1. Observing At NOIRLab
  2. Proposals
  3. NSF's NOIRLab Call for Standard Proposals: Semester 2022B

NSF's NOIRLab Call for Standard Proposals: Semester 2022B

 

This Call for Proposals 2022B (CfP22B) covers the observing time period from 1 August 2022 – 31 January 2023. 

Proposal Deadline: 31 March 2022 at 11:59 pm Mountain Standard Time (MST). 

1. General Information on NSF's NOIRLab Observing Proposals 

Proposals for standard observing programs at all ground-based facilities coordinated by the NSF's NOIRLab, which include US time on the telescopes of Gemini, CTIO (including SMARTS and SOAR), and KPNO (WIYN), as well as community-access time with other observatories (which for 2022B include CHARA, Keck, Las Cumbras Observatory (LCO), and MINERA-Australis), can be submitted twice per year. For the 2022B semester, the deadline is:

Standard Programs: Deadline is 31 March 2022 at 11:59pm Mountain Standard Time (=Tucson time)  for the 1 August 2022 – 31 January 2023 observing period (2022B).
 
This Call is for Standard Observing proposals only.  More details about the process of submitting observing proposals to NOIRLab can be found at:
 
 
This Call for Proposals document is focused on updates and news specific to semester 2022B.
 

 - Update: Dual Anonymous 2-stage Review

Semester 2022B marks the beginning of the Dual Anonymous Review Process (DARP) for all observing proposals submitted to NOIRLab (including proposals submitted for time on the Gemini telescopes).  This process requires that certain text sections of observing proposals must be anonymous, with these anonymous sections being:

- Abstract
- Science Justification
- Experimental Design
- Technical Design
 
In the second stage of the process, additional non-anonymized information relevant to the proposal will be revealed to the review panel in order to obtain a final ranking.
 
Compliance with this policy is mandatory.  Proposers, please take sufficient time to prepare your anonymous manuscript, especially if you are going to resubmit a proposal from a previous semester.
 
Detailed anonymization instructions for PIs can be found at  https://noirlab.edu/science/observing-noirlab/proposals/anonymization-instructions .
 
 
A short summary of points on anonymizing are listed below:

1. Do not claim ownership of past work, e.g., "my previously funded work..." or "Our prior analysis demonstrates that…”

2. Do not include the names of the personnel associated with the proposal or their organizational affiliations. This includes but is not limited to, page headers, footers, diagrams, figures, or watermarks. This does not include references to past work, which should be included whenever relevant (see below). 

3. Referencing is an essential part of demonstrating knowledge of the field and progress. When citing references within the proposal, use third person neutral wording.  Do not refer to previous observing campaigns or other observatories in an identifying fashion. 

4. If it is important to cite exclusive access datasets, non-public software, unpublished data, or findings that have been presented in public before but are not cite-able, proposers must use language such as "obtained in private communication" or "from private consultation" when referring to such potentially identifying work.

5. Do not include any acknowledgments, or the source of any grant funding.

In addition, the NOIRLab TAC staff will be hosting a virtual webinar to discuss this new requirement and provide time for Q&A. The 30 minute session will be on Friday, March 4 at Noon (12pm) MST and will  be recorded and posted for future reference. Please register at the link below to attend the live session:

- Update: COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is still affecting many observatory operations, in particular the Kitt Peak and Cerro Tololo sites remain closed to visitors.  The situation continues to be too uncertain to project where we will be on 1 August 2022, so proposers should assume that they will have to observe remotely.  The situation will be monitored and we will notify the community of any updates.

- Questions

Questions concerning NOIRLab proposals can be directed to:
  • Verne V. Smith, NSF's NOIRLab CSDC/TAC Program Head (verne.smith@noirlab.edu)

2. Instructions for Submitting Semester 2022B Proposals

The 2022B Call for Proposals covers proposals for observing programs at all ground-based facilities on which the NSF NOIRLab manages open-access observing time.  Information about the newly launched NOIRLab proposal process can be found at:
 
https://time-allocation.noirlab.edu/#/  -  (Contact proposal-help@noirlab.edu if you have trouble during login, signup or proposal submission. **note** Proposal copying from semesters prior to 2022A is currently unavailable)
 
Instructions for preparing and submitting an NSF NOIRLAB standard proposal can be found at:
 
 
An NSF NOIRLab proposal MUST be prepared and submitted via the web-based submission process, using the format as provided by a LaTeX or Word template. Please note that proposal copying from semesters prior to 2022A is currently unavailable, and manual transposition may be required.
 
