Observing Rules: 6: Generic Targets

6. Generic Targets

An investigator may propose observations of generic targets, describing them in as much detail as possible in a Spitzer observing proposal. The investigator must submit AORs with celestial positions accurate to within 2 degrees (radius), and with integration times specified to within a factor of 1.5. After the complementary observations are obtained and analyzed, the Principal Investigator must modify the generic target AOR and include the precise celestial coordinates and integration time before the observations can be scheduled. In Cycle-5 the AORs for all generic targets must be completely specified and ready to schedule by June 1, 2008. The observations must be completed within the observing time allocation awarded when the proposal was approved.

An example of a generic target involves Spitzer follow-up observations of targets culled from a ground-based supernova search program. In this case, the investigator would demonstrate that scheduled ground-based observing time is likely to yield enough supernovae to create a credible Spitzer proposal. However, the initial observations have not yet been made at the time of Spitzer proposal submission. Once the ground-based data have been taken, the proposing investigator must specify the celestial coordinates of the new supernovae, an integration time, and submit a completed AOR at least eight weeks prior to observing. [If a more rapid response is required, the observations must be treated as a Target of Opportunity; see Section 5.]

Any generic target observation that will require an update to the observing sequence less than 5 weeks prior to execution must be submitted as a medium or high impact ToO.

6.1 Necessary Conditions

• Rules pertaining to duplicate observations and priority of target selection (as specified in Section 2) apply. The basic principle is that the first observer who specifies the AOR with sufficient completeness to permit execution of the AOR has priority for the observation.

• The generic target observations are specified in celestial coordinates to < 2 deg (radius) in the initial AOR/proposal (see section 6.2 for an exception pertaining to moving targets). The reason for submitting approximate coordinates is to enable the SSC to properly assess the over-subscription of various areas of the celestial sphere in making the observing time allocations.

• The generic targets are selected from datasets to which the proposing investigator has clear access.

• Observations of generic targets that require timely execution of Spitzer Space Telescope observations and rapid turnaround of validated data to the investigator (in order to specify second-look observations) are accepted at the risk to the observer. In other words, the SSC cannot guarantee that the sequence of Spitzer observations and follow-up observations will be executed completely.

6.2 Moving Targets

Generic moving targets, like the analogous celestially fixed targets, must be selected from observations under the control of the investigator. The proposer must estimate the number of such targets to be observed with Spitzer, based on well-defined criteria. Examples of generic moving targets include near-Earth asteroids, main-belt asteroids, Centaurs and Kuiper Belt Objects. Because of the time urgency of observations, comets near perihelion should be treated as Targets of Opportunity (Section 5)

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