Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T03:14:06.922Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

7 - Observation planning

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 August 2015

David F. Buscher
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
Malcolm Longair
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
Get access

Summary

Interferometric observations need to be planned in advance, because observing time on an interferometer is a scarce resource. This planning is often carried out in the context of a competitive proposal scheme like that operated by most research telescopes. The typical process involved is that potential observers submit proposals to a ‘time-allocation committee’ or similar body, this body ranks the proposals and the most highly ranked proposals are given time.

The criteria for ranking the proposals can be somewhat subjective, but usually involve a combination of the technical feasibility of the proposed observations and the likely scientific value of the information that will result from them. In order to be highly ranked, proposals must address both of these aspects, so developing such a proposal requires expertise in two areas: familiarity with a relevant science field to understand where the gaps in knowledge are and an understanding of the ways in which different kinds of interferometric observation can provide critical information to fill these gaps.

This chapter looks at the interaction between the scientific and technical aspects of an interferometric observing proposal, with the aim of highlighting the most important areas to consider. The details of writing a competitive astronomy proposal are beyond the scope of this book, but an online search for ‘how to write an observing proposal’ turns up many useful links on the topic.

Example proposal

The material in this chapter will be illustrated in part through an example proposal for the VLTI, which was awarded observing time in August and September 2012. The science background to the proposal is that of Mira variables, named after the prototype star of the class otherwise known as Omicron Ceti. The name Mira is latin for ‘wonderful’ or ‘astonishing’, a reference to its regular appearance and disappearance from the visible sky; pulsations in the star cause large changes in brightness on periods of a few hundred days.

Type
Chapter
Information
Practical Optical Interferometry
Imaging at Visible and Infrared Wavelengths
, pp. 180 - 193
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2015

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×