Call for proposals to use LCOGT 1m & 2m telescope Network.
Proposal deadline
Proposals should be submitted by 17 August 2015, 23:59 UTC.
Semester dates
The 2015B semester runs from 1 October 2015 to 31 March 2016 UTC.
Network Capabilities
The facilities available through this call include the nine 1m telescopes and two 2m (Faulkes) telescopes in the LCOGT network. Approximately 4000 hours of 1m time and 400 hours of 2m time will be allocated by LCOGT in 2015B. Currently, two of the 1m telescopes (at CTIO) are equipped with Sinistro imagers, while the other 1m telescopes are equipped with SBIG imagers. We will be replacing the SBIGs with Sinistros during the 2015B semester, but the schedule for replacement is fluid. The 2m telescopes are equipped with Spectral imagers and FLOYDS low-dispersion spectrographs.
Note that instruments other than the standard imagers and FLOYDS spectrographs will only be supported on a best-effort basis.
Eligibility
Eligibility to apply to this call is limited to members of institutions with which LCOGT has formal agreements, but without guaranteed time, and to individuals from other institutions who are included by special permission of the LCOGT Director. The list of eligible institutions includes LCOGT itself, the University of California at Santa Barbara, the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at Caltech, the University of Colorado, and the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias.
Proposal Format
There is a web-page-based proposal form.
To submit the proposal, you will need to register at the proposal portal, and then follow the Create or Edit Proposals link.
Information/Tools for Writing Proposals
See the Guidelines for Writing Proposals page.
Information about the capabilities of the instruments can be found on our instrumentation page.
Exposure Times
In order to calculate exposure times with our imagers, use the exposure time calculator. For FLOYDS, see the table on the FLOYDS description page.
Visibility Tool
We have also provided a visibility tool to show how observable a given RA and Dec are on the LCOGT network in two different ways: seasonal visibility and daily visibility.
Observation Overheads
Time charged includes all the overhead associated with slewing the telescope, acquiring the target, preparing the instrument, and reading out the detector, in addition to the actual exposure time. Proposers should estimate the total amount of time needed for their program (queue-scheduled and target-of-opportunity separately). To assist in this, use the overhead information in the table on the Guidelines for Writing Proposals page. For each new object use the Slew & Settle time and the Acquisition & Setup time appropriate for the telescope and instrument you are using. Add the readout time for each separate exposure.
Proposal Evaluation and Priority
All proposals received will be reviewed by an LCOGT Telescope Allocation Committee (TAC). The purpose of this note is to notify those who are eligible to respond (see below). Proposals will be evaluated based on scientific merit, experimental design, and credibility of the proposing team. We welcome proposals that have a significant educational component. While we intend to make long-term status (continuation beyond the end of the semester) an option in the future, for this semester, we are limiting proposals to this semester only.
Our goal in the 2015B semester is to execute all observation requests. TAC priority will be used to guide choices, all other things being equal. Targets-of-opportunity (see below) will have a higher priority than other observations, so we ask proposers to justify their need for that mode.
Types of observation
We are supporting two types of observations: queue-scheduled and target of opportunity (ToO). Queue-scheduled observations are sequences of one or more "blocks", defined by a single window (for one) or a cadence (for more than one). A block is a set of integrations, intended to be executed contiguously. A block may be several identical exposures or it may involve filter changes, exposure time changes, or slight changes in position (dithers). A ToO observation is one intended to take place as quickly as possible (within 15 minutes of its availability). Execution of a ToO generally requires the termination of an ongoing queue-scheduled block.
We ask proposers to justify the need for ToO observations and to separate their time request into hours needed for each type. These will be charged separately.
Note that LCOGT's definition of a Target of Opportunity is different from the definition used at other observatories.
For any proposal that has special scheduling constraints (e.g., simultaneous observations by two telescopes, multi-night or multi-site timeseries), proposers are strongly advised to contact LCOGT personnel for advice on feasibility before submission.
Requesting Observations
Both queue-scheduled and target-of-opportunity observations may be requested either through the web interface or through an API. The web interface allows you to manually describe the observation parameters and constraints, including target position, maximum acceptable airmass, and exposure time. It also allows you to define a sequence of exposures with a specific cadence and jitter. The web page provides feedback about whether the request is schedulable. The API allows the user to input all the information allowed by the form plus some additional parameters. It can also be triggered by an external event.
Data Access
Pipeline reduced data may be searched and downloaded through the LCOGT data archive at IPAC. Data are typically available in the archive by six hours following the end of the night at each telescope. In cases where quicker access to the data is scientifically justified, arrangements can be made to download "quick-reduced" data directly from LCOGT.
Science data has a default proprietary period of 12 months from the time of a given observation. Data that has reached the end of its proprietary period is accessible from the LCOGT data archive at IPAC.
Time charging policy
Time is charged for all exposures attempted, regardless of the quality or delivery of the data. Time charged includes the time to slew to your target, the time to get the instrument ready to begin your exposure, the open-shutter time, and the time to readout the detector.
ToO observations will be charged once triggered, regardless of the quality or delivery of the data.
The web-based observation request page will provide feedback on the number of hours of the approved allocation that have been used.
