[ ESO ]

ESO Science Archive
Query Help Page

Archive Facility HOME ESO HOME INFO

General Description
The ESO Archive Database contains all observations performed with the ESO telescopes. The observations have a proprietary period of one year. After this period the archival data sets are available to the general astronomical community.
To retrieve offline observational data you have to register as an ESO/ST-ECF Archive user.
The following sections provide short help on how to use and what to enter for the various query parameters offered in the web interface pages of the Archive. The query interface allows to use operators as well; for more information on that please refer to the wdb help page.
Target Information
This section provides information about the query parameters used to find observations of specific named objects or centered on specified RA and DEC coordinates.
Target Target identifier will be resolved into coordinates by Simbad (default) or searched against the OBJECT keyword value 
included in the data FITS header
Search Box If the target name has been resolved by Simbad you can enter here the size of a search box around the target coordinates.
RA Alternatively to the Target you can specify RA here. Recognised format is either decimal degrees or hh mm ss.
DEC Alternatively to the Target you can specify DEC here. Recognised format is either decimal degrees or dd mm ss
Observing Programme Information and Scheduling Parameters
This section provides information on the query parameters used to find observations carried out during specific nights or in a specific programme.
Night Enter here the date of the beginning of the night in DD MM YYYY or specify a range of nights in the Start and End fields
Start Enter the date of the first night in DD MM YYYY and select a time from the pull-down menu.
End Enter the date of the last night in DD MM YYYY and select a time from the pull-down menu.
Run/Programme ID Read the documentation on the ESO programme identification code.
Programme Type

 

Allocation The first column in the query results summarizes the schedule information on each allocated run. For visitor mode runs, it provides the information on the starting and ending dates of scheduling. It also links to a detailed scheduling for each observing run.
Period Telescope time for ESO telescopes on Paranal and La Silla is allocated twice a year in periods of 6 months.
Observing Mode
  • Service mode: about 60% of the total time available for observations on Paranal will be carried out in Service Mode (SM). SM is also the only mode supported for APEX, VST and VISTA. It is not offered on any La Silla telescope.

  • Visitor mode: in Visitor Mode (VM) the astronomer is physically present at the observatory during the observations. Each approved VM run will be allocated specific calendar nights. One of the programme investigators will travel to the Observatory and execute the observations. Visitor Mode is not offered on VST, VISTA or APEX.

  • Designated visitor mode: Designated Visitor Mode (DVM) instead of regular Visitor Mode (VM). Designated VM observations are scheduled on specific dates/slots as if they were regular Visitor Mode runs, but they are executed by an ESO staff member, in close contact with the Principal Investigator, or someone the PI designates to serve as the liaison with the Observatory.

  • Technical time slots: by choosing this mode, the query returns the list of technical time slots allocated at the given telescope. These include time reserved for technical activities like hardware/software maintenance, science verification and instrument commissioning. During the technical time slots the telescope is not available for normal operations. This needs to be considered, for instance, when planning target of opportunity triggers.

  • Service mode slots: by choosing this mode, the query returns the list of pre-allocated service mode slots at the given telescope. During these slots the time is reserved for the execution of service mode observations. The runs are selected by the night astronomers according to target visibility, possible time constraints and prevailing ambient conditions. For these reasons it is not possible to make a prediction of which observations will be executed during a specific service mode slot. The list of service mode slots can be used to plan, for instance, target of opportunity triggers.

 

Scheduled from Starting date of scheduling.
Allocated time Observing time allocated to a run, in hours (h) or nights (n). Available only as output field.
Proposal Title Title of the ESO observing programme or proposal.
Remarks

Remarks/comments on the scheduled run/programme.
Abstract Abstracts of ESO proposals are made publicly available once the proprietary period of the associated data is expired.
PI and CoIs Last name of the Principal Investigator and/or Co-Investigators
Observer The observer of the programme can be the PI or coI of the proposal in visitor mode.
OB Information
This section provides information on the query parameters used to find observations carried out with certain constraints as specified in the observation block.
OB Name Enter the Observation Block name here, if known.
OB ID Enter the OB Identification here, if known.
TPL Id The instrument specific forms include a dropdown menu of Template Identifications from which you can select.
Ins Mode The instrument specific forms include a dropdown menu of Instrument Mode from which you can select.
DPR category Data Product category can be selected from the dropdown menu; valid options include SCIENCE, and CALIB.
DPR Type Data Product Type. In the generic form you have to enter a string. In the instrument specific forms there is a dropdown menu od Data Product Types from which you can select. Valid strings include SKY-FLAT, SKY, BIAS, OBJECT, STD, POLAR, DARK, WAVE-LAMP.
DPR Tech Data Product Technique. In the generic form you have to enter a string. In the instrument specific forms there is a pull-down menu where which you can select. Valid strings include SPECTRUM, IMAGE, MOSS, and Polarimetry.
OBS Mode This is also called DPR Tech and the instrument specific forms provide a drop-down menu to select from.
Exptime The total exposure time *on* target.
Telescope In a generic form a drop-down menu provides the allowed telescope names.
Instrument A drop-down menu provides the allowed instrument names. In some forms the user is allowed to enter a string or a combination of strings.
ChipID Valid ESO Chip ID as specified in the FITS headers.
Filter The instrument specific forms provide a drop down menu to select from.
Grism As above.
Grating As above.
Slit As above.
Archive Information
This section provides information on the query parameters used to find observations according to Archive specific criteria.
DP ID The DP ID is the unique identifier used in the Archive. It consists of an instrument prefix followed by a timestamp.
Orig Name The original file name as used on the instrument work station at the telescope.
Release Date There is a one year proprietary period for the PI, after that the data is released.
Header The Archive stores the complete FITS headers of all files on-line. They can be viewed by clicking on the 'H' link.
Ambient Parameters
This section provides information on the query parameters used to find observations carried out under certain ambient conditions.
DIMM-Savg The average FWHM seeing conditions calculated over the exposure time as measured by the DIMM station.
Airmass The airmass at the start of the exposure as recorded in the header.
Night? The Archive contains a flag indicating whether the observation has been carried out during the day, astronomical twilight or night.
Associated Data and Bibliography
This section provides information on data or bibliography that may be associated with a particular Prog ID.
Raw Files A field called Raw Files provides a link to the relevant observed (raw) files.
Reduced Products A field called Reduced Products provides a link to the relevant reduced science data products.
Publications A field called Publications provides a link to the publications recorded in the ESO Telescope Bibliography database. It contains scientific papers published mainly in refereed journals. Papers may not have been recorded yet in the ESO Telescope Bibliography database.
Capability
Sort by This pull-down menu allows the user to select various optional sorting orders of the returned records.




























































ESO HOME ST-ECF HOME Help Search
16-Sep-2004
Send comments to catalog@eso.org