Gemini Proposal Investigators who are applying for time on the Gemini telescopes must use Gemini Observatory's Phase I Tool (PIT) to prepare their observing proposals. The PIT is available from the Gemini Observatory at: 

http://software.gemini.edu/phase1/2022B/

Classical observers using US time  should be prepared to fund their own travel for their observing trips.  The NSF NOIRLab will support graduate students traveling for observations that are part of their PhD thesis work.  To be eligible for NOIRLab funding for thesis observing, the thesis advisor must complete and submit the form found at:
 
 

3. News and Updates for Semester 2022B

The following updates to instrumentation and or observing time at all facilities available through the NSF NOIRLab are noted here to alert investigators preparing proposals.
 

3.1 New Proposal Review Implemented 2022B: Dual Anonymous Review Process (DARP)

As noted in Section 1 above, Semester 2022B marks the beginning of the Dual Anonymous Review Process (DARP) for all observing proposals submitted to NOIRLab (including proposals submitted for time on the Gemini telescopes).  This process requires that the abstract, science justification, and experimental and technical design sections in all observing proposals must be anonymized.  In the second stage of the process, additional non-anonymized information relevant to the proposal will be revealed to the review panel in order to obtain a final ranking

Detailed anonymization instructions for PIs can be found at  https://noirlab.edu/science/observing-noirlab/proposals/anonymization-instructions , while a document of FAQ can also be found at
 
In addition, the NOIRLab TAC staff will be hosting a virtual webinar to discuss this new requirement and provide time for Q&A. The 30 minute session will be on Friday, March 4 at Noon (12pm) MST and will  be recorded and posted for future reference. Please register at the link below to attend the live session:

3.2 Keck I and Keck II Observing Time in 2022B

Through the NSF's Mid-Scale Innovations Program (MSIP), NOIRLab observing time on Keck I and Keck II will be available through semester 2025A.   In 2022B, 3 nights on Keck I and 2 nights on Keck II are available.  
 
Note that all proposers for Keck time must submit a Proposal Cover Sheet Form to Keck.  The cover sheet can be found at https://www2.keck.hawaii.edu/inst/PILogin/login.php .  You must have a Keck Observer account to submit this form to Keck; if you do not have an Observer account, you can create one on the above link.  If you have forgotten your login name and password, help is available at the login page.  From your Keck homepage you can view your upcoming telescope runs, view your previous semesters' coversheets, create or modify coversheets for the upcoming semester, view and modify your contact information and profile.  Additional information on proposing for Keck time can be found at https://www2.keck.hawaii.edu/observing/apply.html
 
Instrument availability, along with all relevant information, can be found at:
 

Special Notes and Consideration for 2022B:

Keck I Telescope:  There will be a 12 night period of shutdown and engineering occurring in either September or October bright time in order to conduct repair work on the Keck I telescope pier. 

KCWI:  KCWI will be unavailable during the 22B semester for the installation and commissioning of the red channel, KCRM.  

NIRSPAO/NIRSPEC: Nirspec and Nirspao nights may be scheduled in campaign mode to limit the number of reconfigs into AO during the semester. 

KPIC: KPIC is being upgraded in both 22A and 22B.  KPIC will be available for shared-risk science in the October to January portion of 22B in collaboration with and supported by the KPIC team. KPIC is expected to become available as a facility capability in 23A. 

NIRC2:

 - The vortex coronagraph in LGS mode is not available.

 - The vortex coronagraph with the PyWFS is only available through collaboration with the PyWFS and vortex development teams.

Please, see the NIRC2 manual (https://www2.keck.hawaii.edu/inst/nirc2/ObserversManual.html#Section5.2.2) for information about vortex operations.

DEIMOS: The top-left CCD on the detector mosaic is noisier than the rest of the CCDs. Please see https://www2.keck.hawaii.edu/inst/deimos/detector_issues.html for guidelines on how to design your MOS masks with this issue in mind.

At-Home (pajama mode) Observing: 

-        At-Home observing will continue to be available to observers

-        At home observing requires the installation of software which only runs on linux and macOS operating systems. 

