PH2 tutorial for ESPaDOnS

SUMMARY OF BASICS

• There can only be one session per user at a time.
• There is a time out of 2 hours. Beware: No "save" is performed if your session has automatically timed out. Save your work regularly!
• Until the deadline, you can access PH2 as many time as you want.
• There is no submit button. Anything "saved" is in the PH2 database.
• If you have used Poopsy, the login information for PH2 is the same as for Poopsy.
• Non-sidereal tracking (not guiding!) is offered, but this is only good for less than about 2-3 minutes.
• For imagers, if possible, refrain from using User Dithering patterns and use the DP provided.
• ICs and OBs (Instrument Configurations and Observing Groups) can be used more than once, so there is no need to duplicate identical ICs or OBs.
• The QSO Team encourages PIs to add comments to their OGs, to include specific additional constraints or repeat information found elsewhere in PH2: hour angle constraint, different Image Quality requirement, tolerable extinction, timing constraint, etc.
• PIs should also fill in the PH2 comments box with as many details possible on what is expected from the QSO Team: acceptable extinction, priorities, to finish observations in one filter first or finish a target in various filters first, etc.
• The entity executed at the telescope is the Observing Group (OG). An OG is made of one or more Observing Blocks (OBs). An OB is made of one (and only one) target, one (or many) instrumental configurations, and one (and only one) set of constraints. OBs and OGs cannot exceed 2 hours.
• For the imagers, PIs do not need to define photometric calibrations using standard stars for the broad-band filters. PIs must define narrow-band calibrations if they need photometric calibrations. ESPaDOnS PIs must define, if needed, spectrophotometric, polarimetric, telluric, or radial velocity calibration stars and observations.

WHAT'S NEW

Starting with 2011B, there are 3 additional optional pieces of information that PIs can provide: peak S/N expected for a target, maximum acceptable extinction (in magnitudes) and hour angle constraint.

1. Peak S/N expected. On the Targets page, users can enter the peak S/N per CCD pixel for any target, per single spectroscopic exposure, or per polarimetric sequence (of 4 exposures). Note that this is not the S/N at a specific wavelength, but the peak S/N in the spectrum. It is also the S/N per CCD pixel, not per spectral bin.

If no value is entered (the default), the QSO Team will proceed with the observations and repeat exposures based on the measured level of extinction, to recover the missing flux.

If the value entered is different than the default value:

• If the sky is photometric and the measured S/N is more than 20% below the indicated peak S/N, the QSO Team might stop the observation and contact the PI for further instructions (because this could indicate the coordinates are incorrect, the magnitude is incorrect and the requested exposure time is not sufficient)
• If the sky is not photometric, the QSO Team will repeat exposures based on the measured level of extinction, to recover the missing flux, assuming that if the sky was photometric, we would get the requested peak S/N

2. Maximum extinction. On the Constraints page, there is a new field "Max Extinction". By default, the value is "Best effort", which means that the QSO Team will observe with the best sky conditions possible, but might observe with a bit of extinction too, if it is judged that the science will not be affected. The value can be changed by the user.

For ESPaDOnS, the Remote Observer will use the value of extinction provided by SkyProbe.

If the actual extinction is within the indicated limit +/- 0.02mag, the grade will be 1 or 2 (depending on extinction and other parameters), the exposure will be validated and charged to the PI, and we will do repeats of that exposure to compensate of the loss of flux, unless the PI indicates (in the PH2 comments box) that repeats are not necessary.

If the actual extinction is above the indicated limit +/- 0.02mag, the grade will be 3 or higher and the exposure will not be validated (and not charge ot the PI); the exposure will be tried again at a later time.

3. Hour Angle constraint. Users can specify if an OG needs to be observed within a certain Hour Angle (HA) window. First of all, users should answer "Yes" at the relevant question:

Then, on the OGs page, users can enter the earliest HA at the start of the OG and the latest HA at the start of the OG. Note that both times are for the start of the OG. The HA constraint does not give the range of HA within which an OG can be observed, but the range of acceptable HA for the start of the OG only.

TABLE OF CONTENT:

• Accessing PH2 Login and password
• Navigating within PH2
• Program Selection
• Program Details Title, Abstract, PI information, grade and rank, I-time
• Program Constraints Monitoring, Time Constraints, REEL, Moving Targets, Comments, Data Distribution
• Fixed Targets Name and Coordinates, Aladin, Astrores format to upload lists of targets
• Ephemeris
• Finding Charts
• Instrument Configuration
• Constraints
• Observation Blocks
• Observation Groups
• OG Scheduler
• Summary
• Logout

ACCESSING PH2

The User ID and Password are sent to new users by the QSO Team, by email. If you have used PH2 before but do not remember your information, please contact the QSO Team.

Back to Table of Content

NAVIGUATING WITHIN PH2

The navigation buttons and their corresponding pages are described below.

Button	Corresponding Page
	First page of PH2 (Login). User ID and Password required.
	Program Selection Page, for multiple programs under the same User ID
	Page describing the QSO program, the investigators (PI) and the TAC evaluation.
	General Constraints and Information for the program. Depending on the answers, some options will be made available in the subsequent pages. Please use the box provided to add as many instructions as possible (priorities, acceptable extinction, if IQ can be pushed, exact requirement for photometric conditions, Moon distance or illumination constraints, etc.) Includes a section for the distribution of the data.
	Page containing the table used to define all of the fixed targets used in the creation of the observation blocks
	Page containing the table used to define all of the targets for which coordinates are changing with time (ephemeris). Only accessible if requested in Program Constraints page
	Page used to define finding charts. To remove any possible confusion, each target must have its Finding Chart. Charts can be generated by Aladin in PH2, or prepared with a different tool and uploaded from a PI's computer.
	Page containing the table used to define all of the instrument configuration (e.g. filters, exposure time, dithering pattern) used in the creation of the observation blocks
	Page containing the table used to define all of the sky constraints entering in the creation of the observation blocks.
	Page allowing the creation of the observation blocks from the lists of targets, instrumental configurations and constraints defined in the previous pages.
	Page allowing the creation of the observation groups (e.g. sequences) from a list of observation blocks. The I-time used for the program is also calculated and compared to the time allocated by TAC. Time constraints and REEL can be accessed here, if requested.
	Optional tool that can be used to define a set of specific dates and times to execute one or a series of OGs.
	Page describing all the observations prepared with PH2 and stored in the database for a specific program.
	Logging out of PH2 (needs confirmation).
	Opens the quick help files for PH2, containing information on the diverse parameters of the PH2 forms.
	This document! Detailed overview and general description of PH2 and how to use it.

