[Mayan calendar]

Instrument Availability and Target Accessibility: 2006A

The tables below indicate the current best estimates of instrument availability and corresponding target (RA, dec) accessibility for 2006A. 

The anticipated arrival of NIFS and TEXES at Gemini North, and NICI and Flamingos-2 at Gemini South, means that the instrument ports on both telescopes will be overfilled. Instrument swaps will be required and therefore not all instruments will be available for the entire semester. The defined RA ranges combined possible instrument exchanges with best-guess schedules. Where possible we have tried to provide the least restrictions to applicants and thus it is possible that some targets or entire programs might not be feasible when the final queue and schedule are assembled at ITAC.

Typically several observations or programs are rejected at the ITAC each semester because of target accessibility so please read carefully the following notes:

Gemini North

Instrument(s) declination
(deg)
RA range (hh mm)
Comments "minimum" RA
(early semester)
"maximum" RA
(late semester)
NIRI (including Altair)

GMOS North

80 *  no restriction 2h 10m 2h 40m
70  restricted 2h 40m 2h 10m
60  no restriction 2h 10m 2h 40m
50  no restriction 2h 00m 2h 50m
40   no restriction 2h 00m 3h 00m
30  no restriction 2h 00m 2h 50m
20  no restriction 2h 10m 2h 50m
10  no restriction 2h 20m 2h 30m
0  restricted 2h 35m 2h 20m
-10  restricted 2h 55m 2h 00m
-20  restricted 3h 25m 1h 30m
-30  restricted 4h 05m 0h 50m
-40 *  restricted 4h 25m 0h 30m

Michelle

(assumed to be available approx.
 mid-March to end June; subject to 
NIFS and TEXES schedules)

80 *  restricted 5h 10m 0h 40m
70  restricted 5h 40m 0h 10m
60 restricted 5h 10m 0h 40m
50  restricted 5h 00m 0h 50m
40  restricted 5h 00m 1h 00m
30 restricted 5h 00m 0h 50m
20  restricted 5h 10m 0h 50m
10  restricted 5h 20m 0h 30m
0  restricted 5h 35m 0h 20m
-10  restricted 5h 55m 0h 00m
-20  restricted 8h 25m 23h 30m
-30  restricted 9h 05m 22h 50m
-40 *  restricted 9h 25m 22h 30m
HIRES (on Keck) all  restricted Available for one night around 3-18 March, two nights around 1-16 May and two nights around 1-14 July

(Precise dates TBD)

 

Gemini South

Instrument(s) declination
(deg)
RA range (hh mm)
Comments "minimum" RA
(early semester)
"maximum" RA
(late semester)
GNIRS

Phoenix

Acquisition Camera

30 *  restricted 5h 35m 1h 40m
20  restricted 5h 15m 2h 00m
10  restricted 4h 25m 2h 50m
0  restricted 3h 55m 3h 20m
-10   no restriction 3h 30m 3h 45m
-20  no restriction 3h 10m 4h 05m
-30  no restriction 2h 55m 4h 25m
-40  no restriction 2h 40m 4h 35m
-50  no restriction 2h 25m 4h 50m
-60  no restriction 2h 15m 5h 05m
-70  no restriction 2h 00m 5h 15m
-80  no restriction 1h 55m 5h 20m
GMOS South

bHROS

(assumed to be available until early 
June, then dismounted for 
Flamingos-2 commissioning. Might 
be available later if Flamingos-2 
schedule slips)

30 *  restricted 5h 35m 21h 40m
20  restricted 5h 15m 22h 00m
10  restricted 4h 25m 22h 50m
0  restricted 3h 55m 23h 20m
-10   restricted 3h 30m 23h 45m
-20  restricted 3h 10m 0h 05m
-30  restricted 2h 55m 0h 25m
-40  restricted 2h 40m 0h 35m
-50  restricted 2h 25m 0h 50m
-60  restricted 2h 15m 1h 05m
-70  restricted 2h 00m 1h 15m
-80  restricted 1h 55m 1h 20m
T-ReCS

(assumed to be available after 
end May; might be available early 
in the semester if NICI 
schedule slips)

30 *  restricted 13h 35m 1h 40m
20  restricted 13h 15m 2h 00m
10  restricted 12h 25m 2h 50m
0  restricted 11h 55m 3h 20m
-10   restricted 11h 30m 3h 45m
-20  restricted 11h 10m 4h 05m
-30  restricted 10h 55m 4h 25m
-40  restricted 10h 40m 4h 35m
-50  restricted 10h 25m 4h 50m
-60  restricted 10h 15m 5h 05m
-70  restricted 10h 00m 5h 15m
-80  restricted 9h 55m 5h 20m

 

 

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Last update August 21, 2005; Phil Puxley