-        Observers using at home observing should plan to work with Keck staff to install and test the software several days ahead of their run to allow time for troubleshooting. 

3.3 NN-EXPLORE in 2022B: Time Available on the WIYN 3.5m, the CTIO/SMARTS 1.5m with CHIRON, and MINERVA-Australis.  

The NASA-NSF Exoplanet Observational Research (NN-EXPLORE) program continues in semester 2022B.  Detailed information about NN-EXPLORE can be found at https://noirlab.edu/science/observing-noirlab/proposals/nn-explore/. 
 
WIYN 3.5m
The NNEXPLORE program continues on the WIYN 3.5m, with 35 nights available for  exoplanet programs.  See more details about NN-EXPLORE on WIYN in Section 3.7.
 
CTIO/SMARTS 1.5m+CHIRON
NNEXPLORE offers observing time on the CTIO/SMARTS 1.5m with the precision radial-velocity spectrometer CHIRON, with 300 hours (equivalent to 30 nights of service observing) of observing time in 2022B.  See more details on the 1.5m/CHIRON in Section 3.8.
 
MINERVA-Australis
As part of the NNEXPLORE program, NASA is continuing in a partnership with the MINERVA-Australis consortium that began in 2020B.  That agreement continues in Semester 2022A, with 300 hours of observing time open to NNEXPLORE proposals.  MINERVA-Australis is a dedicated exoplanet observatory operated by the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) in Queensland, Australia. The facility is located at USQ's Mt. Kent Observatory, and saw first light in quarter two 2018; commissioning of the facility was completed in mid-2019.  MINERVA-Australis currently consists of 5 (0.7m) PlaneWave CDK700 telescopes; these telescopes have two ports, allowing each to be used for either spectroscopic or photometric observations.   A summary of the facility and its capabilities can be found in the commissioning paper by Addison et al. 2019
The photometric channel is capable of milli-magnitude precision and currently, the light from four telescopes can be combined onto one R=75,000 echelle spectrograph for radial velocity precisions of 1 -10 m/s depending on the target brightness and how many telescopes are combined.  
 
- Note on Restrictions to MINERVA-Australis Call

NASA has made available to the US community 300 hours on the Minerva-Australis facility for the 2022B semester.  The time is intended for exoplanet research, primarily of TESS targets but other exoplanet science will be considered.  Proposed observing time will be allocated in hours and must include all science and calibration observations necessary to accomplish the science.  More information can be requested by contacting David Ciardi at NExScI (ciardi@ipac.caltech.edu) or Rob Wittenmyer at University of Southern Queensland (Rob.Wittenmyer@usq.edu.au). 

As the MINERVA-Australis is a scientific consortium, there are a set of restrictions by which proposers must abide:

• The MINERVA-Australis has listed a set of “Collaboration Targets,” which are a set of  targets that the collaboration is observing (see https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M4ee7qRmhMoldLqbngZD7qXMOQSzZvhV/view?usp=sharing__;!!PvBDto6Hs4WbVuu7!bQiLiXo3BVwkHQbR0BcXUQQTSbPCmfGjwn_M_AxEcZRASVtWNWsoGnp5bhGUX7dS24dGjMrw$ ) “Collaboration Targets” can be proposed for observation through the NASA time if the proposal principal investigator forms a collaboration with the appropriate MINERVA-Australis collaboration or the proposer and the MINERVA-Australis collaboration member come to a mutual agreement regarding the proposed observations.

• Observations will be made, on behalf of the NASA observers, in queue-mode by the MINERVA-Australis team.

• The MINERVA-Australis team will deliver the proposer’s raw data, 1D extracted spectra, and radial velocities (if desired by the proposer).

• Data obtained for US community observers will be archived at NExScI –through the ExoFOP service.  Archived data will have the option to have a maximum 12 month proprietary period.

• Any publications arising from the utilization of NASA time on MINERVA-Australis are subject to the main MINERVA-Australis publication policy regarding the inclusion of the listed Architects and Builders [to be provided by the Collaboration] and must acknowledge the NN-EXPLORE Program.Note

3.4 CHARA Increases Time Available to 40 Nights in 2022B

The NOIRLab allocation of observing time on CHARA has increased to 40 nights for 2022B.  The current instruments available are CLASSIC, CLIMB, PAVO, and MIRC-X/MYSTIC. 