Back to Table of Content

PROGRAM SELECTION

This page allows the selection of your program for your session:

This page can be opened at all time; it is possible to work on several programs at the same time without having to log out from PH2. The programs are first sorted out according to the semester (pull-down menu) and then are identified by the runID, instrument, and title. Be careful: always make sure that you are editing the right program! For your convenience, the runID is shown on all the PH2 forms. Note: Following recommendations by the Time Allocation Committee, it is possible that a program was split into different programs with some specific I-time and grade/rank. If it's the case, the program with the higher ranking will keep the same runID as assigned during Poopsy Phase 1 but the other programs will be assigned a different runID by the QSO Team. You must first select a program and click on the "Proceed" button before being able to navigate through the other pages of PH2.

Button	Function
	Open the help files to the current page.
	Save the content of the current page in the QSO database and open the next form.

Back to Table of Content

PROGRAM DETAILS

• Program Title: This is the program title as entered with Poopsy during the Phase 1 proposal submission period (or through the TOO form). This field cannot be edited. The program title is available to the QSO Team at all time during the observations.

• Program Abstract: This is the abstract of the program, as entered during the Phase 1 proposal submission period (or through the TOO form). This field cannot be edited. The program abstract is available to the QSO Team at all time during the observations.

• Investigators: The name of the Principal Investigator for each program cannot be changed. The contact information (Institute, phone and fax numbers including the area code, email) must be up to date and accurate. Email is the main contact method.

• Program Information:
• RunID: Identification number for your QSO program. This number is assigned during the Phase 1 submission process and is attached to all of the QSO programs. It is important to remember your runID to communicate with the QSO Team and also to monitor the progress made on your program using the night reports. The first three digits indicate the semester, the letter indicates the Agency and the last two digits is the number assigned by Poopsy or the QSO Team.
• Agency: Agency for which this telescope time has been assigned, as specified during the Phase 1. The values are CNRS (F), NRC (C), UH (H), NTU (T), Large Programs (P), Brazil (B), CFHT (D-time).
• Program Type: The type of the program, as requested in Phase 1 or as assigned by the TAC. Three types are possible: Regular, Target-of-Opportunity (TOO), and Snapshots.
• TAC Grade: Grade assigned to your proposal by the Time Allocation Committee (TAC) for your Agency. Four grades are possible "A: must do", "B: prioritized"; "C: best effort"; "S: snapshot". The corresponding priorities of these program grades are highest, good, medium and lowest, respectively. Grades C and S are considered for "overfilling" the queues (that is, these programs would not have received any time in a classical mode).
• TAC Rank: Rank of your proposal within your program grade, assigned by the TAC.
• I-time: The total integration time allocated for your QSO program by the TAC. This time is automatically calculated during the preparation of your observation groups and cannot be exceeded. The readout time of the MegaPrime mosaic (40 sec) is calculated automatically for each individual exposures within an observation block.

Button	Function
	Open the quick help files to the current page.
	Cancel all the modifications done to the current page and reload data stored in the database.
	Save all the modifications done to the current page in the database and reload current page.
	Save the content of the current page in the QSO database and open the next form.

Back to Table of Content

PROGRAM CONSTRAINTS

This page requests some important information regarding your QSO program. Depending of some of the answers you provide here, options will become available in the subsequent pages of PH2. This page is divided into several sections:

Note that there is a new question regarding hour angle constraints:

• Monitoring: If your program requires several executions of the same observation spread over a specific period, monitoring is required and you should indicate so here. Monitoring is defined as executing an observation for a certain number of iterations, N_iter, within a specific period, P. A date for the first observation can be specified but is not obligatory. These parameters can be entered in the observation groups form. Repeating an observation block for a certain number of times but without a specific period is not considered monitoring. It is not possible to have monitoring for sequences of observation blocks (SOB), only individual blocks.
• Time Constraints: If some of your observations have to be performed within certain dates, you can indicate so here. The options will then be available in the OG form. Note that time constraints are the most demanding constraints on a queue system. Use only if science depends on it!
• REEL: This option in PH2 allows the user to create specific links between observation groups. In short, we can resume the REEL concept as: " if OGx is observed, then observe OGy within a certain opportunity window". The REEL are a powerful way to prepare specific sequence of observations, if science requires to do so. REEL must be used only if necessary, not for instance in the context "the object should be observed with this filter because if was observed with this other filter first".
• Moving Targets: If your targets (or some of them) have changing coordinates with time (e.g. comet), you can define their ephemeris in a special table located further in PH2. To access it, you must indicate so here.
• OG Scheduling: Some programs with ESPaDOnS require that the OGs are observed at precise dates and times during the semester. For instance, a target can be observed at 20 different dates and times, all valid. The OG Scheduler tool allows the PI to define a list of dates and times. This is an optional tool, only for specific programs requesting special time constraints.
• Hour angle constraint: some OGs need to be observed within a certain hour angle window. This is allowed by answering "yes" to the question presented.

• Program Comments: It is extremely important that the investigators transmit any comments that they judge useful for the execution of their observations. This space is reserved for general comments which will be available at all time during the preparation of the queues and while performing the observations. Comments can include, but are not limited to: acceptable level of extinction, minimum number of targets to take under photometric conditions, how sensitive the project is with respect to Image Quality, priorities, Moon distance or illumination, tolerance on execution of an observation which has a time constraint, etc. For example: "Observations to be done in photometric conditions only"; "Thin cirrus less than 0.2mag extinction acceptable"; "Do not start observation earlier than 30min before indicated time"; "Observe high priority groups first", etc. The more we know, the better!

• Calibration Comments: It is important that the investigators transmit any comments that they judge useful for the QSO Team in their endeavor to carry out the observing program. As explained above, the QSO team will execute a calibration plan on a nightly basis to make sure that all data can be appropriately reduced. However, feel free to indicate any specific requests here regarding calibrations, if needed.

