PH2 tutorial for MegaPrime

SUMMARY OF BASICS

• There can only be one session per user at a time.
• There is a time out of 15 minutes; if you ever get locked out of PH2 because of a technical issue, you will be allowed to login again after 15 minutes. 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.
• Non-sidereal tracking is offered, but this is only good for less than about 2-3 minutes. Non-sidereal guiding is also offered.
• For imagers, if possible, refrain from using User Dithering patterns and use the DP provided.
• ICs and OBs (Instrument Configurations and Observing Blocks) 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.

WHAT'S NEW

We have reduced the MegaCam readtime by almost 10seconds, bringing the true overheads from about 50seconds to the 40seconds charged in PH2. We investigated the impact of the fast read-mode on the data quality and found: (1) studies of compact sources will not be impacted by the new mode, (2) observations in low-sky noise regime such as narrow band filters, may show a few brighter (by 1-4ADUs) columns among the first 200 columns, those features can be easily removed from the post-processed data. (3) observations with broad filters resulting in images dominated by sky-noise are indistinguishable between the two read-modes.

We now make Quicklook data available to PIs 10minutes after at least one exposure of their program are take. Note that These quick-look data are reduced in real time using biases and flats obtained in the previous run. Fully reprocessed data are typically made available 2-3 weeks after the end of the run.

We recommend the use of Firefox or Safari, both of which can be set to allow Java to run (for using Aladin). Chrome (version 42 and above) has disabled the standard way in which browsers support plugins; PH2 will work, but not Aladin. PH2 does not work with either Microsoft Edge or IE under Windows 10.
To enable Java on Firefox or Safari, please see How do I enable Java in my web browser?.

Starting with 2015A, new broad band and narrow band filters are available. These filters are large enough to cover all CCDs, therefore MegaCam images now contain extensions for all 40 CCDs. Note that the new broad band filters are now called u,g,r,i,z,. Technical information on these new filters is available here. The new, full mosaic narrow band filters are called CaHK, Ha, HaOFF, OIII, OIIIOFF. Due to the lack of slots in MegaCam jukebox, the use of the new filters is the default. The old MegaCam filters have been decommissioned.

Three options are available if time constrained observations need to be entered: (1) constraint for the start date and time of an OG, with a tolerance, (2) list of possible dates and times, with a tolerance, (3) schedule calculated from a start date and a period. See the Prg Constraint page.

There is also a new way to enter pointing offsets that ensures that the target coodinates are not changed. See the Fixed Targets section for additional details.

A new dithering pattern called LDP-CCD-7 has been added to the default list in PH2. The pattern is intended to move the target of interest across the MegaCam mosaic using ultra large offsets such that the underlying background can be recovered and subtracted from the series of exposures, much like a NIR imaging technique. This pattern comes from development of the Elixir-LSB MegaCam pipeline at CFHT in order to sample and correct the underlying scattered light term in the background sky that precludes photometry on extended objects (larger than 5'). With this approach (and exposure times longer than 5mn in order to have enough sky flux), the astronomical signal can be recovered down to the 28th mag.arcsec^-2 level on the condition that 1) the object of interest is smaller than the dithering pattern size (~15'), 2) the object of interest is not in a crowded area (bright stars, galactic cirrus, ISM, etc.). You must inform the QSO team if you use this pattern such that the Elixir team is kept in the loop to review, and process the data accordingly.

The primary mirror will be re-aluminzed in August 2017. Sensitivity in all filters, especially the u filter, will be higher that in the past semesters.

PIs can provide information on the maximum extinction (in magnitudes) their observations can tolerate. 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 MegaCam, 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 charged to the PI); the exposure will be tried again at a later time.

A new table provides details about IQ as a function of filter, and QSO grades as a function of IQ measured. The section Constraints explains the details summarized in the table.

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 IQ limits, Monitoring, Time Constraints, REEL, Moving Targets, CCD Failure, Comments, Data Distribution
• Fixed Targets Name and Coordinates, Pointing Offsets, Aladin, Astrores format to upload lists of targets
• Ephemeris
• User Dithering Patterns
• Instrument Configuration
• Constraints
• Observation Blocks
• Observation Groups
• OG Scheduler
• Upload Schedule
• Summary
• Logout

ACCESSING PH2

The User ID and Password are provided 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.

