TNG
Observing
Manuals
- Giano: graphical user interface manual
- Giano: cookbook for astronomers
- Nics user guide
- Dolores: the graphical user interface manual
- Dolores: Quick user guide
- Sarg: The graphical user interface manual
- Sarg: Quick user guide
Standard Stars @ TNG
Access to TNG data via the Italian Center for Astronomical Archives
Guidelines for visiting astronomers
Organizing Your Travel
All observers are required to fill in and sign the Visiting Observer Authorization Form and send it to the Visiting Astronomers Office (VAO) well in advance of their observing run.
Observer Requirements:
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Must hold a valid driving license issued at least one year before the observing run.
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Must be able to drive a manual transmission car.
1.1 INAF Staff or Observers in INAF-TAC Programs
TNG organizes and reimburses transportation to La Palma and accommodation on the island for one astronomer per program. Flight tickets are purchased directly by TNG and provided to the observer. Other services, including accommodation, car transportation, and meals, are paid by TNG. Observers are requested to contact the VAO at least two months before the observing run. TNG reimburses economy-class airline tickets only.
1.2 Other Visiting Observers
Flights, hotels, accommodation, meals at the mountain site, and transportation on the island must be organized and paid for by the observer. Accommodation and meals at the “ORM residencia” can be booked via the dedicated IAC webpage. The VAO can provide assistance with arrangements if needed.
1.3 Possible Financial Support from OPTICON
Observers of proposals with the PI and the majority of the team from EU member or associated states (excluding Italy and Spain) may access TNG support under the EC-funded OPTICON infrastructure program. Travel support for these observers follows the same rules as for INAF-TAC programs. For eligibility and other details, consult the OPTICON web pages.
1.4 Seminars
Visiting astronomers are welcome to give seminars. They should contact the VAO for further details.
1.5 Health
The observatory is located at an altitude of 2400 m (7,874 ft) above sea level. The nearest hospital is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes away, though travel time can be longer in case of snow or landslides. While staying at this altitude is generally not problematic, a general health check within the last 12 months is recommended.
Rules while staying at the telescope
2. Rules While Staying at the Telescope
Only astronomers and/or students involved in the observing project are allowed at the telescope during a normal observing night. Visiting astronomers may use a TNG car for on-site transport, manual transmission only. Observers with limited experience are encouraged to be accompanied by a more experienced colleague. Full responsibility for observations and calibrations lies with the observer.
2.1 Welcome and Support
A TNG Astronomer will meet the visiting observer at 16:00 on the first observing night and provide an introduction to the instrument and telescope. At 1:00 UT, the TNG Astronomer will go down to the Residencia. During the rest of the observing run, a Telescope Operator will stay with the visitor as the first point of contact for instrumentation and safety.
2.2 Observations and Calibrations
When a TNG Astronomer is present, the time before evening nautical twilight is devoted to acquiring sky flats according to the TNG calibration plan. Visiting astronomers are not allowed to remain alone at TNG for safety reasons. Telescope and instrument activities end when sky brightness prevents scientific observations. The observer must follow the Telescope Operator’s instructions in case of bad weather or other emergencies.
2.3 General Safety and Conduct
Use all common areas at the telescope carefully. Respect non-smoking signs and all instructions given by TNG support staff. Wireless and eduroam access are available in the control room.
2.4 Special Observations
Certain targets are exclusively reserved for Harps-N and Giano-B. Visiting astronomers may carry out Target of Opportunity (ToO) observations only if authorized (see ToO policy).
For any questions regarding the use of TNG facilities, contact the support astronomer or the Telescope Operator.
Technical info and Hints
3. Technical Information and Hints
Visiting astronomers are strongly recommended to read the manuals of the proposed instrument(s) before their observing run.
3.1 Instrument Switching
Switching between instruments on the same Nasmyth focal station (e.g., DOLORES ↔ HARPS-N) is almost instantaneous. Switching between different Nasmyth stations (e.g., NICS ↔ DOLORES) may take 5–10 minutes. Instrument changes can be repeated as needed, but minimizing switches is recommended to reduce overheads.
