When you first bring up APT, you will have to convert the information in your Phase I proposal, which is an XML file, into a Phase II program format using the “Phase I->Phase II” conversion button on the
APT User Interface.
This block contains basic information about the proposal including the Title,
Abstract,
Category, and
Cycle. After converting your proposal from Phase I to Phase II, your Phase II program will have the program information filled out based on your Phase I submission.
This field holds a counter for an operational version number of the proposal and cannot be edited by the user. If you are connected to the internet, the version number in your proposal file is compared to the one in the STScI proposal database when a proposal is opened or submitted. In either case, if your file’s version number is less than the database’s number for that proposal, you will get a pop up warning that a more recent version is available (via APT’s Retrieve from STScI). This prevents you from doing an update with an old copy of the proposal, or making edits to a version that does not include changes your PC has made to the proposal.The STScI software increments this number whenever the Phase II file is edited by STScI staff.
A Category of
SNAP is used for “snapshot” programs. By their nature these programs take advantage of otherwise-unused blocks of telescope time for relatively short exposures.
SNAP exposures therefore must carry as few restrictions as possible. In particular, Special Requirements should not ordinarily be used with
SNAP programs (consult with your Program Coordinator if you feel you need to do so). Some special policies apply to
SNAP programs: in particular, STScI will not repeat failed
SNAP exposures.
For pure parallel proposals (see Section 6.2), check the “Parallel” checkbox next to the Proposal Category in the Proposal Information form. Please note that
SNAP/PAR is not a valid proposal type.
You must choose supported. If the observing modes normally offered by STScI to GOs do not meet the needs of your program, please contact your Program Coordinator.
These four sections are needed for STScI to execute your program properly. Not all questions will need to be answered by every observer, and note that the answers to these questions will be made public. As with the
Abstract, please review this text to make certain the information is correct.
Provide a detailed description of your observing plans. Text from your Phase I proposal will need updating based on your final TAC allocation and on details to be worked out in Phase II.
Provide an explanation for any real-time or special scheduling requirements, if they have been requested. Information from your Phase I proposal has been inserted, but it is possible that the text will need updating based on your final TAC allocation, to include the details worked out in Phase II, and to remove any special calibration requirements (see below).
These section contains the names of the Principal Investigator (PI), all Co-Investigators
1 (
CoI), and their institute affiliations. This information comes from your Phase I proposal submission.
If an Investigator is to serve as the contact for a program, then the Phase II Contact keyword box should be checked. More than one investigator may be designated as a contact. The Contact(s) will receive all (non-budgetary) questions/information on the program.
If any of the Investigators have changed addresses between the Phase I and Phase II submissions (or any time after the Phase I submission), please contact your Program Coordinator with the updated address. You cannot use the Phase II submission to implement address changes.
Chapter 5: Visits, Exposures and Exposure Groups on page 77 of this document describes how to fill out the Visit and Exposure Specifications. Instructions for submitting parallel observations are given in
Chapter 6: Parallel Science Exposures on page 91, and the detailed, instrument-specific parameters are described in
Part II: Supported Science Instruments on page 155.