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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 user dithering patterns. Only use if absolutely necessary, otherwise use provided DPs. Not mandatory and only accessible from the navigation menu
	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.
	Page allowing to upload a list of date constraints to schedule OGs. This page only appears if the corresponding option has been activated in the Prg Constraints menu
	Page allowing to specify a start date and period to schedule OGs. This page only appears if the corresponding option has been activated in the Prg Constraints menu
	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.

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PROGRAM SELECTION

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 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.

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PROGRAM DETAILS

• Program Title: This is the program title as entered 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 Phase 1 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), Opticon (O), NRC (C), UH (H), NTU (T), Large Programs (P), Brazil (B), China (S), Korea (K), 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 based on the ranking provided 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, based on the ranking provided 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.

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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:

• IQ Limit: The image quality (IQ) constraint is one of the most important parameters for QSO. In the constraints form later on, you will be ask to define a range (in r band) of IQ for your observations. During the validation process, the QSO Team uses the upper limit defined by this range to judge if the images meets the requirements or not. A margin of about 15% higher than this upper limit is still considered acceptable for allocating a "grade 1" for the quality of the data. Example 1: A range of 0.55-0.65" in r band is selected; images in r band with IQ ~ 0.72" will be considered as valid. Example 2: A range of 0.65 - 0. 80" is specified in r band, but the u filter is used instead (which has usually an offset of about + 0.2" with respect to r band). So, images with IQ ~ 0.8 x (0.8 x.15) + 0.2 = 1.1" will be acceptable. If this is not acceptable, the user should specify this here and describe in the comments box what the upper limit for the observations should be.
• 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.
• 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.
• Specific OG scheduling, single date constraints: If some of your observations have to be performed within certain dates (e.g. at the peak brigthness of a long-period variable star, or during coordinated space-based observations), 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!
• Specific OG scheduling, upload a list of date constraints: If your observations have to be carried at a specific date (e.g. an exoplanetary transit), from a custom list of possible dates, you will be allowed to upload the list of suitable dates using the Upload Sched button.
• Specific OG scheduling, based on a start date and a period: If the phenomenon you are interested in is periodic (e.g. a specific phase of a binary system), you may indicate the start date and the period of the event, and PH2 will calculate the list of possible dates and times.

• CCD Failure: MegaCam has 40 detectors and the possibility that one of them fails during an observing run and cannot be fixed until the camera is removed from the telescope is not negligible. In such a case, it would be very useful for the QSO Team to know what option would be preferable for your program without compromising the science. The figure below illustrates the location of the 14 "central" CCDs (within the black frame) versus the "peripheral" CCDs.

  NEW ! Note that CCDs 36 to 39 (in the "ears") are now available (with the new filters).

  

• 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 fields to take under photometric conditions, how much IQ can be pushed, 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"; "Dark time requested but 20% Moon at more than 45 degrees is acceptable"; "Observe high priority groups first", etc. The more we know, the better!

• Data Distribution: CFHT offers network distribution of the processed data. Data are detrended and distributed at the end of each run. Raw data and quickly detrended data (generated by using master calibrations from a previous run) are available afer each night by selecting "Quick Access". Requests for Quick Access must be justified.

• 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 providing the information under "Alternate Contact". All contact information must be up to date.

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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, and a pointing offset. 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 "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.
• NEW! MagAB: The QSO Team is requesting the AB magnitude entered when using the ETC. This will eventually be used to integrate the ETC within PH2.
• Pointing Offsets pull-down menu: These offsets are applied from the target coordinates. The seven positions are predefined offsets, illustrated below. These offsets are used to put the target at a specific location on the six central CCDs of the mosaic. By selecting the "New" button, you can edit the offset fields and define new positions. When the page is saved, these offsets are refereed under the name U_nnn (U for "user") and this option becomes available for all the targets in the table. After the save, it is not possible to redefine the values for a given customized offset. Just create a new one. When the target coordinates are entered with Aladin, the pointing offsets are set to zero.
  Another option offered here is the "random" pointing offsets. For instance, if your program includes monitoring on a specific target and you do not want to repeat the dithering pattern on the same location on the mosaic over and over again, you can select this feature. Each time the observations are put in the queue, the pointing coordinates will be automatically changed. Three options are available depending on the amplitude of the randomized offsets required. "RANDS" (random small) will change the coordinates within a disk of a diameter of 4"; "RANDM" (random medium) within a disk of 30", and "RANDL" (random large) within a disk of 1'.

