Proposing Overview
Call for Proposals
The Call for Proposals (CP) invites the astronomical community to
propose for observing time on HST in a given cycle (nominally one year
in duration). It summarizes the policies and procedures for
proposing in that cycle of HST observing, including requests
for funding research on archival HST data. It also provides an overview
of HST's expected capabilities for that observing cycle, including information
about the telescope and the available scientific instruments.
A CP for a given cycle is issued approximately a year before the
nominal start of the cycle.
For more information on the current proposing cycle see the
Cycle 17 Announcement Page.
Phase I: Writing and Submitting a Proposal for HST Observing Time
A Phase I proposal provides:
- A summary of the observing program.
- The scientific justifications for the program.
- A list of targets with their celestial coordinates.
- The instrument(s) to be used with desired modes, filters,
and dispersers.
- An estimate of the number of spacecraft
orbits needed to accomplish the observing program (a means to
calculate this number is provided in the Phase I instructions).
Proposers should consult all relevant technical documentation about
the capabilities and sensitivities of the instrument(s) to be used in
their programs and should discuss the requirements of their
observing programs with appropriate STScI experts. Contacts are provided
via the STScI HelpDesk at help@stsci.edu. To avoid duplication
conflicts proposers also should consult up-to-date exposure catalogs,
available on-line at the STScI Web site.
Completion of Phase I: The TAC Review of Phase I Submissions
A Telescope Allocation Committee (TAC), organized by the Space
Telescope Science Institute (STScI), reviews and evaluates the
submitted Phase I proposals.
The TAC recommends a list of programs to the STScI Director for
preliminary approval and implementation. Upon final approval by
the Director, a successful proposal enters into the Phase II stage of
proposal preparation.
Phase II: Providing the Observing Details
Following a favorable TAC review and approval by the director,
proposers must provide the details required by the ground
system to schedule HST and obtain their observations.
Observers are assigned two points of contact at STScI: a Program
Coordinator (PC) and a Contact Scientist
(CS). The PC helps the observer to deliver a Phase II proposal
which is syntactically correct and will schedule successfully on the
telescope. The CS provides advice on observing strategies to
meet the scientific objectives of the program,
answers questions about instrument performance, and can provide
technical help in the data analysis phase of the observing program.
The CS is an Instrument Scientist involved in the calibration and
characterization of the primary instrument used in the observer's program.
Programs are not considered fully accepted until the following items
have been completed:
- An error-free Phase II proposal has been submitted.
- Duplication checks against similar exposures in previous and current HST
programs have been performed and any conflicts have been resolved.
- All technical feasibility reviews (such as bright object checking,
special requirements, etc.) have been completed and approved.
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