VEGA has been decommissioned and it is expected that SPICA (its replacement) will only become available, at the earliest, in 2023A.

More information on CHARA and its instruments can be found at http://www.chara.gsu.edu .

3.5 Las Cumbres Observatory

As in recent semesters, NOIR Lab time is available on both the 1m and 2m telescopes comprising the LCO global array.  In Semester 2022B, 1250 hours of time are available on the 1m telescopes and 200 hours on the 2m telescopes.  More information on LCO facilities can be found at:
 

3.6 Gemini North and South

The Gemini Observatory has released a Call for Proposals for 2022B at:
 
 
The Gemini Call contains all of the information necessary to submit a Gemini proposal.  We suggest strongly that you also read the Gemini CfP if you are requesting Gemini or Subaru-exchange time to be aware of the latest news.
 
Proposers requesting Gemini time must use the Gemini Phase-I Tool (PIT):

The Gemini Phase I Tool (PIT) will automatically add the time for the baseline partner calibrations to the total time requested for each target in the proposal.

Gemini-Subaru Exchange
Gemini and Subaru are continuing their time-exchange program. A minimum of 5 nights will be available to the Gemini community, providing that there is sufficient demand from both sides of the exchange. Please see the Gemini Call for Proposals for more Subaru-specific information. Proposers requesting Subaru time must use the Gemini Phase-I Tool (PIT).
 

3.7 Zwicky Transient Facility and ANTARES event brokering

The NSF MSIP-funded Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) is currently issuing public transient alerts.  ZTF-II is now doing a two-night cadence all-sky survey as its public survey.  More information can be found at:
 
For 2022B, the NSF NOIRLab encourages submission of proposals for “target-of-opportunity” (ToO) follow-up observing triggered by ZTF alerts. Proposals should plan to use the current ToO policies and mechanisms for the facilities allocated through the NSF NOIRLab TAC. More information about current ToO policies and procedures at available open-access facilities can be found here:
 
Gemini Target of Opportunity observing:
 
CTIO Target of Opportunity observing:
 
 
Las Cumbres Observatory scheduling (including ToO)
 
The NSF NOIRLab is currently filtering ZTF alerts through the ANTARES event broker system (https://antares.noirlab.edu). For 2022B, ANTARES capabilities include positional and/or catalog-based filters with associated delta-magnitude thresholds, as well as more complex filters.  Proposers interested in employing these ANTARES capabilities within their programs during 2022B are encouraged to contact Dr. Tom Matheson (tom.matheson@noirlab.edu) in advance of the proposal deadline. Support for ANTARES science verification programs will be subject to availability of resources; depending on demand during this initial call, it is possible that only a subset of programs will be chosen for use with ANTARES.

3.8 KPNO

Mayall 4-m

The Mayall 4-m telescope is currently in the midst of survey observing with the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). No time will be available through the NSF NOIRLab TAC.

WIYN 3.5m

Approximately 35 nights devoted to NN-EXPLORE programs will be available for NSF NOIRLab observing time in 2022B.  More details on the NN-EXPLORE Program on WIYN can be found at: https://noirlab.edu/science/observing-noirlab/proposals/nn-explore

Information specific to proposing for time using the precision radial-velocity spectrograph NEID can be found at:  https://www.wiyn.org/Instruments/wiynneid_call2022b.html

Open-access proposals, other than NNEXPLORE, can be submitted to WIYN, but these would only be scheduled if NNEXPLORE programs could not be scheduled for all of the NOIRLab WIYN time; in particular, proposals using only Hydra or ODI might have the best chance to be fit into time slots that could not fit into the NNEXPLORE schedule.

WIYN 0.9m

No new proposals are solicited in 2022B for the 0.9m with HDI.  We are working on re-opening as soon as possible and will issue a call for proposals at that time.

3.9 CTIO

Blanco 4m

Nights available in 2022B for new regular programs is approximately 80.