3.2 Spectroscopic Observations with DOLORES and NICS
Centering the object in the slit:
Centering is fast for bright objects clearly visible in a short exposure (<60 s). Direct centering on faint objects may take much longer and is not recommended. Observers are advised to pre-determine positions of faint targets relative to nearby bright “pivot” sources. Aligning the slit along the object-pivot line allows quick centering of the pivot source, ensuring the target is also in the slit. If this method is not possible, TNG’s combined-offset system usually guarantees sub-arcsecond accuracy for blind offsets of several tens of arcseconds.
Calibration lamps:
To reduce overheads, observers are encouraged to use the TNG calibration database or collect calibration frames early in the afternoon. For normal wavelength calibration (accuracy ~1 pixel), sky airglow emission lines can monitor instrumental drifts. For very precise measurements (<1 pixel), e.g., stellar radial velocity programs: atmospheric absorption lines/bands should be used to determine sub-pixel shifts between spectra. Emission lines (lamps or airglow) are not recommended for sub-pixel calibration due to non-uniform slit illumination, especially under good seeing conditions.
3.3 Optical Filters for DOLORES
All TNG optical filters can be mounted on DOLORES, but only standard filters are regularly available. Requests for filter changes must be submitted at least 2 weeks before the run. Refer to the TNG filter webpage for instructions on using private filters.
3.4 Multi-Object Spectroscopy with DOLORES
Special instructions and time constraints apply to DOLORES + MOS programs. See the dedicated web page for details.
After Observing
4. After Observing
4.1 Reports
At the end of the run, observers are expected to fill in the Observer Feedback Form. They are also kindly requested to fill in the ORM Residencia Feedback Form.
4.2 Data Delivery
Scientific data are automatically saved in the TNG archive and copied to the IA2 Archive, where astronomers can download their data. Non-archived data (e.g., guide frames) may be provided on a best-effort basis. Requests for non-archived data must be addressed to the Head of Astronomy before the observing run.
5. Publications Based on TNG Data
Any publication using TNG data should be properly acknowledged. A complete reference should be communicated via email to Walter Boschin.
Guidelines for service observations - TNG
Contact Point, Tutor Astronomer e Observing Blocks
1. Contact Point and Tutor Astronomer
Each program with approved service observations has a tutor TNG astronomer (hereafter TutAst), who handles all communication with the program P.I. or their delegate (hereafter HomeAst). The TutAst will contact the P.I. before the beginning of the semester. The TutAst is responsible for helping the HomeAst prepare all material needed for the observations, including observing blocks, catalogues, finder charts, and any relevant information. The TutAst is also generally available for questions regarding the program and data retrieval from the IA2 archive in Trieste.
2. Observing Blocks
Observations with DOLORES and NICS can be organized in observing blocks (OBs), which consist of one or more exposures of a given object with a fixed instrument configuration. Credentials to access the FLEX interactive web system will be sent to the P.I. through the IA2 archive. For simple programs, the FLEX system may not be needed; in this case, the HomeAst will send the relevant information, catalogues, and finder charts directly to the TutAst. For HARPS-N and GIANO-B, FLEX must not be used. Observations with these instruments require the HomeAst to send the relevant instructions along with the corresponding catalogues and finder charts.
⚠️ Please note: the above material must be provided days in advance to allow proper checks by TNG staff. Late submissions may not be processed in time to ensure correct execution of the observing program.
Times, Overheads e Instrument Switching
3. Times and Overheads
Overheads must be included in the justification of the requested time. Incomplete or missing overheads may result in a downgrading of the proposal.
Instrument Switching Times:
- Exchange within the same Nasmyth focal station (DOLORES–HARPS-N): ~10 min
- Change of Nasmyth (e.g., NICS → DOLORES): up to ~15 min
- After a change of instrument, re-focusing may be needed (~15 min)
Overheads (DOLORES and NICS):
- Telescope pointing and guide-star acquisition: 5 min
- Centering object into the slit: 5 min for bright sources (clearly visible on a 1 min image) or sources with well-known position relative to bright field stars. Direct centering on faint sources is inefficient and not recommended.
- Change of instrumental setup (e.g., filter or grism) with telescope tracking on same object: 1 min
- DOLORES only: CCD read-out, typically 20s (see dedicated time calculator)
- NICS: additional overheads apply
GIANO-B Overheads:
See the GIANO-B web page for details.