  

• NEW! Point button: There is also an Aladin "Grab the pointing" functionality, used with the button "Point". This functionality is useful when one does not want to change the coordinates of the target, but change the pointing coordinates according to the placement of the instrument's FOV in the Aladin window. In the Aladin window generated after using the Aladin "HR" button (to the left), one can use the "Select" button in Aladin, click and hold the round blue circle to move the outline of the mosaic with respect to the field of interest. Once the outline of the mosaic has been re-positioned, the "Point" button will figure out the appropriate offsets, and enter those values in the pointing offset boxes.
  The telescope uses pointing coordinates: Pointing Coordinates = Target Coordinates + Pointing Offsets. Placing the object on the right location on the CCD mosaic can be done in one of 3 ways:
  • by using the true coordinates of the target and setting up the pointing offsets to the appropriate values, using the pre-defined offset values available,
  • or, by modifying the target coordinates, so that they become the pointing coordinates, and setting the pointing offsets to zero (this has the disadvantage that the target coordinates are not really the true coordinates anymore),
  • or, by keeping the true target coordinates, and grabbing the pointing offsets after moving the outline of the mosaic to the desired location.
• 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 "LR" and "HR" buttons are used to display a field with either a "Low Resolution" (field of view of 1.5 x 1.5 degrees; 1 pixel = 6.8"), or a "High Resolution" (15 x 15 arcmin image; 1 pixel = 1.7"). The HR image can be used for accurate positioning, but due to the display limitations and the astrometry of the plates, the pointing accuracy of Aladin will never be better than 3-4". Aladin works only with coordinates for J2000.0. The coordinates sent back are automatically in J2000.0. Please also note that the slight rotation of the superimposed MegaPrime grid does not mean that we can rotate the mosaic!

  As an example, the low resolution field surrounding M33 in the Aladin window will look like this:

  

  An image of the target is displayed, stars in the fields are identified from the GSC with red circles, and a grid showing the MegaPrime mosaic (including the gaps) is superimposed (see below for correct identification and orientation of the CCDs). The blue circle has a diameter of 1 degree. The coordinates indicated at the top left refer to the position of the center of the mosaic, indicated by the red cross, at the top corner of the chip22. By clicking and holding the left button of the mouse, the mosaic can be moved across the field to position exactly the object where it should be. To be very precise, the zooming option can be used. When the object is correctly positioned, the pointing coordinates (that is, the center of the mosaic showed as the red cross) 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 and the pointing offsets set to zero; the target coordinates have now been transformed into pointing coordinates. That's it!

  As shown in Aladin, the MegaCam mosaic has three different series of gaps between the detectors:

  • Vertical gaps: about 14 arcseconds between each CCD. A dithering pattern with several exposures separated by offsets ~20" will get rid of these gaps (see instrument configurations).
  • Horizontal gap: about 12 arcseconds between both rows of detector in the middle of the mosaic. A dithering pattern with several exposures separated by offsets ~20" will get rid of these gaps (see instrument configurations).
  • Connector gap: The top and bottom rows of detectors are separated from the detectors in the middle of the mosaic by an important gap of about 85 arcseconds. This gap can be covered with dithering patterns using large offsets (see instrument configurations). However, this introduces complexity in the guide star selection process so these patterns should be used only if necessary.

  During commissioning, if was found that the effects of bright stars on the mosaic were not siginificant: no "rays" or bad blooming effects were seen. However, very bright stars will saturate the chips so if it is an issue, you can use the GSC stars displayed in Aladin (magnitude is given by clicking on the red circles) and the moving grid to carefully define the target pointing.

• 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.

• 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.

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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 top of the form, illustrated below, 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. "Pointing Offset" refer to options for pointing offsets explained in the above "fixed targets" section. 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").

The table below shows the entry fields for the ephemeris of the target specified:

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". 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>

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USER DITHERING PATTERNS

This form allows the user to define his/her own dithering patterns. It is NOT a mandatory form and is only accessible from the navigation menu (i.e. "Proceed" from the "Fixed Targets" form will go to the "Instrument Configurations" form, not this one. Defining his own dithering patterns can be useful for some programs.