• S/N Comments: It is important that the investigators transmit any comments that they judge useful for the QSO Team in their endeavor to carry out the observing program. This space is reserved for comments on the expected S/N for your targets. The observing team will have the measured S/N for each spectrum and can use this information as guideline to make sure that the signal meets the requirements. Values of S/N for the different orders can be obtained using the ESPaDOnS exposure time simulator. We strongly encourage to include some values in this comments field, and specify if those numbers are per CCD or spectral bin!

• Data Distribution: CFHT only offers network distribution of the data. The raw and processed data will be placed in a special HTTP site at CFHT for downloading over the network. The Upena Team is responsible for doing the data reduction and ensuring that data, raw and processed, are available by noon the following day. PIs may request to receive an automatic email each morning if data were taken the previous night.

• Data Distribution Recipient: By default, the PI will receive the information necessary to retrieve the data over the network. An alternate person may be designated by selecting "Alternate" in the drop-down menu and filling the appropriate boxes. All contact information must be up to date.

Back to Table of Content

FIXED TARGETS

This is the first step toward the creation of the observation blocks, and where the user defines the fixed targets of the program and their precise pointing coordinates. The target table includes the target name, coordinates, magnitude, and optional peak S/N per CCD pixel expected. A few buttons allow the addition, duplication, selection or deletion of entries. The maximum number of rows displayed at once is five. The "Next Page" and "Previous Page" buttons can be used to navigate between the different pages. The blue hyperlinks FT# represent the first row of each individual pages and can also be used for moving quickly from a page to another.

• Top Row: RunID that identifies which program is being edited, list of displayed rows, total number of targets already defined, link to the instrument's page.
• Target identification (Label/Name): each row has a unique label (FT) which is automatically updated if the rows are changed. The name is entered in the box; a clear and simple name (e.g. Virgo Field1) will make the subsequent steps easier. The name must be shorter than 20 characters.
• Coordinates: Coordinates can be entered manually through these entry fields, or with Aladin (the use of Aladin is optional). The "check" and "save" options always verify that no typos or illegal values were entered. No value lower than -60 degrees in DEC is allowed. The Epoch of the coordinates can be fractional (e.g. 2001.3), but must be between 1900.0 and 2050.0.
• Magnitude: The magnitude of each target is used by Remote Observers to double check the target's identity on ESPaDOnS's acquisition camera, and to check that the observed level of flux is compatible with the magnitude.
• Peak S/N per CCD pixel: users can enter the peak S/N per CCD pixel for any target, per single spectroscopic exposure, or per polarimetric sequence (of 4 exposures). Note that this is not the S/N at a specific wavelength, but the peak S/N in the spectrum. It is also the S/N per CCD pixel, not per spectral bin.
  • If no value is entered (the default), the QSO Team will proceed with the observations and repeat exposures based on the measured level of extinction, to recover the missing flux.
  • If the value entered is different than the default value:
    • If the sky is photometric and the measured S/N is more than 20% below the indicated peak S/N, the QSO Team might stop the observation and contact the PI for further instructions (because this could indicate the coordinates are incorrect, the magnitude is incorrect and the requested exposure time is not sufficient)
    • If the sky is not photometric, the QSO Team will repeat exposures based on the measured level of extinction, to recover the missing flux, assuming that if the sky was photometric, we would get the requested peak S/N
• Aladin is used to display sky images. Using Aladin is optional, since pointing coordinates can be entered directly in the target table with the combination of target coordinates and pointing offsets. To use Aladin, and if you know the real astronomical name of your target, enter the name (e.g. NGC 4258) and click one one of the "Aladin" buttons. To search by name, the coordinates entry fields have to be empty. The CDS database will be contacted and a window showing an area surrounding the pointing coordinates will be displayed. If you know already the coordinates of your target and want to verify the positioning or transform the target coordinates into pointing coordinates, you can enter the coordinates and click again on one of the Aladin buttons.

  The "FOV" option displays an 15 x 15 arcmin image of the field (1 pixel = 1.7"); on this image you have a blue square of about 2' illustrating the field of view of the ESPaDOnS guider. The 1.6" entrance fiber is represented by the little blue circle within the red cross, centered on the target coordinates. Due to the display limitations and the astrometry of the plates, the pointing accuracy of Aladin will never be better than 3-4". Also note that Aladin works only with coordinates for J2000.0. The coordinates sent back are automatically in J2000.0.

  As an example, the field around T Tau looks like:

  

  Stars in the field are identified from the GSC (red circles) catalogs, if availabe. The coordinates indicated at the top left refer to the position of the cross, which represent the entrance fiber of the spectrograph. If the object is correctly identified in Aladin, the pointing coordinates can be transferred to PH2 by simply clicking on the "Grab" button in the PH2 table, before closing the Aladin window. The coordinates will be included in the table.

• Downloading/Uploading Target Files. At the bottom of the page, an option is available to download/upload a PH2 target list: Astrores is a special XML format that is becoming standard in astronomy for this kind of application. The "Download" option allows you to transform a list of target in the table of PH2 into an Astrores formatted file. For instance, if you have already a list of targets in a program that you would like to transfer to another program with a different runID, you can first go to the program with the target list, download it to an file on your local machine, edit it if necessary, and upload it in the appropriate program with the "upload" button. You can use also this button to create a template for further use: for instance, first enter a target, click "download", and you'll see the correct format for the Astrores template.