HARPS-N Overheads:
- Telescope preset, including dome rotation: 8 min (large >180° dome rotation), 2 min (typical small offset)
- Centering of object on fibre, start of guiding: 1–2 min (depends on user)
- Readout time (including FITS headers): 34s
- Telescope focusing (beginning of night or under critical conditions): 8–10 min
- See manual for further details.
Standard Stars e Spectroscopy of Faint Objects
4. Standard Stars
Time used for standard star observations and the corresponding overheads are part of the time allocated to the proposal. They must be counted in the same way as on-target observations.
5. Spectroscopic Observations of Faint Objects (DOLORES and NICS)
Centering the object in the slit is relatively fast if the source is bright enough (S/N > 10 on a 60s pre-image). Programs requiring spectroscopy of fainter targets can be executed within the above overheads only when their position relative to a nearby (ideally <1 arcmin), brighter pivot source is known. Observations are performed by aligning the slit along the object–pivot line (i.e., rotating the instrument to a pre-determined position angle) and centering the pivot source in the slit with the correct Y-offset.
The HomeAst must clearly provide:
- Slit position angle
- Y-offset value
- Ideally, include these details in the finding chart (see example).
Observations of Moving Objects
6. Observations of Moving Objects
Moving targets can be observed in service mode. The HomeAst is required to send accurate ephemerides for the scheduled nights, including sky motion rates (arcsec/hour).
Target of Opportunity Policy
Target of Opportunity Policy
1. Definition
Targets of Opportunity (ToO) are astronomical objects undergoing unexpected or unpredictable phenomena that were not known before the proposal deadline. These include targets that can be identified before the onset of such phenomena (e.g., dwarf novae, X-ray binaries) as well as objects that cannot be identified in advance (e.g., novae, supernovae, gamma-ray bursts). For the first category, target coordinates are specified in the proposal, while for the second only a target description is required.
2. ToO Allocation and Override Rights
2.1 Allocation of ToO Time
ToO override observations can be requested and allocated by the Italian (TAC), Spanish (CAT), and OPTICON time allocation committees.
2.2 Override Rights of Italian TAC Approved ToO Proposals
ToO programs approved by the Italian TAC can override observations during TAC, GTO, and OPTICON nights, within the limits given below.
2.3 Override Rights of OPTICON TAC Approved ToO Proposals
ToO programs approved by the OPTICON TAC can override observations during Italian TAC, GTO, or OPTICON nights, within the limits given below.
2.4 Override Rights of CAT Approved ToO Proposals
ToO programs approved by the CAT can only be executed during CAT nights, within the limits described below.
2.5 Nights Allocated by Other Time Allocation Committees
Nights allocated by the ITP time allocation committee cannot be overridden by any ToO program.
Activating a ToO
3.1 Observer of a ToO
ToO observations will be conducted by the TNG staff astronomer if present at the telescope. If no staff astronomer is available, ToO observations will be conducted by the Visiting Astronomer using the scheduled instrument(s). Non-scheduled instruments may also be operated by the Visiting Astronomer if they are willing to use them, or by TNG staff remotely from sea level on a best-effort basis.
3.2 Italian TAC and OPTICON Proposals
To ensure that all information is correctly received and processed in time, ToO observations for a given night must be activated by e-mail (
3.3 CAT Proposals
The ToO request must be addressed directly to the scheduled CAT Visiting Astronomer, who will organize and execute the observations using the scheduled instrument(s).
Observing Times and Constraints
4.1 Italian TAC and OPTICON Proposals
Once a ToO request has been activated, the requested time is subtracted from the program’s allocation even if the observation cannot be carried out due to bad weather. The requested or allocated time must include all overheads such as target acquisition, night-time calibrations, and the time needed to reinstall the original instrument configuration in case of an override.
4.1.1 Time Limits During Visitor and Scheduled Service Nights
To reduce the impact of ToO observations on scheduled programs, overrides during visitor or scheduled service runs are limited to:
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Only one ToO activation per approved program per observing run (for runs longer than three nights, activation can be repeated after the third night).
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Only one ToO per night. Only the first activation will be executed (see 5.2).
