There are not particular procedures for VM at ISAAC. However, to prepare the observations in Paranal, you will need to:

• read the User Manual,
• know how to use P2PP,
• be able use the ETC to estimate the exposure time (DIT)
• have a defined observing strategy
• have a possible backup plan (should your source not be observable).

In particular please make yourself familiar with the instrument capabilities and constraints. Remember that observations of field containing bright objects may suffer limitation also in visitor mode,and that strongly saturating objects will be subject to the approval of the ISAAC instrument scientist and/or the head of PSO. Please check-once your VM run has been scheduled- that your targets are not too close to the moon (i.e. less than 20 deg), and in case of severe conflict contact ESO.

Please make your self familiar with the calibration plan of the instrument. Remember that the evening twilight is partly reserved tot he observatory calibration plans for the estimate of the zero points.A special tool is available at the ISAAC console to search for telluric standards of given magnitude and spectral type. The OBs for such a calibration will be prepared on-line at the telescope console. Any special standard and/or telluric will be responsibility of the visitor.

Please consider that a pipeline is available at the telescope console for on-line data reduction. However not all observing mode are supported.

The preparation of a backup program is strongly recommended, should you not be able to point at your principal targets and/or to fulfill your proposed science due to (e.g.) the weather/sky conditions. If no backup program was mentioned in your phase 1 proposal, you must seek for its approval by the head of PSO before the beginning of the run.

Please, refer to the following page for the available tools at the console: Tips and tools for visitors