Instruments available: In 2022B, CTIO will be offering the Dark Energy Camera  (DECam) and the Cerro Tololo Ohio State Multi-Object Spectrograph (COSMOS):

https://noirlab.edu/science/programs/ctio/instruments/Dark-Energy-Camera

https://noirlab.edu/science/programs/ctio/instruments/COSMOS   

NEWFIRM: We expect to begin recommissioning the NEWFIRM wide Field IR imager on the Blanco telescope during the 2022B semester. (See articlefor further details).  If all goes well we will solicit Science Verification (SV) proposals from our user community and select a few to be executed in October–December 2022. Clearly these dates depend on the performance of the instrument and could easily slip if problems need to be fixed. Updates on the NEWFIRM commissioning schedule can be found on the NEWFIRM webpage.  The recommissioning and SV of NEWFIRM may affect the scheduling of proposals requesting f/8 time with COSMOS in 2022B. As a result, there may be very limited time for COSMOS observing in 2022B. Because of the anticipated high demand for NEWFIRM, we expect that COSMOS will be retired at the end of the 2023A semester.

Night time operations at the Blanco telescope resumed in October 2020, however visiting observers are not currently permitted nor are expected to be in the near future. All proposers should therefore plan to observe remotely during the whole of 2022B. See the Information on equipment and software requirements and how to carry out remote observations at Blanco at: 

http://www.ctio.noao.edu/noao/content/Remote-Observing-Blanco

Note that we are waiving the requirement that all observers must have had previous observing experience at the telescope in order to carry out remote observations. However, we strongly encourage the involvement of experienced observers within your team in the planning and execution of your observations.

SOAR

It is expected that approximately 49 nights of NOIRLab time will be available on SOAR for 2022B.

The SOAR website is located at:

https://noirlab.edu/science/programs/ctio/telescopes/soar-telescope/about

Instruments: All instruments that were available in the previous two semesters, including TripleSpec 4.1, are currently available. See the Facilities Table in Sections 4.1 and 4.2 below for a list with links.

SOAR AEON update -

For semester 2022B, we will be offering TripleSpec 4.1 in queue mode for the first time. As this will be the first semester with the instrument, we will be limiting options to the most-used observing mode, which is a basic ABBA dither pattern suitable for point sources. The observing block will also include a nearby telluric standard and an optional arc. The instrument continues to be available in classical mode for observers who require more complex observations.

We continue to offer the Goodman spectrograph with both red and blue cameras, in several spectroscopic and imaging configurations.

For details, please see:
https://noirlab.edu/science/observing-noirlab/observing-ctio/observing-soar/aeon


SOAR Target of Opportunity Update -

Detection of gravitational wave events is currently expected to resume late in semester 2022B (further updates to the start date are expected in mid-March). In contrast to the policy for the O3 campaign that ended in March 2020, we will treat approved GWE follow-up programs as standard ToO programs, governed by the current policy (https://noirlab.edu/science/observing-noirlab/observing-ctio/observing-soar/proposing-soar/targets-opportunity-overview). This policy has been revised since 2020, and should allow well-designed GWE follow-up programs to achieve their goals.

 

As previously, if there are competing requests for follow-up of the same event on the same night, the first proposal to trigger will have priority but must promptly share the raw data with any other approved proposal team that requests it.

 

SMARTS (1.5m with CHIRON and 0.9m with CFCCD)

Time on the small telescopes at CTIO will be available to NSF NOIRLab users in 2022B.  The telescopes are operated by the SMARTS Consortium with up to 15% of time available to the NSF NOIRLab community.  The SMARTS web site is http://www.astro.gsu.edu/~thenry/SMARTS/.
 
The 1.5m + CHIRON (fiber-fed cross-dispersed echelle):
300 hours are available for the NNEXPLORE program, and assuming the facility remains open for all of 2022B, 180 hours will be available for scheduling by the NOIRLab TAC for non-NNEXPLORE programs.  For more information on the 1.5m, please contact Dr. Todd Henry at thenry@astro.gsu.edu.  Note that non-sidereal tracking is not supported with CHIRON spectroscopy at the 1.5m; the only option for non-sidereal targets is imaging via user time on the 0.9m.
 
The 0.9m + CFCCD:
The 0.9m can currently only be operated in user mode, so will not be available in 2022B as long as visitor access to the site is restricted because of the pandemic.  It is very hard to predict if and when this
may change because it depends on the evolution of the pandemic, public health regulations, and international travel restrictions.  We encourage applications for time on the understanding that it may not be possible to execute all, or any, of the successful proposals.  In the event that the site is open, up to 12 nights could be available for allocation by the NSF NOIRLab TAC.
 
For more information on the 0.9m, please contact Dr. Todd Henry at thenry@astro.gsu.edu. 
 