Our experience, however, shows that data reduction can become much more difficult or can even be severely compromised with nonstandard patterns. Use only this form if only necessary for your program and if you have previous, extensive experience with data reduction of wide-field camera observations. For any doubt, do not hesitate to contact the QSO/Elixir Teams.

The idea behind this form is simple: the user can define a list of absolute offsets and saved this list as a dithering pattern under a customized name. This name can then be found under the pull-down menu for the available dithering patterns in the next PH2 form ("Instrument Configurations").

The top frame allows the user to visualize the offsets of a dithering pattern, create a new pattern, or delete a user pattern.

• Left Window: the pull-down menu has the name of the existing dithering patterns, including the predefined "standard" patterns (see next form). The selection automatically displays the offsets in the table in the middle frame. The box belows has a short description of the pattern
• Middle Window: Name and description of the dithering pattern to be defined by the user. Clicking on "Create" open the table in the middle frame.
• Left Window: to delete the current dithering pattern displayed in the table. A confirmation window will appear.

The middle frame displays the table used to define the dithering pattern:

• The label identifies a row in the table which corresponds to an ABSOLUTE offset.
• The values of the RA/DEC offsets for each pointing within the dithering pattern are ABSOLUTE, that is, DEFINED WITH RESPECT TO THE POSITION (0,0), NOT THE PREVIOUS POSITION. Positive offsets correspond to East and North. In the example above, the dithering pattern "UDP3", has four pointings: a reference (O1) corresponding the pointing coordinates of the target since offsets are at 00:00; and three additional pointings: offsets of 5" West and 10" North with respect to the position O1, offsets of 10" East and 5"North with respect to the position O1, and offsets of 15" West and 10" South from position O1.

Here is table with the list of 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.

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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 by offering the following elements:

• 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!
• Exposure Time Calculator: There is an exposure time calculator available for MegaCam. The Digital Imaging Exposure Time (DIET) 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, seeing, sky brightness) in order to achieve your science goals. We expect a 15-20% decline in sensitivity in the new u filter from the ETC value because of a drop in 10% per year after re-coating the mirror in early 2015. The next recoating planned for 2017 will resolve this issue. Until then we advise PIs: to estimate the required time, please use the ETC then multiply the results by 1.17; if instead you want to calculate the signal to noise you hope to reach, please use the ETC and multiply the results by 0.92. The technical feasibility section of the proposal should mention that this decrease in u-band sensitivity was accounted for.

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. Filter r, short) will make the subsequent steps easier. The name must be shorter than 20 characters. The drop-down menus show the list of filters currently available for MegaPrime. The current options are: u,g,r,i,z, CaHK, Ha, HaOFF, OIII, and OIIIOFF. Information on these filters can be found on the MegaPrime Web page. Note that no photometric calibrations will be included in our calibration plan for these "non-standard" filters and must be included in your program, if you require photometry. However, calibration will soon be provided for the new narrow band filters CaHK, Ha, HaOFF, OIII and OIIIOFF. The name of the Pattern can be: Single (one exposure), DP# (small dithering pattern), or LDP# (large dithering pattern); see below for the difference between those patterns. The number after "DP" corresponds to the number of exposures taken. Multiple exposures with no dithering are possible by selecting the appropriate pattern and requesting a scale of 0. Possible values of Scale are: N/A, 0, 1 and 1.5. Default is 1; value of 1.5 is not available for LDPs. The N/A is only valid for the single exposure.

It is important to know that the MegaCam mosaic has three different series of gaps between the detectors:

• Vertical gaps: The vertical gaps between each CCD is about 14 arcseconds. A dithering pattern with several exposures separated by offsets ~15" will get rid of these gaps.
• Horizontal gap: The horizontal gap between both rows of detector in the middle of the mosaic is about 11 arcseconds. A dithering pattern with several exposures separated by offsets ~10" will get rid of these gaps.
• Connector gap: The top and bottom rows of detectors are separated from the detectors in the middle of the mosaic by an important gap of about 85 arcseconds. This gap can be covered with dithering patterns using large offsets of about 2'. However, this introduces complexity in the guide star selection process so these patterns should be used only if necessary.