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A maximum of 1.5 hours of observation, including all overheads, per activation.
4.1.2 ToO and Time-Critical Observations
ToO activations cannot override time-critical observations, regardless of whether they are in visitor or service mode.
4.1.3 Compensation of Time Lost
Programs losing observing time due to ToO overrides are entitled to an equivalent amount of compensation time, to be executed in service mode on a best-effort basis.
4.2 CAT Proposals
The observing time for each ToO request and its override rights are determined by the Spanish time allocation committee.
Special Rights and Rules for Urgent ToO Proposals
5.1 Definition of Urgent Observation (UO)
A P.I. may activate a ToO as an Urgent Observation (UO) within six hours of the event, providing a justification for the urgency.
5.2 Priority Among ToO Programs
If multiple ToO activations occur in the same night, urgent observations will be executed first. Other ToO programs may be executed later. In the case of multiple urgent observations, priority will be given on a first come, first served basis.
5.3 Activation and Override Rights of a UO
A UO may be requested at any time during TAC, GTO, or OPTICON nights, and can interrupt ongoing integrations. There are no limits on the number of UO activations.
5.4 Procedure for Activating a UO During the Night
The P.I. or an authorized delegate must call the TNG control room (+34 922 405 535) to activate the UO. Information on the target and observation details can be provided via:
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E-mail (including the standard template, finder charts, and NSTS files for HARPS-N and GIANO-B)
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A link to a web page containing the relevant information
5.5 Time Constraints for UO During Visitor or Scheduled Service Nights
The 1.5-hour limit described in 4.1.1 is increased to 2 hours per activation.
5.6 Compensation of Time Lost
Programs losing time due to UO overrides are entitled to equivalent compensation time in service mode, on a best-effort basis.
5.7 Allocated Time for UO
The allocated time is computed as described in Section 4.1 and includes any time lost by interrupting ongoing integrations.
5.8 Transmission of Data
Data are available in real time via the IA2 INAF archive.
6. Special Case of Gravitational Wave Events
A Gravitational Wave (GW) event (triggered by Long Term Program A50TAC_19, PI D’Avanzo) is considered an Urgent Observation (UO) with the following differences:
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A GW event overrides any other ToO or UO activation, as well as any time-critical observation.
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Observations can be activated at any time during CAT, TAC, OPTICON, ITP, and GTO nights.
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The time limit for GW overrides is extended to cover all the time needed to complete the activation.
Special rules for Gravitational Wave events are given in Sect. 6
Travelling to La Palma
Travelling to La Palma
Airport code: SPC (Santa Cruz de La Palma)
Do not confuse with:
- Las Palmas (Gran Canaria, airport code LPA)
- Palma (Mallorca, airport code PMI)
- Santa Cruz de Tenerife (another Canary Island)
- S. Cruz (possibly several in the Americas)
1. Flights from Continental Europe
1.1 Scheduled Flights
Direct Madrid–La Palma: One daily return flight operated by Iberia (OneWorld alliance). Departure from Madrid is early, so most travelers need to spend the night in Madrid.
Connections via Tenerife or Gran Canaria: About five daily flights from Madrid and Barcelona to Tenerife Nord (TFN), Tenerife Sud (TFS), or Gran Canaria (LPA). Transfers to La Palma can then be made via inter-island flights or ferries.
1.2 Charter Flights
From Italy: No direct charter flights to La Palma.
From Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, UK: Some direct charter flights available; may be booked as scheduled flights. Examples: Lufthansa/Condor (Germany), KLM/Transavia (Netherlands).
Via Tenerife or Gran Canaria: Many European charter flights arrive in Tenerife or Gran Canaria. For Tenerife, most flights land at the south airport (TFS); transfer to Tenerife North (TFN) takes at least one hour by car.
Options:
- Taxi (~60 Euros)
- Bus (direct or via Santa Cruz de Tenerife)
- Rental car (one-way rentals often available at cheap rates)
Inter-Island Flights and Ferries
Flights to La Palma: Frequent flights from Tenerife Nord (TFN) and twice daily from Gran Canaria (LPA). Operators: Binter Canarias and Islas Airways.
Duration: ~20 minutes from Tenerife, ~50 minutes from Gran Canaria.
