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Revision History
Contents
Index
Spitzer Space Telescope
Observation Planning Cookbook
Version 6.0
Release date: Nov 1, 2006
Issued by the Spitzer Science Center
California Institute of Technology
Mail Code 314-6
1200 E. California Blvd.
Pasadena, California 91125 USA
http://ssc.spitzer.caltech.edu
help@spitzer.caltech.edu
Revision History
Contents
1
. Introduction
2
. Getting Started
2
.
1
Proposing Observations for the Spitzer Space Telescope
2
.
2
Preliminaries
2
.
2
.
1
Are the targets available for observations with Spitzer?
2
.
2
.
2
What is the IR background?
2
.
2
.
3
What is the instrument sensitivity?
2
.
2
.
4
What is the required exposure time?
2
.
3
Obtaining Spot
2
.
4
Designing the Observations with Spot
2
.
4
.
1
Start Spot
2
.
4
.
2
Enter Target Information
2
.
4
.
3
Fill Out an Astronomical Observation Template
2
.
4
.
4
Obtain Resource Estimates
2
.
4
.
5
Save AORs
3
. Common Observation Planning Errors
3
.
1
Duplications
3
.
2
Visualization
3
.
3
Orientation
3
.
4
IRAC
3
.
4
.
1
Use Dithers
3
.
4
.
2
Dither Size
3
.
5
IRS
3
.
5
.
1
Saturation of PU arrays with SL
3
.
5
.
2
SL both/LL both
3
.
5
.
3
Diffraction Pattern of Telescope near Bright Sources
3
.
5
.
4
Peaking up on Extended Sources
3
.
6
MIPS
3
.
6
.
1
Scan Map Coverage
3
.
6
.
2
Scan Map Offsets
4
. Deep Imaging of Five Clusters of Galaxies at 3.6 - 8.0 micron using IRAC
4
.
1
Overview of the Program
4
.
2
Target Selection: Massive, Intermediate Redshift, Galaxy Clusters
4
.
3
Target Entry
4
.
4
Background Estimate
4
.
5
Sensitivity and Exposure Time
4
.
6
Filling out the IRAC AOT
4
.
6
.
1
Readout Modes and Frame Times
4
.
6
.
2
Field of View
4
.
6
.
3
Mapping
4
.
6
.
4
Dithering
4
.
7
Duration
4
.
8
Visualization
4
.
9
Duplicating the A2218 AOR to Design the Complete Program
5
. Deep Imaging of Five Galaxy Clusters at 24 - 160 microns using MIPS
5
.
1
Overview of the Program
5
.
2
Background Estimate
5
.
3
Exposure Time
5
.
4
Filling out the MIPS Photometry/Super Resolution Imaging AOT
5
.
4
.
1
Field Size and Resolution
5
.
4
.
2
Frame Times
5
.
5
Duration
5
.
6
Constraining the Observations
6
. High Resolution Staring Mode Observations at 10-37 microns with the IRS
6
.
1
Introduction to the IRS
6
.
2
Summary of the Observing Program
6
.
3
Target Selection and Duplication Check
6
.
4
Target Entry
6
.
5
Checking Slit Orientation
6
.
6
Saturation
6
.
7
Sensitivity and Exposure Time Estimate
6
.
8
Long-High Sky Background Observations
6
.
9
Filling Out the IRS Staring Mode AOT
6
.
9
.
1
Naming the AOR
6
.
9
.
2
Choosing the Best Peak-up Option
6
.
9
.
2
.
1
Option 1: IRS Peak-up
6
.
9
.
2
.
2
Option 2: PCRS Peak-up
6
.
9
.
2
.
3
Option 3: No Peak-up
6
.
9
.
3
IRS Peak-up Array Saturation and Droop Correction
6
.
9
.
4
Ramps and Cycles
6
.
9
.
5
LH Background
6
.
9
.
5
.
1
Using Spot to Automatically Add a Background Observation
6
.
9
.
5
.
2
Adding LH Background as a separate AOR
6
.
9
.
5
.
3
Adding LH background as a fixed cluster offset
6
.
10
Completing the Program: Duration Calculation and Proposal Submission
6
.
11
Reference Material
7
. Low Resolution Spectral Mapping at 5-14 microns with the IRS
7
.
1
Summary of the Observing Program
7
.
2
Target Selection and Duplication Check
7
.
3
Target Entry
7
.
4
Slit Orientation and Timing Constraints
7
.
5
Saturation
7
.
6
Sensitivity and Exposure Time Estimate
7
.
7
Filling Out the IRS Spectral Mapping
Mode AOT
7
.
7
.
1
Droop Correction Considerations
7
.
7
.
2
Peak-up Settings
7
.
7
.
3
Instrument Settings
7
.
7
.
3
.
1
Slit Selection
7
.
7
.
3
.
2
Laying Out the Spectral Map: Pointings and Step Sizes
7
.
7
.
3
.
3
Ramp Cycles vs. Map Cycles
7
.
8
Completing the Program
7
.
8
.
1
Timing Constraints
7
.
8
.
2
Duration Calculation
7
.
8
.
3
Proposal Submission
7
.
9
Reference Material
8
. 16 Micron Imaging of Five Clusters of Galaxies using IRS
8
.
1
Overview of the Program
8
.
2
Target Selection
8
.
3
Background Estimates
8
.
4
Exposure Time and Survey Design
8
.
5
Filling in the AOT using Spot
8
.
5
.
1
Mapping Abell 2218
8
.