  The following is a template of the Astrores file that you can copy to your local machine to use the download/upload features:

  <?xml version = "1.0"?>
  <!DOCTYPE ASTRO SYSTEM "http://vizier.u-strasbg.fr/xml/astrores.dtd">
  <ASTRO ID="v0.8" xmlns:ASTRO="http://vizier.u-strasbg.fr/doc/astrores.htx">
  <TABLE ID="Table">
  <NAME>Fixed Targets</NAME>
  <TITLE>Fixed Targets for CFHT QSO</TITLE>
  <!-- Definition of each field -->
  <FIELD name="NAME" datatype="A" width="20">
  <DESCRIPTION>Name of target</DESCRIPTION>
  </FIELD>
  <FIELD name="RA"    datatype="A" width="11" unit="h" format="RAh:RAm:RAs">
  <DESCRIPTION>Right ascension of target</DESCRIPTION>
  </FIELD>
  <FIELD name="DEC"   datatype="A" width="11" unit="deg" format="DEd:DEm:DEs">
  <DESCRIPTION>Declination of target</DESCRIPTION>
  </FIELD>
  <FIELD name="EPOCH" datatype="F" width="6">
  <DESCRIPTION>Epoch of coordinates</DESCRIPTION>
  </FIELD>
  <FIELD name="POINT" datatype="A" width="5">
  <DESCRIPTION>Pointing name</DESCRIPTION>
  </FIELD>
  <!-- Data table --><DATA><CSV headlines="4" colsep="|">
  <![CDATA[
  NAME                |RA         |DEC        |EPOCH |POINT|
                      |hh:mm:ss.ss|+dd:mm:ss.s|      |     |
  12345678901234567890|12345678901|12345678901|123456|12345|
  --------------------|-----------|-----------|------|-----|
  M33                 |01:33:51.02|+30:39:36.7|2000.0|1    |
  NGC4258             |12:18:57.54|+47:18:14.3|2000.0|1    |
  NGC3359             |10:46:36.30|+63:13:29.0|2000.0|1    |
  NGC2903             |09:32:11.67|+21:37:21.6|2000.0|1    |
  ]]></CSV></DATA>
  </TABLE>
  </ASTRO>

  To upload a file, you can first save the example on your local machine by clicking on the "Astrores" button. All you have to do is to copy this template to your local machine within your favorite editor and then edit the ASCII table with your targets (do not change the XML code!). It is crucial that you keep the appropriate format. Use the vertical lines as references for the number of spaces allowed. Most editors will keep this format automatically so it should not be a problem.

  Important: Versions 6 and 7 of Netscape have an unfortunate bug affecting the translation of the XML template downloaded and ruins the format of the file. There is a workaround: 1 - After opening the Astrores template, go to "view page source" in the top menu. This will shows the HTML code. 2 - With the mouse, copy all the code between the" XMP and /XMP lines and paste to an editor. 3 - Edit the two occurrences of lowercase "table" appearing in the code to uppercase "TABLE", and save. The file is now ready to be edited and is uploadable. You can upload the file to PH2 by giving the right path and by clicking on the "Upload" button. We strongly encourage you to verify carefully your target list after that!

• Here is a summary of the various buttons available:

  Button	Function
  	Add N rows to the table.
  	Duplicate the selected rows N times.
  	Select all the rows in the table. Clicking again on it deselect all the rows.
  	Delete the selected rows. A confirmation window is displayed.
  	Check the entries for errors. The errors found are displayed in a separate window and are indicated by a red frame in the table. An automatic check is done also when the form is saved or when the "proceed" button is activated.
  	Display the next rows of the table.
  	Display the previous rows of the table.
  	Cancel all the modifications done to the current page and reload data stored in the database.
  	Save all the modifications done to the current page in the database and reload current page. Regular saving of the current form is recommended!
  	Save the content of the current page in the QSO database and open the next form.

Back to Table of Content

EPHEMERIS

This form is used to define targets for which coordinates change with time. The form is only accessible if requested in the Program Constraints section.

1. At least 3 sets of RA and Dec coordinate pairs must be entered, enough to cover the potential time of observation. The times are in UT.
2. If the moving target moves slowly and is to be observed with sidereal rates (with or without guiding), the set of coordinates closest to the observing time will be sent to the telescope.
3. If the moving target moves quickly enough that non-sidereal rates are requested, sets of coordinates (at least 3, up to five) will be picked and sent to the Telescope. The request will fail if there is not at least one time before and one time after the time of observation. If there are enough sets, the choice will be one before and four after the time the observation is selected. The sets must be spaced far enough apart in time to cover the longest OB they are used with. Current coordinates and rates will be interpolated by the Telescope Control System.

The general idea behind the ephemeris form is very simple: define a series of coordinates for a specific time for a given target. The table below shows the entry fields for the ephemeris of the target specified:

The top of the form allows the user to first give a name to a target. For instance, in the pull-down menu on the left, you can select "New". In the central window, you can then give a name to your target. When you click on "Update", the table in the middle frame window is then created and your target receives a label "ET#" (for "ephemeris target").

Each row in the table is an ephemeris labeled "E#" and includes the UTC Date (beginning of a night in Hawaii is ~ 05:00:00 UT) and the coordinates of the target for this date (in J2000.0). As many ephemeris as wanted can be entered for a target and as many targets as wanted can be entered for a program. After defining all of the ephemeris for the target, we recommend that you save it immediately before starting defining the ephemeris for the next target (if needed). When saved, the ET will appeared in the list of targets used for defining the observation blocks (below).

Since entering a large number of ephemeris can be cumbersome the Astrores format template can be used at the bottom of the page to upload ephemeris for a given target (that is, one upload per target is necessary). To do so, apply first the procedure described above (create a new target name and click on update), since the name of the target cannot be defined from the Astrores template. Below there is a Astrores template (XML) that can copied on your local machine and then used to upload ephemeris to the table in the middle frame. (You can also create your own template on your local machine by first defining a target and click on "download". However, see important note in the fixed target section if you are using Netscape 6 and 7). It is important that the format is respected. You can then prepare the ephemeris for the target as seen in the lower part of the template and save the template under a specific name. When saved on your local machine, you can then upload it by specifying the path. Check that everything is fine and then save the ephemeris table for that target. Repeat if necessary!