Connections via Tenerife are also possible from Gran Canaria.
Ferry Service:
- Fred Olsen: Daily, Los Cristianos (Tenerife South) → Santa Cruz de La Palma; evening departures.
- Trasmediterranea: 1–2 ferries per week between Tenerife and La Palma.
3. Travelling and Staying in La Palma
From the Airport: Taxi or public bus to the main town (Santa Cruz de La Palma) and Los Cancajos village. Bus tickets are available onboard.
To the Observatory (Roque de Los Muchachos): No public transport is available. Observers normally travel by taxi, which can be booked in advance from hotels or the “residencia” at the observatory.
Accommodation Options:
- Los Cancajos village and Santa Cruz de La Palma offer a wide choice of hotels and apartments (see Mercator Telescope and ING web pages).
- When booking, mention that you are an astronomer visiting the “Observatorio Astrofísico.”
- Observatory lodging: “ORM residencia” (must be booked via the dedicated IAC web page).
INAF TNG Time Allocation Committee
INAF TNG Time Allocation Committee
AOT31 – 2015A, AOT32 – 2015B, AOT33 – 2016A (March 2015 – August 2016)
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Oscar Straniero | INAF-OA Teramo | Chair |
| Michele Bellazzini | INAF-OA Bologna | Member |
| Gabriella De Lucia | INAF-OA Trieste | Member |
| Ettore Flaccomio | INAF-OA Palermo | Member |
| Roberto Gilli | INAF-OA Bologna | Member |
| Andrea Grazian | INAF-OA Roma | Member |
| Elena Mazzotta Epifani | INAF-OA Roma | Member |
| Nicola Rosario Napolitano | INAF-OA Capodimonte | Member |
| Gabriella Raimondo | INAF-OA Teramo | Secretary |
| Salvo Scuderi | INAF-OA Catania | Member |
AOT34 – 2016B (September 2016 – March 2017)
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Oscar Straniero | INAF-OA Teramo | Chair |
| Gabriella De Lucia | INAF-OA Trieste | Member |
| Ettore Flaccomio | INAF-OA Palermo | Member |
| Roberto Gilli | INAF-OA Bologna | Member |
| Sara Lucatello | INAF-OA Padova | Member |
| Fabrizio Massi | INAF-OA Arcetri | Member |
| Elena Mazzotta Epifani | INAF-OA Roma | Member |
| Nicola Rosario Napolitano | INAF-OA Capodimonte | Member |
| Laura Pentericci | INAF-OA Roma | Member |
| Gabriella Raimondo | INAF-OA Teramo | Secretary |
AOT35 – 2017A (April 2017 – September 2017)
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Oscar Straniero | INAF-OA Teramo | Chair |
| Elisabetta Dotto | INAF-OA Roma | Member |
| Ettore Flaccomio | INAF-OA Palermo | Member |
| Roberto Gilli | INAF-OA Bologna | Member |
| Sara Lucatello | INAF-OA Padova | Member |
| Fabrizio Massi | INAF-OA Arcetri | Member |
| Nicola Rosario Napolitano | INAF-OA Capodimonte | Member |
| Laura Pentericci | INAF-OA Roma | Member |
| Gabriella Raimondo | INAF-OA Teramo | Secretary |
AOT36 – 2017B (October 2017 – March 2018)
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Oscar Straniero | INAF-OA Teramo | Chair |
| Giovanni Cresci | INAF-OA Arcetri | Member |
| Elisabetta Dotto | INAF-OA Roma | Member |
| Ettore Flaccomio | INAF-OA Palermo | Member |
| Roberto Gilli | INAF-OA Bologna | Member |
| Sara Lucatello | INAF-OA Padova | Member |
| Fabrizio Massi | INAF-OA Arcetri | Member |
| Nicola Rosario Napolitano | INAF-OA Capodimonte | Member |
| Laura Pentericci | INAF-OA Roma | Member |
| Gabriella Raimondo | INAF-OA Teramo | Secretary |
| Ignasi Ribas | Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya, Barcelona | Member |
AOT37 = 2018A, AOT38 = 2018B, AOT39 = 2019A, AOT40 = 2019B (April 2018 – March 2020)
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Alessandro Chieffi | INAF-IAPS Roma | Member |
| Marco Delbo | Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur | Member |
| Fabio La Franca | Università Roma Tre | Member |
| Alessandro Marconi | Università di Firenze | Member |
| Giovanni Peres | Università di Palermo | Member |
AOT41 = 2020A, AOT42 = 2020B, AOT43 = 2021A (April 2020 – September 2021)
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Alessandro Chieffi | INAF-IAPS Roma | Member |
| Marco Delbo | Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur | Member |
| Valentina D’Odorico | INAF-OA Trieste | Member |
| Fabio La Franca | Università Roma Tre | Member |
| Loredana Prisinzano | INAF-OA Palermo | Member |
Members of the TNG Time Allocation Committee (November 2014 – September 2021)
Director Discretionary Time Policy
Director Discretionary Time Policy
