis as the synoptic observations.
Proposers will be asked to identify 0.9-m SSTO observing proposals (for both synoptic and TO programs) on the NOAO proposal form. SSTO proposers should be prepared to provide in their proposals specific information in addition to the standard proposal instructions. For synoptic programs, the proposer should provide an optimum requested observing schedule (e.g. total time per exposure in each filter, number of exposures per night in each filter, number and spacing of nights, etc.) and justification for observing in synoptic mode.
Additional information for this new observing mode at the CTIO 0.9-m telescope can be found on the CTIO SSTO web page at http://www.ctio.noao.edu/servobs. Please direct any questions regarding the SSTO program on the CTIO 0.9-m telescope to the SSTO Scientist, Donald W. Hoard (dhoard@noao.edu).
Donald W. Hoard (dhoard@noao.edu),
R. Chris Smith (csmith@noao.edu),
Stefanie Wachter (swachter@noao.edu)