<?xml version = "1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE ASTRO SYSTEM "http://vizier.u-strasbg.fr/xml/astrores.dtd">
<ASTRO ID="v0.8" xmlns:ASTRO="http://vizier.u-strasbg.fr/doc/astrores.htx">
<TABLE ID="Table">
<NAME>Ephemeris</NAME>
<title>Ephemeris for CFHT QSO</title>
<!-- Definition of each field -->
<FIELD name="DATE_UTC" datatype="A" width="19" format="YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss">
<DESCRIPTION>UTC Date</DESCRIPTION>
</FIELD> 
<FIELD name="RA_J2000" datatype="A" width="11" unit="h" format="RAh:RAm:RAs">
<DESCRIPTION>Right ascension of target</DESCRIPTION>
</FIELD>
<FIELD name="DEC_J2000" datatype="A" width="11" unit="deg" format="DEd:DEm:DEs">
<DESCRIPTION>Declination of target</DESCRIPTION>
</FIELD>
<!-- Data table -->
<DATA><CSV headlines="4" colsep="|">
<![CDATA[
DATE_UTC           |RA_J2000   |DEC_J2000  |
YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss|hh:mm:ss.ss|+dd:mm:ss.s|
1234567890123456789|12345678901|12345678901|
-------------------|-----------|-----------|
2003-06-04 06:30:00|09:34:00.00|+16:38:00.0|
2003-06-05 06:30:00|09:35:15.00|+16:31:50.0|
2003-06-06 06:30:00|09:36:33.00|+16:25:40.0|
]]></CSV></DATA>
</TABLE>
</ASTRO>

Back to Table of Content

FINDING CHARTS

Since ESPaDOnS is a fiber-fed instrument, it is important to make sure that the right target is put into the entrance fiber. Pointing of the telescope is limited to an accuracy of at best +/- 10" on the sky so in crowded fields or when the target is faint, it might become difficult to identify the right object to put into the fiber. For obvious reasons, finding charts can only be defined for fixed targets; moving fields are not possible. All Finding Charts entered in PH2 will be automatically displayed next to the guiding window for the QSO observer at the telescope. Please make sure your files are in the jpg format. PH2 now has a mandatory section where the user can prepare Finding Charts by downloading a file which contains a suitable chart. The Aladin Sky Atlas is often used by ESPaDOnS users and is recommended by CFHT.

The finding charts must be saved as a jpg file with the following mandatory information:

1. North and East Directions indicated on the chart.
2. Scale indicated on the chart.
3. The Field of View of the ESPaDOnS acquisition camera is about 100arcsec diameter. Please make the FOV big enough to include a few extra stars in addition to the target of interest.
4. An arrow or circle or cross indicating which is the target to be observed.

Here is an example of a suitable chart produced with the most recent version of Aladin:

Once the chart has been uploaded, users should indicate in the comment box how the Service Observer can identify the target, as given in the example below:

Note that the finding charts are displayed in the summary of the program.

Back to Table of Content

INSTRUMENT CONFIGURATION

This is the second mandatory step in the creation of the observing blocks, used to define all the instrumental configurations necessary for the program. The same configuration can be used several times with different targets. The main section of the page is a table with different options under pull-down menus or editable entry fields.

The top frame can be used to help in the preparation of these configurations:

• List of Targets: This little window displays the name of the targets defined in the previous form. It is just available as a mnemonic resource so that the user does not have to navigate back and forth between page to look at the list of targets. Nothing to click on, it's just a scrolling display!
• Stokes Parameters Primer: This window presents the three main Stokes parameters and their meaning in terms of polarization of the light.
• Exposure Time Calculator: There is an exposure time calculator available for ESPaDOnS. It is maintained by J.F. Donati, in Toulouse, and the interface is automatically opened when this link is activated. We strongly recommend that you use the calculator during the preparation of your observations. By doing so, you will be able to specify the right parameters for your observations (exposure time, S/N, seeing) in order to achieve your science goals.
• Defaults Observing Mode/Readout Mode: This presents some defaults that can be used to pre-populate the instrument configuration table, prior to creating the individual rows. This can save quite a bit of time if a lot of configurations need to be defined.

The middle frame of the configuration page consists in a table and buttons to manipulate the entry fields:

• Top Row: The RunID identifies which program you are currently working on. A list of the current rows and the total number of configurations already defined in the current table is provided. The link goes to the instrument's webpage.
• Table: The label identifies a row in the table and is automatically updated if the rows are changed. The instrument configurations are simply identified as I#. The name of the instrument configuration is given by the user; a simple and clear name (e.g. Polar Normal V 120s) will make the subsequent steps easier. The name must be shorter than 20 characters.
• Observing Modes: Three observing modes are offered with ESPaDOnS: Polarimetry, Spectroscopy (Star only), Spectroscopy (Star+Sky). This entry field allows the user to define exactly which mode should be used. For more details on these modes, pleaser refer to the ESPaDOnS Web page.
• Readout Mode:The current CCD can be used under three different readout modes: Fast, Normal and Slow. Each mode has its own readout time (charged), gain and readout noise. Note that the overheads charged are more than the readout time; operational overheads to start and finish an exposure are necessarily larger than just the readout time. The table below presents the necessary information.

ReadoutMode	Noise/Gain	Overhead
Fast	8.0e ; 1.8e/ADU	40s
Normal	4.5e ; 1.4e/ADU	60s
Slow	2.9e ; 1.2e/ADU	85s

• Stokes Parameter: In polarimetric mode, four Stokes parameters are available for ESPaDOnS: QUVW. Only one parameter can be selected for a given instrument configuration; if two parameters must be observed consecutively on a given target, this can be arranged at the OB/OG level. In spectroscopy modes, only the I (intensity) parameter is made available.
• Exptime:This is to define the exposure time (in seconds) for each individual exposure of the instrument configuration. Minimum exposure time is 1 second and maximum is 7200 seconds. Note: Fractional exposure times are not possible with ESPaDOnS.
• Nseq:This is the number of sequences, in other words, the number of times the exposures should be done for a given instrument configuration. For polarimetry, Nseq = 1 means that 4 exposures will be taken for the Stokes parameter specified.
• I-time: The total I-time calculated for a given configuration, in seconds. The value is calculated and displayed after a save. The calculation uses an algorithm defined below. Total I-time for one configuration cannot exceed 7200 seconds.

Integration Time Calculation

The integration time (I-time) calculation is done for each instrument configuration (IC) according to the general formula:

I-time (IC) = Nseq x [S(Obs.mode) x [Exptime + Overheads (readout)]]

Example: In polarimetric mode, the user requires 5 sequences with the Q parameter, the normal readout mode and exposure time of 100 sec/exp. We get: IC = 5 x [4 x (100 + 60)] = 3200 seconds (20 files generated).

