17.27 Cycle 33 Calibration Plan

The Cycle 33 calibration plan describes all programs in detail. Cycle 33 continues the standard monitoring programs established in previous Cycles, with minor adjustments to improve characterization of the instrument. After a transition during Cycle 32, Cycle 33 is the first Cycle for which external calibrations are being done fully in Reduced Gyro Mode (RGM). Modifications to these programs are discussed in detail in the Cycle 33 calibration plan. These changes generally involved slightly shorter exposures and modified cadences for programs requiring repeated visits. The spectroscopic Time-Dependent Sensitivity (TDS) programs experienced a high visit failure rate during Cycle 32. For Cycle 33, we re-structured those programs to make them easier to reschedule while maintaining the necessary cadence.

A special calibration program was instituted in Cycle 31 to provide supplemental monitoring of the NUV spectroscopic sensitivity during the solar maximum. The program was extended through Cycle 32 and continues in Cycle 33. This program increases the frequency for monitoring the changes in sensitivity that have recently been observed between 1800 and 2100 Angstroms (see March 2024 STAN), using observations of selected wavelength settings with both the NUV-MAMA and the CCD.

The STIS team is currently evaluating the long-term state of the calibrations to determine what additional calibration data may be useful for construction of a legacy archive of STIS data. This ongoing effort is guided in part by the needs of the user community as reflected in usage mode statistics and help desk requests. Users who would like to make suggestions for these legacy calibrations should contact the STIS team at STScI via the HST help desk.

A detailed summary of the calibration plans for all Cycles can be found on the STIS Calibration web page.

