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 a Program Coordinator (PC) as a primary point of contact at STScI. The PC helps the observer to deliver a Phase II proposal which is syntactically correct and will schedule successfully on the telescope. By request, a Contact Scientist (CS) can also be assigned to any observer. 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. A CS is automatically assigned to different types of programs, including but not limited to Large programs, Target of Opportunity programs, and programs that observe solar system targets.

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.