The following table shows the available buttons:

Button	Function
	Add N rows to the table.
	Duplicate the selected rows N times.
	Delete the selected rows. A confirmation window is displayed.
	Select all the rows in the table. Clicking again on it deselect all the rows.
	Check the entries for errors. The errors found are displayed in a separate window and are indicated by a red frame in the table. An automatic check is done also when the form is saved or when the "proceed" button is activated.
	Display the next rows of the table.
	Display the previous rows of the table.
	Cancel all the modifications done to the current page and reload data stored in the database.
	Save all the modifications done to the current page in the database and reload current page. Regular saving of the current form is recommended!
	Save the content of the current page in the QSO database and open the next form.

Back to Table of Content

CONSTRAINTS

This page presents the table designed for defining the sky constraints under which the observations should be undertaken. The top frame displays information about the targets and instrument configurations defined previously:

• List of Targets: This little window displays the name of the targets defined in the Fixed Targets form. It is just available as a mnemonic resource so that the user does not have to navigate back and forth between pages to look at the list of target. Nothing to click on, it's just a scrolling display!
• List of Instrument Configurations: This window displays the names of the instrument configurations and some of their content defined in the previous form. It is just available as a mnemonic resource so that the user does not have to navigate back and forth between pages to look at the list of configurations. Nothing to click on, it's just a scrolling display!
• Exposure Time Calculator: There is an exposure time calculator available for ESPaDOnS. It is maintained by J.F. Donati, in Toulouse, and the interface is automatically open when this link is activated. We strongly recommend that you use the calculator during the preparation of your observations. By doing so, you will be able to specify the right parameters for your observations (exposure time, S/N, seeing) in order to achieve your science goals.

The middle frame presents the table for the constraints:

• Top Row: The RunID identifies which program you are currently working on. Then comes a list of the current rows and the total number of constraints already defined in the current table. The link goes to the instrument's webpage.
• Table:
  • The label identifies a row in the table and is automatically updated if the rows are changed. The constraints are simply identified as C#. The name of the constraint is given by the user. Using a simple and clear name name (e.g. Good conditions) will make the subsequent steps easier. The name must be shorter than 20 characters.
  • In QSO Mode, the seeing constraint usually has the highest priority. With ESPaDOnS, however, the seeing is not a major parameter affecting ESPaDOnS observations. So the seeing bands proposed are rather broad. The next table illustrates some statistics on the image quality on Mauna Kea. Note that if you select for instance the seeing to be between 1" and 1.5", it is quite possible that the observations will be performed under 1" anyway, depending on the program ranking and the pressure from other programs.
  • The weight of the airmass constraint is usually not very strong in the selection process of the program to be undertaken, although we always try to respect it as much as possible. Four options are available: < 1.2, < 1.5, < 2.0, any. Unless absolutely necessary, < 2.0 or "any" are the preferable options. We will aim for < 1.5 but beware that scheduling constraints might forbid the QSO Team to reach this goal for all of the observations.
  • There is a new field "Max Extinction". By default, the value is "Best effort", which means that the QSO Team will observe with the best sky conditions possible, but might observe with a bit of extinction too, if it is judged that the science will not be affected. The value can be changed by the user. For ESPaDOnS, the Remote Observer will use the value of extinction provided by SkyProbe.
    • If the actual extinction is within the indicated limit +/- 0.02mag, the grade will be 1 or 2 (depending on extinction and other parameters), the exposure will be validated and charged to the PI, and we will do repeats of that exposure to compensate of the loss of flux, unless the PI indicates (in the PH2 comments box) that repeats are not necessary.
    • If the actual extinction is above the indicated limit +/- 0.02mag, the grade will be 3 or higher and the exposure will not be validated (and not charge ot the PI); the exposure will be tried again at a later time.

A note on the Seeing. The constraint on the seeing is usually the strongest criterion for the selection of a program to be undertaken. Our goal is to never try observations during conditions exceeding the upper limit defined by your constraint by more than 10%, and at most 20%. The probability that your program is executed depends somewhat on this constraint, even with ESPaDOnS; the table below offers some statistics. Be realistic! In particular, for Programs with the C grade, it would be much preferable not to specify a seeing better than 1.0". It is important that you request a realistic IQ also when your targets do not reach a low airmass. For instance, asking for better than 1" when the airmass is never smaller than 2.0 is not very likely to happen... By definition, snapshots programs MUST request IQ > 1.5".

Here is a table of all available buttons:

Button	Function
	Add N rows to the table.
	Duplicate the selected rows N times.
	Delete the selected rows. A confirmation window is displayed.
	Select all the rows in the table. Clicking again on it deselect all the rows.
	Check the entries for errors. The errors found are displayed in a separate window and are indicated by a red frame in the table. An automatic check is done also when the form is saved or when the "proceed" button is activated.
	Display the next rows of the table.
	Display the previous rows of the table.
	Cancel all the modifications done to the current page and reload data stored in the database.
	Save all the modifications done to the current page in the database and reload current page. Regular saving of the current form is recommended!
	Save the content of the current page in the QSO database and open the next form.

Back to Table of Content

OBSERVATION BLOCKS

This is it! This page allows the user to link all the previously defined entities within observation blocks (OB). The main page is divided into two main frames.

The top frame is used to select the different components of an OB: one Target (fixed or moving), one or more Instrument Configurations, and one Constraint.

• One or more targets must first be selected. The window lists all the targets previously defined. To select one, simply click on it with the mouse. The selection is then enlighten by a darker background.It is also possible to select several targets in the list by holding the "control" button. An OB will be created for each target selected when the "Create OB" button is pressed. The selection remains visible after the creation of the OB with the "Create OB" button.
• An OB can have one or several configurations. To achieve that, you must create a list with first selecting the configurations and second, by adding them to the list on the right. You can change the order of the configurations with the up and down arrows. The configurations will be executed in the order given in this list. The total integration time for the instrument configuration is indicated; the calculation is made using the algorithm defined earlier. NOTE: With ESPaDOnS, it is NOT possible to define an block using two different observing modes. This is to avoid problem with getting the right calibrations.
• The final entity to create an OB is the constraint. As with the target, the selection is done with the mouse and remains enlighten after the creation of the OB.
• It is possible to define the defaults of certain parameters defining the observing blocks. Photometric: Should your observations be done during photometric time only? See below for details. Tracking: Guiding is possible with sidereal tracking, but non-sidereal tracking is also offered.