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STIS Instrument Handbook
- • Acknowledgments
- Chapter 1: Introduction
  - • 1.1 Overview
  - • 1.2 Introduction to the Handbook
  - • 1.3 Handbook Layout
  - • 1.4 Proposal Preparations and Observations with STIS
  - • 1.5 The Help Desk at STScI
  - • 1.6 The STIS Web Pages and Support Information
  - • 1.7 Non-proprietary STIS Data
- Chapter 2: Special Considerations for Cycle 34
  - • 2.1 Impacts of Reduced Gyro Mode on Planning Observations
  - • 2.2 STIS Performance Changes Pre- and Post-SM4
  - • 2.3 New Capabilities for Cycle 34
  - • 2.4 Use of Available-but-Unsupported Capabilities
  - • 2.5 Choosing Between COS and STIS
  - • 2.6 Scheduling Efficiency and Visit Orbit Limits
  - • 2.7 MAMA Scheduling Policies
  - • 2.8 Prime and Parallel Observing: MAMA Bright-Object Constraints
  - • 2.9 STIS Snapshot Program Policies
- Chapter 3: STIS Capabilities, Design, Operations, and Observations
  - • 3.1 Instrument Capabilities
  - • 3.2 Instrument Design
  - • 3.3 Basic Instrument Operations
  - • 3.4 Designing STIS Observations
- Chapter 4: Spectroscopy
  - • 4.1 Overview
  - • 4.2 First-Order Long-Slit Spectroscopy
  - • 4.3 Echelle Spectroscopy in the Ultraviolet
  - • 4.4 Objective Prism Spectroscopy
- Chapter 5: Imaging
  - • 5.1 Imaging Overview
  - • 5.2 Optical CCD Imaging
  - • 5.3 Ultraviolet Imaging with the MAMA Detectors
  - • 5.4 Neutral Density Filters
- Chapter 6: Exposure Time Calculations
  - • 6.1 Overview
  - • 6.2 Determining Count Rates from Sensitivities
  - • 6.3 Throughput and Sensitivity
  - • 6.4 Computing Exposure Times
  - • 6.5 Detector and Sky Backgrounds
  - • 6.6 Tabular Sky Backgrounds
  - • 6.7 Extinction Correction
  - • 6.8 Exposure Time Examples
- Chapter 7: Feasibility and Detector Performance
  - • 7.1 STIS Detectors
  - • 7.2 The CCD
  - • 7.3 CCD Operation and Feasibility Considerations
  - • 7.4 The MAMA Detectors
  - • 7.5 MAMA Operation and Feasibility Considerations
  - • 7.6 MAMA Spectral and Spatial Offsetting
  - • 7.7 MAMA Bright Object Limits
- Chapter 8: Target Acquisition
  - • 8.1 Introduction
  - • 8.2 STIS Onboard CCD Target Acquisitions - ACQ
  - • 8.3 Onboard Target Acquisition Peakups - ACQ PEAK
  - • 8.4 Determining Coordinates in the International Celestial Reference System (ICRS) Reference Frame
  - • 8.5 Acquisition Examples
  - • 8.6 STIS Post-Observation Target Acquisition Analysis
- Chapter 9: Overheads and Orbit-Time Determination
  - • 9.1 Overview
  - • 9.2 STIS Exposure Overheads
  - • 9.3 Orbit Use Determination Examples
- Chapter 10: Summary and Checklist
  - • 10.1 Phase I Proposing
  - • 10.2 Phase II - Scheduling Approved Observations
- Chapter 11: Data Taking
  - • 11.1 Basic Operating Modes
  - • 11.2 Exposure Sequences and Contemporaneous Calibrations
  - • 11.3 Patterns and Dithering
  - • 11.4 Fixing Orientation on the Sky
  - • 11.5 Target Positioning
- Chapter 12: Special Uses of STIS
  - • 12.1 Slitless First-Order Spectroscopy
  - • 12.2 Long-Slit Echelle Spectroscopy
  - • 12.3 Time-Resolved Observations
  - • 12.4 Observing Too-Bright Objects with STIS
  - • 12.5 High Signal-to-Noise Ratio Observations
  - • 12.6 Improving the Sampling of the Line Spread Function
  - • 12.7 Considerations for Observing Planetary Targets
  - • 12.8 Special Considerations for Extended Targets
  - • 12.9 Parallel Observing with STIS
  - • 12.10 Coronagraphic Spectroscopy
  - • 12.11 Coronagraphic Imaging - 50CORON
  - • 12.12 Spatial Scans with the STIS CCD
- Chapter 13: Spectroscopic Reference Material
  - • 13.1 Introduction
  - • 13.2 Using the Information in this Chapter
  - 13.3 Gratings
    - • First-Order Grating G750L
    - • First-Order Grating G750M
    - • First-Order Grating G430L
    - • First-Order Grating G430M
    - • First-Order Grating G230LB
    - • Comparison of G230LB and G230L
    - • First-Order Grating G230MB
    - • Comparison of G230MB and G230M
    - • First-Order Grating G230L
    - • First-Order Grating G230M