3.10 NOIRLab and NASA Space Observatories Observing Time

The NSF's NOIRLab collaborates with NASA Space Observatories, the Hubble Space Telescope, Chandra, and Fermi, to provide investigators with complementary ground-based observations in support of their programs. Investigators can obtain time on facilities available through NOIRLab through successful proposals for Fermi, HST, and Chandra programs (with a total summed time limit of 5% on any given telescope for all programs in this collaboration) . This collaboration allows proposers to avoid the double jeopardy inherent in having to pass through two separate TAC processes, and provides access to facilities essential to obtaining complementary ground-based O/IR data without regard to institutional affiliation. The time awarded through this process will not be extended or augmented to account for losses due to bad weather.

Gemini Time:

Note, programs that requested observations with the Gemini telescopes, must submit a Gemini proposal, using the Gemini PIT, to NOIRLab, where the NOIRLab TAC will recommend either Band 1 or Band 2 Gemini queue time. 

3.11 JWST Synergies in 2022B

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was successfully launched on 25 December 2021 and, at the time of the release of this Call, is currently in its commissioning phase at L2.  JWST will offer extensive photometric and spectroscopic capabilities spanning the wavelength range 0.7 to 28 microns. Science observations are anticipated to begin in June 2022, after the completion of commissioning activities.

This section is a reminder that ground-based observations have complemented many observing programs carried out on the various space observatories, and NOIRLab encourages proposals that continue this tradition with JWST (note the "JWST Synergies" category for Gemini proposals in the Gemini 2022B Call for Proposals:  https://www.gemini.edu/observing/phase-i/standard-semester-program/2022b-call-proposals ).  Proposals that include either scheduled or proposed JWST observations will be assessed based on the science expectations for the full program, including both the JWST observations (whether approved for Cycle 1, or envisioned for Cycle 2 and beyond) and NOIRLab observations, as described in the Science Justification and Experimental Design sections.  Completion of the Use of Other Facilities or Resources section is not required.
 

4. General Information about Facilities Available through NOIRLab

4.1 Facilities List

 
Facility Telescope

Approximate nights available for new standard 2022B programs

 Additional Information
Gemini

8m Gemini North

8m Gemini South

8m Subaru (through time exchange)

58

56

 

3

 

 https://www.gemini.edu/observing/phase-i/standard-semester-program/2022b-call-proposals
CTIO 4m Blanco 80 https://noirlab.edu/science/programs/ctio
SOAR 4.2m SOAR 49 https://noirlab.edu/science/programs/ctio/telescopes/soar-telescope/about
SMARTS

1.5m

 

 

0.9m

NN-EXPLORE 300 hrs + 180 hrs for regular programs 

12

 http://www.astro.gsu.edu/~thenry/SMARTS/
WIYN

3.5m WIYN

 

0.9m

35 (NNEXPLORE)

0

 https://www.wiyn.org/
CHARA

6 x 1m aperture

interferometer

 40 http://www.chara.gsu.edu/public/instrumentation/
LCO

Global telescope network of 1m and 2m telescopes

1250 hrs (1m)

200 hrs (2m)

 https://lco.global/astronomers/

Keck 1

Keck 2

10m

10m

3

2

 https://www2.keck.hawaii.edu/observing/instavail.html
MINERVA-Australis  0.7m x 5  300 hrs https://www.usq.edu.au/hes/school-of-mathematics-physics-and-computing/mt-kent-observatory
       
       

 

4.2 Telescope and Instrument Lists (with Instrument Proposal Code and Web-link)

Gemini-North

GMOS-N: Gemini Optical Imager, Multi-Object Spectrograph and IFU
Note that the R600 grating is not available in 2022B.
 
GNIRS: Gemini Near Infra-Red Spectrograph 
As before, the short red camera is NOT available. YJHK imaging is available via the acquisition keyhole. Two new IFUs are expected to be commissioned in July/August 2022 and will be offered for Fast Turnaround proposals only in semester 2022B.
 
GNIRS + Altair: Gemini Near Infra-Red Spectrograph with AO system (Altair).  
 
NIFS: Near-IR IFU Spectrograph
NIFS shares a port with NIRI and MAROON-X, hence it will only be available during specific blocks. NIFS is expected to be scheduled for two or three approximately one-month-long blocks during the semester. If the GNIRS IFUs are successfully commissioned in 2022, semester 2022B may be the last B semester where NIFS is offered.
 