Dithering patterns offered for MegaPrime at this time are detailed in the following tables. The "DP" patterns can be used with two scale factor. Scale 1 covers the bad pixels but none of the mosaic gaps. Scale 1.5 will cover the vertical and horizontal gaps (but not the connector gap). The large dithering pattern (LDP) is special: some offsets are large (2') and the general geometry is elliptical. IMPORTANT: As the field distortion is not negligible, big dithering patterns like the LDP will not allow a simple shift and add, especially on the edge of the field. The tables below give all the offsets defining the dithering patterns.

A new dithering pattern called LDP-CCD-7 has been added to the default list in PH2. The pattern is intended to move the target of interest across the MegaCam mosaic using ultra large offsets such that the underlying background can be recovered and subtracted from the series of exposures, much like a NIR imaging technique. This pattern comes from development of the Elixir-LSB MegaCam pipeline at CFHT in order to sample and correct the underlying scattered light term in the background sky that precludes photometry on extended objects (larger than 5'). With this approach (and exposure times longer than 5mn in order to have enough sky flux), the astronomical signal can be recovered down to the 28th mag.arcsec^-2 level on the condition that 1) the object of interest is smaller than the dithering pattern size (~15'), 2) the object of interest is not in a crowded area (bright stars, galactic cirrus, ISM, etc.). You must inform the QSO team if you use this pattern such that the Elixir team is kept in the loop to review, and process the data accordingly.

• The exposure times entered are for the individual exposures taken within the dithering pattern. The lower limit is 1 second. The upper limit, 2 hours (7200 seconds), is the maximum length allowed for an observation block (or group)

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.

QSO-SNR This mode is required for all non-sidereal observations, unless PI specifically requested and received approval not to use this mode. Please remember that the SNR you will put in Ph2 will be calculated from optimal aperture photometry and as such is ideal for observations of point sources. If your proposal mentioned SNR values calculated for a different type of source such as a galaxy, or fixed aperture please be sure that what you enter in PH2 reflect the SNR obtained from optimal aperture photometry on a point source. Please also consult the following webpage for additional information about QSO-SNR. Here are the steps to adjsut your PH2: (1) In Program constraints select QSO-SNR "Yes", (2) In the Instr Config Tab please provide the following inputs: (1) the SNR you wish to achieve, (2) the AB magnitude of the point source for which you wish to achive the respective SNR, (3) the minimum exposure time (irrespective of the SNR achieved), (4) if you are employing a dithering pattern, what is the the minimum number of steps (irrespective of the SNR achieved) that we should observe. If the IQ,SB,CC are not suitable for your program we will not observe it. We will observe up to 120% of your requested time to achieve the requested SNR.

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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 MegaCam. The Digital Imaging Exposure Time (DIET) 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, seeing, sky brightness) 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 lit 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 abd 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. Best IQ, dark) will make the subsequent steps easier. The name must be shorter than 20 characters.
• Pull-down menus indicate the image quality constraint in the r band (see below). The image quality constraint has normally the highest priority in the selection of the program to be executed by the QSO Team. The options available are ranges of acceptable image quality: IQ < 0.55", 0.55" < IQ <0.65", 0.65" < IQ < 0.80", 0.80" < IQ < 1.0", 1.0" < IQ < 1.2", IQ > 1.2". The table below indicates the equivalent image quality (+/- 25%) for the other broad-band filters. The next table illustrates some statistics on the image quality on Mauna Kea.
• The Max IQ (monitoring) option only appears for programs requesting monitoring constraints. You can indicate here the maximum image quality acceptable for your program. This upper limit will be used to meet the time constraints associated with the program (for instance, if the seeing is worse than the regular constraint requested when an observation has to be repeated). The N/A option means that the IQ band as specified will have to be respected - in short, the IQ band has priority over the time constraint. If the IQ is not met during the time constraint, the observation will not be done. If the time constraint has the absolute priority and that the field should be observed whatever the seeing conditions, indicate an upper limit of > 1.2".>
• The Sky Background constraint is given as a qualitative sky brightness. The quantitative values for the different bands are given in the DIET Web page. In grey time (i.e. Moon illumination < 50%), the QSO Team aims to observe at at least 45 degrees away from the Moon.
• The weight of the airmass constraint is not very strong in the selection process of the program to be undertaken. 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 (as measured by SkyProbe) too, if it is judged that the science will not be affected. The value can be changed by the user.
  • 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.
• There are two new fields allowing to enter constraints about the Moon distance (in deg) which can be accepted and its tolerance (in %).