Which proposals may apply for DDT
Up to 3% of the available general observing time may be used for Director Discretionary Time Proposals (DDTs). A DDT proposal must necessarily belong to one of the following categories:
- proposals of ToO nature requiring the immediate observation of a sudden and unexpected astronomical event;
- proposals requesting observations on a hot and highly competitive scientific topic;
- proposals asking for follow-up observations of a programme recently conducted from ground-based and/or space facilities, where a quick implementation should provide break-through results;
- proposals of a somewhat risky nature requesting a small amount of observing time to test the feasibility of a programme;
- proposals of outreach nature requesting a small amount of observing time;
How to submit a DDT Proposal
DDT proposals time may be submitted any time. They must be written using the normal TNG template and should be sent to the Director of TNG in attachment to an e-mail, specifying in the subject field of the e-mail: DDT Proposal for TNG.
DDT proposals can only be carried out in Service Mode. Proposers should provide a very clear justification why the programme should be considered for DDT allocation and was not submitted through the normal TAC procedure. In the absence of such a justification, the proposal will not be considered for DDT allocation, and the proposers will be encouraged to resubmit their proposals for the next appropriate TAC submission deadline.
Proposal evaluation
DDT proposals will be subject to a fast but complete validation procedure by the TNG staff.
In Box 14b of the proposal form applicants have to indicate whether the proposed DDT observations were already submitted in a proposal to the TAC. If yes, the corresponding proposal number has to be indicated.
Please note that within one month following the observations, the PI's of accepted DDT proposals have to submit a report to the Director of TNG.
Acknowledgements for submitted papers,
technical reports and press releases
Acknowledgements for submitted papers,
technical reports and press releases
Authors are invited to suitably acknowledge data obtained with the TNG telescope according to the following statement:
"Based on observations made with the Italian Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) operated on the island of La Palma by the Fundación Galileo Galilei of the INAF (Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica) at the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias"
As soon as the publication appears in its final form, authors should notice the TNG, and provide any useful reference and hyperlink to electronic version(s) available in the web (e.g. astro-ph).
Informal and public reports or press release related to TNG observations should be agreed upon with the press office of INAF and with the FGG Director.
Important Notes on
Time Sharing (TS) Policy at the TNG
Important Notes on
Time Sharing (TS) Policy at the TNG
Important Notes on Time Sharing (TS) Policy at the TNG
Researcher who would like to submit a proposal on exo-planetary science needing monitoring of Radial Velocities over a wide range of dates, should take into account the following considerations:
- There are several Large Programs on exo-planetary science ongoing at the TNG, with granted time until AOT57 (or 2028A). To optimize the scientific return for their science goals, the two main scientific groups with approved LPs (HARPS-N and GAPS collaborations) already agreed on sharing the observing time at the telescope.
- Exo-planetary science (with HARPS-N and/or GIANO-B) is not the only observing mode of the TNG. Other science cases with different instruments have been approved which means that dense monitoring with frequent observations every few days is not possible, even in case of TS. TS is only available when exo-planetary science programs are scheduled and even so, on a best effort basis.
- At the earliest time or at least two weeks before the closure of a new call for Observing time (TAC, CAT, ITP, ORP), the researchers who know that their science goal could only be attained with TS should properly fill the form available at the following form.
- The form will only be available on-line until one week before the deadline of the call. Fail to submit the compiled form in due time will imply that the program is technically unfeasible.