5
.
2
Fixed Cluster Targets
8
.
5
.
3
Single Target
9
. Large-Area Mapping in the Trapezium at 24 - 160 microns using MIPS
9
.
1
Overview of the Program
9
.
2
Target Selection: Orion Nebula Cluster
9
.
3
Target Entry
9
.
4
Image Retrieval
9
.
4
.
1
ISSA
9
.
4
.
2
2MASS
9
.
5
MIPS Scan Map
9
.
5
.
1
Background Estimates
9
.
5
.
1
.
1
IRAS Data
9
.
5
.
1
.
2
Spot's Estimates
9
.
5
.
1
.
3
IRSKY's Estimates
9
.
5
.
1
.
4
IRAS vs. Spot vs. IRSKY: Which one should you use?
9
.
5
.
2
Bright Objects and Instrumental Backgrounds
9
.
5
.
3
Exposure Time
9
.
5
.
3
.
1
Saturation
9
.
5
.
3
.
2
Map Modes
9
.
5
.
3
.
3
Final Decision on Exposure Time
9
.
5
.
4
Filling in the AOT
9
.
5
.
4
.
1
Basic Identification
9
.
5
.
4
.
2
Instrument Settings
9
.
5
.
4
.
3
Map Grid Specifications
9
.
5
.
5
Time Estimates
9
.
5
.
6
Visualization
9
.
6
Another MIPS Scan Map Option: Tiling a Larger Region
9
.
6
.
1
Constraints
10
. Large-Area Mapping in the Trapezium at 3.6 - 8.0 microns with IRAC
10
.
1
Overview of the Program
10
.
2
Exposure Time
10
.
2
.
1
Saturation Limits
10
.
2
.
2
Background Estimates
10
.
2
.
3
Source Count Estimates
10
.
2
.
4
Sensitivity Estimates
10
.
2
.
5
Final Decision on Exposure Time
10
.
3
Filling in the AOT
10
.
3
.
1
Basic Identification
10
.
3
.
2
Instrument Settings
10
.
4
Time Estimates
10
.
5
Visualization
11
. Photometry of Moving Object Centaur 5145 Pholus using MIPS
11
.
1
Overview of the Observations
11
.
2
Target Selection and Suitability: Pholus
11
.
3
Target Entry
11
.
4
Visualizing Your Target
11
.
5
MIPS Photometry
11
.
5
.
1
Exposure Time & Saturation
11
.
5
.
2
Background
11
.
5
.
3
Filling in the MIPS Photometry/Super Resolution Imaging AOT
11
.
5
.
3
.
1
Basic Identification
11
.
5
.
3
.
2
Instrument Settings
11
.
5
.
3
.
3
Constraints
11
.
5
.
3
.
4
Shadow Observations
11
.
5
.
4
Visualization
12
. MIPS Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) Observations of Canopus
12
.
1
Introduction
12
.
2
Overview of the Program
12
.
3
Target Selection and Duplication Check
12
.
4
Saturation, Sensitivity and Integration Time Estimate
12
.
4
.
1
Saturations
12
.
4
.
2
Sensitivities
12
.
4
.
3
Integration Time Estimate
12
.
5
Filling in the MIPS SED AOT
12
.
5
.
1
Enter the Target
12
.
5
.
2
Specify the Observing Parameters
12
.
5
.
3
Calculate the Time
12
.
6
Visualization of the Observation
12
.
7
Additional Notes for Consideration
12
.
7
.
1
Constraining the Slit Orientation
12
.
7
.
2
Mapping Observations
12
.
7
.
3
Spectroscopic Photometry of Extended Sources
13
. Time Series Observations
13
.
1
Overview of the Observations
13
.
2
Target Selection and Suitability
13
.
3
Target Entry
13
.
4
The IRAC AOR: Exposure Time & Observing Strategy
13
.
5
Constraints
13
.
5
.
1
Timing Constraints
13
.
5
.
2
Chaining AORs
13
.
5
.
3
Other kinds of constraints
14
. Target of Opportunity (ToO) Observations
14
.
1
Overview of the Observations
14
.
2
Target Selection and Suitability
14
.
3
Impact definitions
14
.
4
Single Instrument, Medium Impact
14
.
5
Multiple Instrument, High Impact
14
.
6
Single Instrument, Multiple epoch
14
.
6
.
1
Setting Constraints
14
.
6
.
2
Special Overhead
14
.
7
Hints and Tips
14
.
8
Obtaining the AOR file
15
. How to Submit A Spitzer Proposal
15
.
0
.
1
Planning Stages
15
.
0
.
2
Planning stage Hints and Tips
15
.
0
.
3
Proposal Submission
15
.
0
.
4
Proposal Submission Hints and Tips
15
.
0
.
5
Updating your Submitted Proposal
15
.
0
.
6
Proposal Updating Hints and Tips
15
.
0
.
7
Checklist Including Common Errors
16
. Planning Observations Frequently Asked Questions
A. Conversion of Units
A.
1
Conversion Between Flux Densities
A.
2
Converting Between Flux Density and Magnitudes
A.
3
Conversion Among Surface Brightness Units
B. Deep Imaging AORs
C. IRS Staring AORs
D. IRS Mapping AORs
E. PUI AORs
F. Survey AORs
G. IRSKY output for MIPS background near the Trapezium
H. SSO AORs
I. SED AORs
J. Time Series AORs
K. Target of Opportunity (ToO) AORs
Index
About this document ...
Gillian Wilson 2006-11-09