The middle frame presents each OB. The number of rows displayed at once is only a few. The "Next Page", "Previous Page" buttons can be used to navigate between the different pages. The blue links OB# represent the first row of each individual pages and can also be used for moving quickly from a page to another.

• Each row is identified with an OB label (OB#) which is automatically updated if the rows are changed. By clicking on the label in the table, the selections are displayed again in the windows of the top frame. The Target label, Instrument Configuration label(s), and Constraint label follow the OB label. Individual configurations are separated by the "+" sign and the order of execution goes from left to right.
• The total integration time (I-time) requested for the execution of this observation block cannot exceed 2 hours. Short OBs are easier to schedule than long ones.
• Two choices are offered for the Tracking option: Sidereal with guiding, or non-sidereal with tracking only.
• The only type of observation allowed for PIs is "object".
• The definition of the Photometric flag for ESPaDOnS differs from the one for MegaCam. For certain ESPaDOnS programs, the science goals might require that the observations must be done under photometric sky only. This flag is disabled by default. Note that only about 50% of the time on Mauna Kea is photometric so use with discretion...
• Comments may be entered for each individual OB. The comment associated to the OB is included in the FITS headers of the images (keyword:CMMTOBS).

Here is a table with all the available buttons:

Button	Function
	Create an Observation Block, after selecting one target, one or several instrument configurations, and one constraint.
	Modify an observation block. After selecting one or several OBs in the table ("select" column in the table), the OBs will be modified according to the parameters defined by the top lists after clicking this button. Thus, it is possible to change the content of an OB without having to delete it and create it again. Important: You must make sure that the total I-time allocated for your program has not been exceeded after modifying the OG.
	Delete the selected rows. A confirmation window is displayed.
	Select all the rows in the table. Clicking again on it deselect all the rows.
	Check the entries for errors. The errors found are displayed in a separate window and are indicated by a red frame in the table. An automatic check is done also when the form is saved or when the "proceed" button is activated.
	Display the next rows of the table.
	Display the previous rows of the table.
	Cancel all the modifications done to the current page and reload data stored in the database.
	Save all the modifications done to the current page in the database and reload current page. Regular saving of the current form is recommended!
	Save the content of the current page in the QSO database and open the next form.

Back to Table of Content

OBSERVATION GROUPS

This page presents the last step in the preparation of your observations: the creation of the observation groups (OG). The OGs will be the entities scheduled at the telescope so this step is necessary, even if you have previously defined all the observation blocks. The top frame is used to select the components of each OG:

• Three types of Observing Groups (OG) are possible.
  1. 1OB (Single OB) means that the observation blocks previously prepared are transformed into individual OGs. If all the OBs should be transformed into OGs, this can be done automatically by selecting the "Quick Create OGs" button; it is the recommended approach for the QSO mode.
  2. Monitoring OG (MOB) means that one specific OB will be observed a certain number of times within a given period. The selection of the OB is done through the list on the right and the OG monitoring parameters are entered in the window on the right.
  3. OBs can be linked together to form a sequence (SOB). The list of OBs to link can be done with the entry field on the right. Only OBs requesting the same constraint can be linked together. We also want to discourage the use of SOBs as much as possible: shorter 1OB OGs are easier to schedule and execute!
• Except when one desires to transform all the OBs into OGs with the "Quick Create OGs" button, the creation of an OG of any type requires a list of OBs. The order of the OB within the list can be altered with the arrows. When clicking on an OB from the list, the window on the right displays a summary of its content. It is possible to do multiple selection of the OB in the left window before clicking on the "add" button. This can diminish greatly the number of clicks necessary to create a sequence of OBs for instance. If multiple OBs are found in the list (on the right) and the "single OB" option was selected, one OG per OB in the list will be created if you click on "Create OG(s)" in the table. If "monitoring OG" is selected and multiple OB are in the list, each OG created will have the same monitoring parameters.

The middle frame presents the OGs that were created.

• Each row is identified with an OG label (OG#). The label is automatically updated if the rows are changed. The type of Observing Group follows (1OB, MOB, SOB), along with the list of OBs used to create each OG. Clicking on an OB from this entry field display again the content of the block in the top frame.
• The total integration time in seconds is calculated for each OG. If this is a monitoring OG, I-time (OG) = N(iterations) x I-time (OB). The maximum I-time for a 1OB or SOB is 7200 seconds.
• The priority can be set to high, medium, or low. This is used by the QSO Team during the selection process leading to the execution of the observations. Selecting "lowest" does not mean that this OG will never be done; we aim for the completion of programs. It is only a way to ensure that if the completion level of your program is not 100%, that at least the most important targets have been observed.
• The comment box for each OG can be used to specify a different extinction tolerance ("Observe only if there are no clouds", "Can be observed with up to 0.5mag extinction"), the tolerance if the OG is timed-constrained ("Start within 30min of indicated time"), the relationship with another OG ("Observe OG12 only if OG11 is done"), etc. Anything useful to observe an OG should be indicated in that box.

If the user has answered "yes" to the question "Do you need to specify the hour angle for the execution of the OGs?" on the Program Constraints page, new columns will be visible. Users can then enter the earliest HA at the start of the OG and the latest HA at the start of the OG. Note that noth times are for the start of the OG. The HA constraint does not give the range of HA within which an OG can be observed, but the range of acceptable HA for the start of the OG only.

The bottom frame shows the Integration time allocated by the Time Allocation Committee for your program; this time cannot be exceeded! The total integration time requested for all the observing groups defined in this page automatically includes the readout time for the CCD for all of the individual exposure in the OG. The I-Time Left cannot be negative. If I-time left < 0, a warning window is displayed. The new OG is included in the table but cannot be saved. You must modify the OG table in order to get I-Time equal or larger than zero. If you click on "cancel" instead, the new OG is removed from the table.

Observation Groups Options

Three options are available to include additional details on how to execute specific OGs: Monitoring, REEL, Time Constraints. These options are first presented in the "Program Constraints" section and appear only in the OG form if requested.

1. OGs can have monitoring parameters. This option appears only if you have indicated that your program requires monitoring. You can enter a period in hours, days or weeks. To enter the parameters, first select the unit and then fill up its value. The number of iterations corresponds to the numbers of times that this OG should be done at the interval of the period. The minimum number of iterations corresponds to the acceptable minimum number of observations to reach the science goals. We will reach for the total number of iterations but only OGs that have met the minimum number of iterations will be considered valid.

