Science Operations

Proposal Submission 2016A

Semester 2016A is now CLOSED for proposals

Introduction:

LBTO is now closed for the 2016A semester to all partners and host institutions including the Instituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), LBT Beteiligungsgesellschaft (LBTB), University of Arizona (UA), Arizona State University (ASU), Northern Arizona University (NAU), Ohio State University (OSU), and the Research Corporation.

Phase I Tool:

LBTO has developed a Phase I Tool (PIT) for proposal submissions. For 2016A the following partners are participating in PIT submission: Arizona (AZ, NAU, ASU), LBTB. All other LBTO users are welcome to examine the new tool, but should NOT use it to submit their proposals.

This tool allows PIs to easily enter basic information about their program and create a LBTO cover sheet and instrument summary to include with their proposals. For 2016A, partners should upload their entire proposal, including partner-specific cover page, as a PDF attachment. An example of a completed proposal is herePIs may also choose whether or not to describe their program in the Observation and Target Tabs or to submit in a minimalist way with just cover sheet information and their PDF attachment.

In the future, PIT will facilitate the transition to binocular script creation, open a communication pathway to LBTO operations staff, and ease the potential move of LBTO to queue operations. Links to the PIT software for Mac, Windows, and Linux are available on the installation page.

Instruments Offered:

LBTO is currently offering the following instruments for 2016A science:

Visible Near-IR Mid-IR Other facilities
Facility Instruments
MODS1: (SX) 320-1100nm multi-object, long-slit spectrograph and imager LUCI1: (SX) 0.85-2.4µm multi-object, long-slit spectrograph and imager
MODS2: (DX) 320-1100nm multi-object, long-slit spectrograph and imager LUCI2: (DX) 1.00-2.4µm multi-object, long-slit spectrograph and imager
LBCB: (SX) 350-650nm wide-field imager
LBCR: (DX) 550-1000nm wide-field imager
PI/Strategic Instruments
PEPSI: 383-907nm high-resolution spectrograph and polarimeter. CONTACT PI LMIRCam on LBTI: 1-5µm high resolution camera and coronagraph. Optimized from 3-5µm. CONTACT PI NOMIC on LBTI: an 8-13 μm camera. CONTACT PI

Telescope/Instrument Configurations

For the 2016A observing season the available telescope configurations offered are as follows:

  • Monocular: all facility instruments in seeing limited mode
  • Homogeneous Binocular (e.g. MODS1 + MODS2): all facility instruments in SHARED RISK
  • Heterogeneous Binocular (e.g. MODS1 + LUCI2): all facility instruments in SHARED RISK

The observatory may offer LUCI1 or LUCI2 in diffraction limited mode later in the semester and partners may issue a separate call in this instance.

Observing Modes Available:

For the 2016A observing season the observatory will operate as it has for the last several years, which is in “classical/service” and “PI Instrument” modes.

In classical/service mode, partners will select PIs of successful proposals or partner service observers to visit the telescope during observatory-scheduled partner blocks. These designated observers will complete observations for themselves and other PIs in their partnership.

Astronomers who would like to use the PI/Strategic instruments, LBTI or PEPSI, must contact the Principle Investigator of these instruments before submitting proposals to the TAC:
LBTI – Phil Hinz (phinz@as.arizona.edu)
PEPSI – Klaus Strassmeier (kstrassmeier@aip.de)

Observations will be carried out with assistance from the instrument team during scheduled PI instrument blocks.

The LBTO would like to thank Gemini Observatory for extensive use and adaptation of the materials and webpages published by Gemini staff at www.gemini.edu/sciops. The Gemini Observatory is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the NSF on behalf of the Gemini partnership: the National Science Foundation (United States), the National Research Council (Canada), CONICYT (Chile), the Australian Research Council (Australia), Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brazil), and Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Productiva (Argentina).