2.4 Designing the Observations with Spot

How do we design observations for Spitzer? In general, the observer interfaces with the Observatory and the instruments by means of Astronomical Observation Templates (AOTs). An AOT, one for each of the eight Spitzer observing modes, permits the user to unambiguously define the parameters of their observing program. Users fill out these AOTs to create ``Astronomical Observation Requests'' (or AORs), and submit the AORs with the completed observing proposal.

From an observer's viewpoint, the AOT ``Front End'' is the electronic form observers fill out to define an experiment to be executed by Spitzer. AORs are the result of filling out an AOT form. The AORs themselves are the fundamental scheduling unit for the Spitzer Space Telescope. An AOR can be thought of as a list of parameters that (when properly interpreted) describe an observation completely.

As noted in §2.3, filling out AOTs to design an AOR is done within Spot. This process consists of entering targets which are individually linked to a desired Spitzer observing mode, or AOT.

To design an observing program for Spitzer with Spot, we will need to:

1. Start the observation planning software, Spot.

2. Enter target information (and, if desired, obtain an IR background estimate at the target location).

3. Fill out an AOT, to create the AORs.

4. Obtain resource estimates.

5. Save AORs, and, when done, submit a full observing proposal (which includes the AORs, together with a coversheet, scientific and technical justifications) to the SSC!

The basic steps in completing an AOR are outlined in the rest of this chapter.