10.1 Introduction

This chapter provides reference material to help you select your filter and detector configuration and determine your observing plan (e.g., total required exposure time, and number of exposures). For the most part, this chapter is organized by filter and detector. For each imaging mode, the following are provided:

  • Plots of total system throughput as a function of wavelength.
  • Plots of the time needed to achieve a desired signal-to-noise ratio vs. magnitude for all filters for a point source and a one square arcsecond extended source.
  • Tables of color corrections ABV to go from Johnson V magnitude to AB magnitude, and for SBC, to go from GALEX NUV and FUV to AB magnitude.


The Tables and Figures that are provided in this Chapter may differ slightly from the current results obtained using synthetic photometry software. Such differences are due to the fact that the component throughput tables are updated as needed to reflect the latest calibration results. Please contact the HST Help Desk if you have any questions regarding this subject.