ACS Insturment Handbook for Cycle 24

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Chapter 7:
Observing Techniques

7.1 Designing an ACS Observing Proposal

7.1.1 Identify Science Requirements and Define ACS Configuration

7.1.2 Available but Unsupported Modes

7.1.3 Determine Exposure Time and Check Feasibility

7.1.4 Identify Need for Additional Exposures

7.1.5 Data Volume Constraints

7.1.6 Determine Total Orbit Request

7.1.7 Charge Transfer Efficiency

7.1.8 Image Anomalies

7.2 SBC Bright Object Protection

7.2.1 Bright Object Violation: SBC Exposures

7.2.2 Policy and Observers’ Responsibility in Phase I and Phase II

7.2.3 Bright-Object Protection for Solar System Observations

7.2.4 Prime and Parallel Observing with the SBC

7.3 Operating Modes

7.3.1 WFC ACCUM Mode

7.3.2 SBC ACCUM Mode

7.4 Patterns and Dithering

7.5 A Road Map for Optimizing Observations

7.6 CCD Gain Selection

7.7 ACS Apertures

7.7.1 WFC Apertures

7.7.2 Ramp-Filter Apertures

7.7.3 The Small Filter Apertures

7.7.4 Polarizer Apertures

7.7.5 HRC Apertures

7.7.6 SBC Apertures

7.8 Specifying Orientation on the Sky

7.8.1 Determining Orientation for Phase II

7.9 Parallel Observations

7.9.1 Parallel Observing

7.10 Pointing Stability for Moving Targets