The constraint on the band image quality is the strongest criterion for the selection of a program to be undertaken. The QSO Team will try to respect the constraint on the image quality at all time for your observations. Our goal is to never exceed the upper limit defined by your constraint by more than 15%, and at most 20%. Evidently, the image quality varies through a band to another.

The reference band for the QSO project is the r-band, that is that during the observations, the image quality will always be translated to this band. So, for instance, if you specify an IQ between 0.65" and 0.80" for an observation with the u filter, you should expect an resulting image quality of about 1", as shown in the table below. As explained above, the QSO Team will validate images within about 15% of the upper limit of the IQ specified in r band . If this is not acceptable, or if the limit acceptable is below the upper limit of the range, this should be described in the program constraints page.

Parameter	Value observed with respect to IQ specified in PH2
Image Quality in u band	FWHM ~ + 0.2-0.3" larger than r band
Image Quality in g band	FWHM ~ + 0.1" larger than r band
Image Quality in r band	(Reference)
Image Quality in i band	FWHM similar to r band
Image Quality in z band	FWHM similar to r band (or slightly better)

Image Quality (IQ) R Band	Frequency (%)
IQ < 0.55"	5
0.55" < IQ 0.65"	25
0.65" < IQ 0.80"	30
0.80" < IQ 1.0"	25
1.0" < IQ 1.2"	15
IQ > 1.2"	5

These tables show the following:

• The FWHM is basically constant between the r, i and z bands filters but increases by about 0.1-0.2" for each filter "step" bluer than the r band. You must consider these differences in the calculations of your exposure times with DIET.
• Variations of the seeing are fast. This again argues for short observation blocks or groups. These quick variations might introduce images in a sequence for which the image quality is outside the IQ band specified. If the difference is about 15%, these images will be considered valid. However, if the IQ variation is too important, these images might be taken again.
• The probability that your program is executed depends strongly on the image quality required. Be realistic! In particular, for Programs with the C grade, it would be much preferable not to specify an IQ better than 0.8".
• It is important that you request a realistic IQ also when your targets do not reach a low airmass. For instance, asking for 0.6" when the airmass is never smaller than 1.5 is not very likely to happen.
• By definition, snapshots programs MUST request IQ > 1.2".

The information presented above is summarized in the table below.

Only 3 general qualitative sky brightness can be indicated. During the observations, the sky background will be constantly measured by Elixir and converted to these qualitative values. In gray time (i.e. Moon Illumination 0-50%), and bright time (i.e. Moon Illumination > 50%), the QSO Team will always try to observe at at least 45 degrees away from the Moon. However, it might not always be possible to do that due to scheduling constraints. We strongly suggest to include some comments in the "Program Constraints" page on this issue, for instance, if you think that we could get a bit more Moon without compromising the quality of science of your project.

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

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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 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.

• Top Frame:
• Target Selection: The first element to enter in the creation of the OB is one target. This 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.
• Configuration List: The second element to enter in the creation of the OB is the configuration list. 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. Very Important: The number of configurations that can be linked within an OB is unlimited; however, changing a filter in MegaPrime is a lengthy process (150 seconds). At this moment, we do not charge these overheads but to avoid unnecessary overheads, it is highly preferable to avoid too many filter changes within the same observation block. For example, if you need short ugri exposures on one target, it is much preferable to split these exposures into different observation blocks.
• Constraint Selection: 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.
• Middle Frame:
• Label: The label identifies a row in the table. The observation blocks are simply identified as OB#. The label 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.
• Target: Target label used for this observation block.
• Configuration(s): List of configurations used for this observation block. Individual configurations are separated by the "+" sign and the order of execution goes from left to right.
• Constraint: Constraint label used for this observation block.
• OB I-Time: Total integration time (I-time) requested for the execution of this observation block. The calculation is done as follows: I-Time(OB) = N(exposures) x [ Exp.Time/Exposure + Readout/Exposure], where readout/exposure = 40 seconds. Since it is much easier to schedule short observation blocks, the total I-time for one OB cannot exceed 2 hours.
• Tracking: Four options are offered here: 1) Sidereal, guiding. This is the typical exposure and the default selection. 2) Sidereal, non-guiding. In case of short exposures (e.g. < 10 seconds), it is entirely preferable to select this option because finding a guide star is time consuming and that the image quality is not degraded for images with very short exposure times. 3) Non-sidereal, guiding. This mode is being tested on-sky. 4) Non-sidereal, non-guiding. This mode is also being tested.
• Type: Type of observation. Only "object" is available.
• Photometry: Does this OB require a photometric calibration? For ugriz filters, each OB requesting photometry will be calibrated automatically by CFHT. For all the other filters (e.g. Halpha), if the photometric flag is enabled, it only means that you have included the necessary photometric calibrations in your PH2 program. Since most of the programs require photometry, the flag is enabled by default.
  However, if your OB does not require photometric calibrations, please verify that the flag is not selected.
• Comment: You can enter a comment for each individual OB. These comments are visible at all time during the observations. The comment associated to the OB is included in the FITS headers of the images (keyword:CMMTOBS).
• Select: Row selection for manipulation of the table with the "Delete" button.