- The final acceptance of the TS by the other groups is subjected to the following constraints:
- The scientific goals of the programs joining the TS should not overlap with the scientific goals of the programs already in the TS group;
- In case of possible overlap among the scientific goals, the programs should provide a well-defined target list not encompassing targets for which one of the programs in the TS has already expressed interest. In case of a strong and justified interest on the same target, a spirit of collaboration is encouraged and a policy on the use and publication of the data should be agreed before submitting the proposal. The time allocation committees judging the proposal should be informed of the possible conflict due to mutual interest and know in advance if the groups already agreed on collaborating;
- The scheduling of the targets of the new proposal will be organized on a best effort basis and in any case will not be detrimental for other programs already in the TS. Asking for TS is accepting the scheduling of the targets organized by one of the two main groups;
- PIs of the proposal accept to provide observers for the scheduled nights who: [1] will follow the scheduled observations from the schedulers of the two main groups (HARPS-N Collaboration and GAPS) and [2] will accept that the observing shift could be larger than the assigned time to their proposal (i.e. assigned 1 night to the proposal, but could be observing for 3 consecutive nights);
- PIs of the proposal accept that the calculated percentage of shared time will be based on the allocated time by the TAC and that the bad weather loss will be equally distributed with the same percentage;
- Time Constraint observations (transits) are typically not included in the TS, however the hours of the night outside the transit could be used for TS;
- PIs and observers of programs within the TS will respect a no disclosure of the data from other programs.
Proposals that fail to demonstrate that an agreement of TS has been reached will be considered as technical unfeasible by the TNG staff.
La Palma Sky Brightness
La Palma Sky Brightness
La Palma sky brightness
The night-sky magnitudes adopted for the TNG Exposure Time calculators (ETC), were derived from recent measurements (June and August 2002) made with Dolores@TNG during moonless photometric nights. We also added estimates for the Johnson U and Gunn z bands, though with poorer accuracy.
Our values (dark sky) are in good agreement with the values given by the La Palma sky-brightness Calculator, that adoptes average values for Ecliptic and Galactic latitudes and maximum Solar Activity (sky is up to ~0.4mag brighter at solar maximum; latest solar minimum was in 1994-96). Our values are also in good agreement with those found at ESO.
The ETCs also use average values for the Atmospheric Extinction Coefficients at the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory: U=0.49 mag, B=0.25, V=0.15, R=0.11, I=0.07, z Gunn=0.07 (see La Palma Technical Note No. 31 for further details).
A brightening of the sky background with airmass (sky is ~0.25 mag brighter at a zenithal distance of 45 deg. than at the zenith itself) is also taken into account by the ETCs at optical and NIR wavelenghts (excepting the K' and K bands).
The Sky-brightness magnitudes at various lunar phases (greater or equal 3 days) were calculated by offsetting the dark values for the differences (Dark-Bright) as derived from La Palma sky-brightness Calculator at the ING site. In the case of the Gunn z filter we simply adopted the sky parameters for the I-band filter.
Please note that calculated moon contribution could be affected by large uncertainty, as stated in the relevant web page.
In the following table the adopted night sky brightness magnitudes at various lunar phases are listed.
| Days from new moon | U | B | V | R | I | z Gunn |
| 0 | 22.5 | 22.8 | 21.8 | 20.9 | 19.7 | 19.3 |
| 3 | 22.3 | 22.5 | 21.6 | 20.8 | 19.6 | 19.2 |
| 7 | 21.4 | 21.4 | 20.7 | 20.2 | 19.1 | 18.7 |
| 10 | 20.4 | 20.3 | 19.6 | 19.2 | 18.2 | 17.8 |
| 14 | 19.3 | 19.1 | 18.5 | 18.2 | 17.3 | 16.9 |
The adopted values for the IR sky are shown in table 2 (see also Nics pages).
Note that due to a negligible influence of moonlight in the infrared, these values are to be taken irrespectively of the moon phase.
Table 2. IR sky brightness.
| 1 µ | Js | J | H | K' | K |
| 16.5 | 15.5 | 15.5 | 14.0 | 13.2 | 12.6 |
For any comments please contact Marco Pedani.