   

2. Relational Execution Link (REEL) are used to specify that some of the OGs must take place in a specific sequence of events. For instance, if OG1 is observed, only then OG2 should be done within a certain timescale (which can include a delay of zero hours to get back-to-back execution of OGs). The REEL creates a causal link between OGs. This option is only available if you have selected the REEL option in the "Program Constraints" section. Essentially, a REEL means this: "After the execution of the reference OG, the linked OG should be done within a certain delay." You can then link several OGs, if needed. For instance, OG3 to OG2 to OG1, etc. The links created appear in the OG table. An example of a REEL sequence is showed below.

   

   The REEL option should be used ONLY when appropriate. If the observations cannot be done within the window defined by the (delay +/- delay) (due to bad weather or technical problems), the completion of the chain will not be done. Also, the logic involved in defining the REELs in PH2 is complicated. It is preferable to define first all the OGs, save them, and then create the links. This can be done using the "modif OGs" button: after defining all the OGs, you can create the REEL link by selecting the OG from its label, entering the REEL parameters, click in the "select" box on the row, click on the "modif OGs" button and save. Deleting OGs which have REELs will not be permitted.

3. For certain programs, some observations must be done during a specific time range. These entry fields, available in the OG table, allow the user to define such a constraint by specifying a period for which the observations should be undertaken. The user can enter a date and a time (HST) to specify such a window. These fields are optional and will appear only if required in the "Program Constraints" page. It must also be understood that these constraints are very severe: if for a reason or another (e.g. bad weather or conditions not meeting the sky constraints) the observations cannot be done during the period required, these observations will not be attempted again and will be taken out of the queue. Time constraints are not compatible with REELs, for example if an OG is to be done after another one is validated, that OG cannot have time constraints as well.

   

Here is a table of the available buttons:

Button	Function
	Create one observation group (it can be of types 1OB, MOB, or SOB).
	Transform all the observation blocks defined in the previous form into observation groups. The recommended approach!
	Modifying an existing observation group. After selecting one or several OGs in the table ("select" column), the OGs will be modified according to the parameters redefined by the top lists after clicking the "modif OG(s)" button. So, it is now possible to change an OG without having to delete it first from the table! Important: You must make sure that the total I-time allocated for your program has not been exceeded after modifying the OG(s).
	Select all the rows in the table. Clicking again on it deselect all the rows.
	Delete the selected rows. A confirmation window is displayed.
	Check the entries for errors. The errors found are displayed in a separate window and are indicated by a red frame in the table. An automatic check is done also when the form is saved or when the "proceed" button is activated.
	Display the next rows of the table.
	Display the previous rows of the table.
	Cancel all the modifications done to the current page and reload data stored in the database.
	Save all the modifications done to the current page in the database and reload current page. Regular saving of the current form is recommended!
	Save the content of the current page in the QSO database and open the next form.

Back to Table of Content

OG SCHEDULER

For certain ESPaDOnS programs, observations can be done at specific but multiple times during a semester. For instance, if the observations has to be done during a specific transit of a binary system, several dates and times might be possible. These dates and times can now be defined precisely with a new tool, the OG scheduler, developed specifically for this purpose. The tool produces a series of possible dates and times for which one or several OGs should be executed. The OG scheduler is optional and should be used only for those few programs which really require this tool.

A note on Time Constraints

Before explaining how to use the OG scheduler, it is important to provide a clear distinction between the different possibilities offered by PH2 on how to define time constraints with ESPaDOnS. There are 3 distinct possibilities, two of them already introduced in the previous section on the OG form.

1. Time Constraint Window: When requested in the program constraints page, it is possible to define time windows during which a OG should be done. This is the type of possible time constraint defined in the OG form. The OG will only be done within that time window.
2. Monitoring: A specific OG might be done several times during the course of a semester, for monitoring a specific target. The monitoring is defined by a number of iterations and a period. The monitoring OG can be done within a time window, if desired.
3. OG Scheduling: Several specific dates and times for a given OG can be needed, not just a window. OG scheduling refer to the possibility to define several dates and times for which an OG can be done. In other words, "an OG can be done at this date and time, or that one, or that one, etc...". Even a monitoring OG can be scheduled that way. In that case, it would mean "start this monitoring OG at one of these specific dates and times, then continue the monitoring of target according to the iterations and monitoring parameters (period)".

It is very easy to define a series of dates and times for which a OG could be done. NOTE: All dates and times specified within PH2 OG Scheduler are in HST. The top frame of the OG Scheduler looks like this:

• Top Frame:
• Select OGs: You can select one or several OGs for which the dates and times should be applied to.
• Enter Start Date:This is the first date and time possible for the OG(s) selected. The date and time are in HST.
• Define Period: This is used to created the series of dates and times for the entire semester.

After entering these parameters, by clicking the "create" button in the middle table will create the list of dates:

• Middle Frame:
• Label: Each scheduling list is labeled OS#.
• OG: OG for which the list of dates and times applies. Note that the same list can apply to several OGs and that one OG can have more than one list.
• Startgin Date and Time: First date and time acceptable, in HST.
• Period: Period, as defined in the top frame.
• Status: Pending/Active. Active is when the table has been saved.
• View: This opens a small window with the list of the first 25 dates generated by the entry fields parameters. An example is given below. The summary displays all the dates generated.

Back to Table of Content

SUMMARY

This page opens a complete summary of what is currently the Phase 2 status of the program. As showed below, the summary can be sent by e-mail to several destinations as a HTML attachment (to be compatible with people not using a browser for their mail system), by clicking on the "Send this page to" button. The summary can also be printed using the "Print" button of the browser used for PH2.

We strongly suggest that you keep the summary (printed or electronic) of the final version of the program submitted during the Phase 2. It will be useful to you for monitoring the progress of your program with the night reports and for any necessary communication between you and the QSO Team regarding the observations.

Back to Table of Content

LOGOUT

To exit PH2, you must confirm it by clicking on the "Logout" button in the window below. If you do not want to do so, select another page with the navigation buttons on the left frame.

Back to Table of Content