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

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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 OG page is presented below:

• Top Frame:
• Observation Group Type: 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 OG, 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. Beware: 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! Very Important: The number of blocks that can be linked within an OG is unlimited; however, changing a filter in MegaPrime is a lengthy process (150 seconds). At this moment, we do not charge these overheads but to avoid unnecessary overheads, it is highly preferable to avoid too many filter changes within the same observation group. For example, if you need a sequence of short ugri exposures on one target, it is much preferable to split these exposures into different observation groups.
• OB List: Except when one desire 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. This can be done using this window. 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. There is a new feature in PH2: it is now 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.
• Observation Groups Options: See Below

• Middle Frame:
• Label: The label identifies a row in the table. The observation groups are simply identified as OG#. The label is automatically updated if the rows are changed.
• Type: Identifies the type of groups: 1OB (single OB); MOB (monitoring OB); SOB (sequence of OBs).
• OB: Identifies the observation block(s) used to create this specific observation group. Clicking on an OB from this entry field display again the content of the block in the top frame.
• Group I-time: Total integration time in seconds for this Observation Group. If monitoring, I-time (OG) = N(iterations) x I-time (OB). The total I-time includes all the readout time for each individual exposures.
• Priority: Priority (high, medium, low) of this observation group for your program. This will be used by the QSO Team during the selection process leading to the execution of the observations for your program. 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.
• Comment: Any comments you might think would be useful for the QSO Team.
• Select: Row selection for manipulation of the table with the "Delete" buttons.

• Third Frame:
• I-Time Allocated: Integration time allocated by the Time Allocation Committee for your program. This time cannot be exceeded!
• I-Time Calculated: Total integration time requested for all the observing groups defined in this page. It automatically includes the readout time for the CCD for all of the individual exposure in the OG and an overhead of 2 minutes for each accurate pointing required, if necessary. The I-time is automatically calculated after the creation of an OG.
• I-Time Left: I-time allocated) - (I-time calculated); it 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

There are three important options available for the Observation Groups, useful to precise specific observations. These options are first presented in the "Program Constraints" section and appear only in the OG form if requested.

1. Monitoring Parameters: Parameters for the monitoring OGs. This window 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): For certain programs, it is important that the observations take place within a specific sequence of events. For instance, if OG1 is executed, only then OG2 should be done within a certain timescale. It is possible to manage this kind of sequence at a higher level on a small scale (that is, during the preparation of the queues) but on a larger scale, it is much more preferable to have these options "hard coded" in the database. To cover such possibilities, we have developed the concept of the REEL: basically, it is possible to create a causal link between observation groups. This can be done in the last window on the right, 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.

   IMPORTANT: 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. Time Constraints: 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. 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 tempted 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.

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OG SCHEDULER

For certain programs, observations can be done at specific but multiple times during a semester. For instance, if the observations have 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. 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.
• Starting 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.

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UPLOAD SCHEDULE

This PH2 functionality only appears if the appropriate option is selected in the Program Constraints page:

The Upload Schedule functionality is useful for events that happen on specific dates and times, but not necessarily regularly. For regular (periodic) events, the OG scheduler can be used. For non-regular events, such as transits, the Upload Schedule allows the necessary flexibility in the choice of dates and times.

A list of dates and times can be edited as a plain ascii file, and then uploaded in PH2. The formatting is very precise; after the upload is complete, the content will be displayed in a table. Users must check the values that are displayed.

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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.

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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.