NIFS + Altair: Near-IR IFU Spectrograph with AO system (Altair).  
 
NIRI: Near-Infrared Imager
NIRI is NOT available for spectroscopy. This instrument shares a port with NIFS and MAROON-X, hence it will only be available during specific blocks. NIRI  is expected to be scheduled for two or three approximately one-month-long blocks during the semester.
 
NIRI + Altair: Near-IR Imager with AO system (Altair).  
 
'Alopeke: Speckle Camera (visiting instrument)
The scheduling and length of the 'Alopeke visiting block(s) will be subject to community demand.  Targets of Opportunity (Rapid or Standard) are accepted for 'Alopeke, but will only be executed during the instrument blocks.
 
GRACES: Gemini Remote Access to CFHT ESPaDOnS Spectrograph (visiting instrument)
Scheduled blocks to be determined with CFHT (where the instrument resides), based on demand. Semester 2022B may be the last B semester where GRACES is offered, as the agreement with CFHT currently does not extend past 23A.
 
MAROON-X: Precision Radial-Velocity High-Reolution Spectrograph (visiting instrument)
This instrument shares a port with NIFS and NIRI, hence it will only be available during specific blocks. MAROON-X is expected to be scheduled for two or three approximately one-month-long blocks during the semester. 

Gemini-South

FLAMINGOS-2: Near-Infrared Wide Field Imager and Spectrometer (imaging, longslit, and MOS modes)
Offered in imaging, long-slit and NEW in 2022B MOS modes throughout the semester.
 
GMOS-S: Gemini Optical Imager, Multi-Object Spectrograph and IFU
Note the R600 grating is not available in 2022B
 
GSAOI/GeMS: Gemini Adaptive Optics Imager with Multi-Conjugate AO System
Due to guide star limitations, proposers must check the availability of guide star constellations using the Observing Tool before submitting a proposal.
 
Observations in IQ85 are possible for programs that can use delivered images with full-width half-maximum of ~0.2 arcseconds as opposed to the ≤ 0.1 arcseconds delivered in IQ70 or IQ20 conditions. Observations under non-photometric conditions with 0.1 mag uniform extinction are also possible under very good IQ conditions.  The expectation is to have two or three laser runs of 7 nights each during the semester, the actual schedule will be based on the demand from the community.
 
Zorro: Speckle Camera (visiting Instrument)
The scheduling and length of the Zorro visiting block(s) will be subject to community demand.  Targets of Opportunity (Rapid or Standard) are accepted for Zorro, but will only be executed during the instrument blocks.
 
IGRINS: High-Resolution Near-IR Cross-Dispersed Echelle Spectrometer (visiting instrument)
Available throughout 2022B except for two weeks before and during the 7-night GeMS/GSAOI runs. See the IGRINS at Gemini page for important information about writing IGRINS proposals.

Subaru (Gemini Exchange time)

AO 188 (Subaru 188-element Adaptive Optics system) is available but only in Natural Guide Star mode,  LGS-AO is not offered..
 
FOCAS: Faint Object Camera and Spectrograph; the IFU mode is available.
 
HDS: High Dispersion Spectrograph (optical).
 
HSC: Hyper Suprime-Cam Wide-Field Optical Imager: queue is the primary mode. Classical mode is also accepted.  The requested time should include overheads and be in multiples of one hour.
 
IRCS: IR Camera and Spectrograph: all polarimetry mode of IRCS is open as a shared-risk mode.
 
IRCS+AO188: IRCS + Natural Guide Star AO.  The polarimetry mode is a shared-risk mode.
 

Visiting Instruments on Subaru offered in 2022A (limited to one or two runs).  Proposals to use visiting instruments must include the instrument PIs as Co-investigators.

CHARIS : Coronagraphic High Angular Resolution Imaging Spectrograph - provides high contrast images of exoplanets, disks, brown dwarfs with SCExAO+AO188.  https://scholar.princeton.edu/charis

Fast PDI : (in shared-risk mode): availability to be confirmed in April.  Polarization differential imaging (PDI) with a high speed (>kHz) near-IR (950 - 1860 nm) low-noise camera (C-RED One), optimized for high contrast imaging of circumstellar disks with SCExAO+AO188. 

