Version 1.0:  2004-11-23   F.Selman
Version 1.1:  2006-05-20   O.Schuetz & F.Selman

One day before VA arrival

Familiarise yourself with the VA program

• Cross-read the corresponding OPC proposal (see lasilla@kila:/~/observations/proposals/)
• Look up the VA's P2PP account and password (see lasilla@kila:/~/P2PP_PID/progids.out) and note it in the VA info page
  

VA info page

• Leave the filled "Information and Reminders" page at the reception. This should be given to the VA together with the other pages he/she receives from reception (phone, computer account)
  

VA car

• Check that the amount of gasoline in the VA's car is sufficient
  

On the VA arrival day

Welcome and introducing the people

• Show the VA where the hotel reception is located
• Make clear that due to the weekly changing flight schedules the VA should inquire at the reception desk about the time of his departure to La Serena
• Show the library building with the computer workspaces
  
• Introduce the day TIO: name, beeper, and duties: set-ups, calibrations
• Introduce the night TIO: name, beeper, and duties: observations, in charge of security of telescope and instrument
• Explain which car the VA can use/share during (only) the nights of his observations. Inform him/her where to leave the car (dormitories block 3/4)

Introduce the telescope and instrument

• Tour the relevant places showing the telescope and instrument
• Tour the RITZ, make sure the observer can make his/her way to it

Introduce the relevant web pages

• Instrument in a nutshell
• Manual
• Templates reference
• Calibration plan
• The set-up form
• Show observing planning tools
• Tell about Night Log 2.0 (filled by TIO)
  
• If desired: Show where to find observing log sheets
• EOM report

Discussion of the observing strategy

• Discuss with the VA his/her goals and the observing strategy

Crash course in the use of p2pp

• Show the relevant computers at the telescope console (w***drl, w***off)
  
• Help to download OBs if necessary
• Start p2pp
  
• Explain calibration OB creation
• Show science OB creation
• Checking into database if needed
• What not to do: long OBs, complicated OBs, etc.

Offline reduction machines

• Clean the astro account previous to the introduction
• Show the directory structure, where the images arrive, and where they can be reduced
• Show the relevant quick look tools and/or pipelines
  
• Show the facilities available: IRAF, MIDAS, IDL, ds9, Xephem
• Theli is installed on w2p2off
  
• Make clear that a backup of reduced data is the VA's responsibility

Weather constraints and Observatory Policies

• Show the meteomonitor page and the closing down policy page
• Support the TIO as the person who takes the decision to close
• Explain the possibility that the VA run might be interrupted by a ToO and show the relevant page about ToO policies
  
• Remind the VA that a change of his/her observing targets cannot be done without prior approval
• Explain that due to staff working schedules morning sky flats are generally not supported. If a scientifically justified reason for morning sky flats is given, HoSciOps can decide on exceptions. However, Support Astronomers and TIOs may also volunteer to stay for morning flats.

2p2 related issues

• Especially during summer: Much worse 2p2 seeing compared to DIMM
  
• Pointing problems for northern positions > +20 deg
• WFI autoguider feature: Guiding and IQ problems for southern positions > -70 deg
• Optimal WFI flatfield sequence: U - Z - H_alpha - NBs - V - I - B - R
• Mention WFI contamination problem
• Explain WFI field illumination

NTT specific information

• tbd

3p6 relevant details

• tbd
  

(3) In the afternoon before start of the observations

Final startup

• Start p2pp and retrieve the VA's OBs
• Check the OBs: By the P2PP verification routine and also cross-read some OBs for frequent errors
• Discuss which special calibrations will be required; now and for the coming nights
• Fill in a data backup request form with the VA (now in remedy; must be filled with the help of the support astronomer). For WFI runs requiring an external USB disk it would be good to inform DHA a day in advance.

Remind on data backup

• Raw data should be available before the VA's departure
• Reduced data are the VA's own responsibility