    - • First-Order Grating G140L
    - • First-Order Grating G140M
    - • Echelle Grating E230M
    - • Echelle Grating E230H
    - • Echelle Grating E140M
    - • Echelle Grating E140H
    - • PRISM
    - • PRISM Wavelength Relationship
  - 13.4 Apertures
    - • 52X0.05 Aperture
    - • 52X0.05E1 and 52X0.05D1 Pseudo-Apertures
    - • 52X0.1 Aperture
    - • 52X0.1E1 and 52X0.1D1 Pseudo-Apertures
    - • 52X0.2 Aperture
    - • 52X0.2E1, 52X0.2E2, and 52X0.2D1 Pseudo-Apertures
    - • 52X0.5 Aperture
    - • 52X0.5E1, 52X0.5E2, and 52X0.5D1 Pseudo-Apertures
    - • 52X2 Aperture
    - • 52X2E1, 52X2E2, and 52X2D1 Pseudo-Apertures
    - • 52X0.2F1 Aperture
    - • 0.2X0.06 Aperture
    - • 0.2X0.2 Aperture
    - • 0.2X0.09 Aperture
    - • 6X0.2 Aperture
    - • 0.1X0.03 Aperture
    - • FP-SPLIT Slits 0.2X0.06FP(A-E) Apertures
    - • FP-SPLIT Slits 0.2X0.2FP(A-E) Apertures
    - • 31X0.05ND(A-C) Apertures
    - • 0.2X0.05ND Aperture
    - • 0.3X0.05ND Aperture
    - • F25NDQ Aperture
  - 13.5 Spatial Profiles
    - • First-Order Spatial Profiles
    - • Echelle Spatial Profiles
  - 13.6 Line Spread Functions
    - • First-Order Line Spread Functions
    - • Echelle Line Spread Functions
  - • 13.7 Spectral Purity, Order Confusion, and Peculiarities
  - • 13.8 MAMA Spectroscopic Bright Object Limits
- Chapter 14: Imaging Reference Material
  - • 14.1 Introduction
  - • 14.2 Using the Information in this Chapter
  - 14.3 CCD
    - • CCD Clear Imaging - 50CCD
    - • CCD Long-Pass Imaging F28X50LP
    - • F28X50OIII - CCD
    - • F28X50OII - CCD
    - • 50CORON - Clear CCD
  - 14.4 NUV-MAMA
    - • 25MAMA - NUV-MAMA, Clear
    - • F25ND3 - NUV-MAMA
    - • F25ND5 - NUV-MAMA
    - • F25NDQ - NUV-MAMA
    - • F25QTZ - NUV-MAMA, Longpass
    - • F25SRF2 - NUV-MAMA, Longpass
    - • F25MGII - NUV-MAMA
    - • F25CN270 - NUV-MAMA
    - • F25CIII - NUV-MAMA
    - • F25CN182 - NUV-MAMA
  - 14.5 FUV-MAMA
    - • 25MAMA - FUV-MAMA, Clear
    - • 25MAMAD1 - FUV-MAMA Pseudo-Aperture
    - • F25ND3 - FUV-MAMA
    - • F25ND5 - FUV-MAMA
    - • F25NDQ - FUV-MAMA
    - • F25QTZ - FUV-MAMA, Longpass
    - • F25QTZD1 - FUV-MAMA, Longpass Pseudo-Aperture
    - • F25SRF2 - FUV-MAMA, Longpass
    - • F25SRF2D1 - FUV-MAMA, Longpass Pseudo-Aperture
    - • F25LYA - FUV-MAMA, Lyman-alpha
  - • 14.6 Image Mode Geometric Distortion
  - • 14.7 Spatial Dependence of the STIS PSF
  - • 14.8 MAMA Imaging Bright Object Limits
- Chapter 15: Overview of Pipeline Calibration
  - • 15.1 Pipeline Processing Overview
  - • 15.2 How Phase II Parameter Choices Affect Calibration
  - • 15.3 More Detailed Information
- Chapter 16: Accuracies
  - • 16.1 Summary of Accuracies
- Chapter 17: Calibration Status and Plans
  - • 17.1 Introduction
  - • 17.2 Ground Testing and Calibration
  - • 17.3 STIS Installation and Verification (SMOV2)
  - • 17.4 Cycle 7 Calibration
  - • 17.5 Cycle 8 Calibration
  - • 17.6 Cycle 9 Calibration
  - • 17.7 Cycle 10 Calibration
  - • 17.8 Cycle 11 Calibration
  - • 17.9 Cycle 12 Calibration
  - • 17.10 SM4 and SMOV4 Calibration
  - • 17.11 Cycle 17 Calibration Plan
  - • 17.12 Cycle 18 Calibration Plan
  - • 17.13 Cycle 19 Calibration Plan
  - • 17.14 Cycle 20 Calibration Plan
  - • 17.15 Cycle 21 Calibration Plan
  - • 17.16 Cycle 22 Calibration Plan
  - • 17.17 Cycle 23 Calibration Plan
  - • 17.18 Cycle 24 Calibration Plan
  - • 17.19 Cycle 25 Calibration Plan
  - • 17.20 Cycle 26 Calibration Plan
  - • 17.21 Cycle 27 Calibration Plan
  - • 17.22 Cycle 28 Calibration Plan
  - • 17.23 Cycle 29 Calibration Plan
  - • 17.24 Cycle 30 Calibration Plan
  - • 17.25 Cycle 31 Calibration Plan
  - • 17.26 Cycle 32 Calibration Plan
  - • 17.27 Cycle 33 Calibration Plan
- Appendix A: Available-But-Unsupported Spectroscopic Capabilities
  - • A.1 Introduction
  - • A.2 Full Aperture Complement
  - • A.3: Additional Available-but-Unsupported Options
- • Glossary

17.27 Cycle 33 Calibration Plan

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