IRD - Infrared Doppler: (in shared-risk mode): infrared high-dispersion, high resolution (up to 70,000) fiber-fed spectrometer.  IRD SSP is started in 2019A – any IRD proposal must clarify how its scientific aim is different from SSP. The observing mode REACH (SCExAO+IRD), is available. One of the IRD detectors (YJ-band) has been unavailable from the beginning of January 2022. It might be still unavailable in S22B, depending on the progress of troubleshooting in Feb 2022. Please contact the IRD team for more details.

MEC (in shared-risk mode): the MKID Exoplanet Camera is a near-IR (800-1400nm) photon-counting low-resolution (R~5) integral field spectrograph optimized for high contrast imaging with SCExAO+AO188.

SWIMS: (in shared-risk mode): Simultaneous-color Wide-field Infrared Multi-object Spectrograph - an imager and multi-object spectrograph in the NIR wavelength. SWIMS-IFU may be available in S22B but is still undergoing testing. SWIMS IFU proposals can be accepted, but it is possible they will not be scheduled.   http://www.ioa.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/TAO/swims/?Summary_for_Subaru_S21A_CfP             

VAMPIRES : The Visible Aperture Masking Polarimetric Imager for Resolved Exoplanetary Strucutres is a visible light instrument on the SCExAO system.   https://www.naoj.org/Projects/SCEXAO/scexaoWEB/030openuse.web/040vampires.web/indexm.html    

NsIR Wave Plate Unit:  for IRCS/SCExAO polarimetry mode. 

 

Keck I        

HIRES            

LRIS               

MOSFIRE       

OSIRIS           

Keck II

DEIMOS

ESI

KCWI

NIRES

NIRC2

https://www2.keck.hawaii.edu/inst/index.php

 

CTIO 4m Blanco

DECam: Wide-Field Optical Imager
 
COSMOS: CTIO Ohio State Multi-Object Spectrograph

SOAR 4m

Goodman: Goodman Spectrograph
 
SOI: SOAR Optical Imager
 
TripleSpec4.1 (ex-ARCOIRIS): Cross-dispersed, single-object, longslit, IR imaging spectrograph
 
Spartan: Spartan IR Imager
 
SAM: SOAR Adaptive Module
 
SIFS: SOAR Integral-Unit Spectrograph

WIYN 3.5m

NEID: NN-EXPLORE Exoplanet Investigations with Doppler spectroscopy, precision RV spectrograph
 
ODI: One Degree Imager (40' x 48' focal plane)
 
HYDRB: Hydra + Bench Spectrograph + STA1 CCD, Blue camera
 
HYDRR: Hydra + Bench Spectrograph + STA1 CCD, Red camera
 
SPSPKB: SparsePak Fiber Array + Bench Spectrograph + STA1 CCD, Blue camera
 
SPSPKR: SparsePak Fiber Array + Bench Spectrograph + STA1 CCD, Red camera
 
WHIRC: WIYN High Resolution IR Camera
 
GRDPK: GradPak IFU
 
HEXPK: HexPak IFU
 
NESSI: NASA Exoplanet Star (and) Speckle Imager

CHARA

CLASSIC: IR (H or K) Imaging
 
CLIMB: IR (H or K) Imaging
 
MIRC-X/MYSTIC: Low-resolution H-band Spectroscopy
 
PAVO: Low-resolution Optical Spectroscopy
 

LCO-2m Global Network

Spectral: Optical Imager
 
FLOYDS: Cross-dispersed Low-resolution Spectrograph

MuSCAT3: Four-channel simultaneous imager              https://lco.global/observatory/instruments/muscat3/

LCO-1m Global Network

Sinistro: Optical Imager
 
NRES: High-resolution Fiber-fed Echelle Spectrograph

SMARTS 1.5m

CHIRON: High-resolution Fiber-fed Cross-dispersed Echelle Spectrograph for Precision RV

SMARTS 0.9m

CFIM+T2K: Cass Direct + SITe 2K CCD

WIYN 0.9m

HDI: Half-Degree Imager
 

 

5. How to Acknowledge Use of NSF's NOIRLab Facilities

There are a variety of credit lines which are appropriate for citing the use of data from one or more of the NOIRLab facilities. Please acknowledge the proper observatories by using the appropriate credit line as described in the following link:

https://noirlab.edu/public/research/scientific-acknowledgments/