Subject: NIC-FPS usage during the rest of Q1 2005

From: Suzanne Hawley

Submitted: Thu, 3 Feb 2005 20:33:37 -0800 (PST)

Message number: 890 (previous: 889, next: 891 up: Index)

Due to the largely successful ongoing commissioning, and early experience 
during the January block-scheduled run, it appears that NIC-FPS usage is 
now robust enough that we can make it available for use outside of the 
block scheduling during February and March.  This allows time trades with 
users outside of the block, and also use as an alternate instrument. 
NIC-FPS may also be used for GRB target-of-opportunity observing during 
these two months, subject to a GRB observing plan being approved (see 
January users committee minutes, apo35-general message 888, for more 
information on this).

For regularly scheduled observing, please let the APO staff know at 
least two days ahead of time (via the normal automated setup message) if 
you plan to use NIC-FPS instead of the instrument shown on the schedule. 
Also note that the observing specialists are still learning the instrument 
themselves, so they may not be able to answer as full a range of questions 
about the instrument and observing strategy as they usually can with the 
other facility instruments.  Potential observers are strongly encouraged 
to look at the information on the APO website, and to contact Fred Hearty 
and/or John Barentine well before their runs with additional questions.

Note that NIC-FPS usage is still considered shared-risk for all of Q1, 
and observers may need to be pre-empted for engineering and commissioning 
tasks as described in the Q1 2005 proposal procedure.  See messages 850
and 851 in the apo-35 general mail archive for more information.

Suzanne Hawley


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