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Altair Observing Strategies

WFS Guide star acquisition

The first step for the observation of a new target is the responsibility of the SSA:

  1. Points the telescope to the target
  2. Steer the GS into Altair WFS
  3. Closes the AO loop and check that the frame rate is optimal. Adjust it if necessary
  4. Check the AO loop stability
At this point, the system is ready for science acquisition.

Overhead including slew time is typically from 5 to 20 minutes, depending on distance from the previous target, the field crowdedness, and the accuracy of the observer's estimation of the GS magnitude / spectral type.

If the OIWFS is required, the following extra steps are added
  1. Steer the OIWFS GS into the OIWFS
  2. Open the AO loop. Re-close it, with enabling OIWFS blending
The additional overhead to use OIWFS is TBD

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Last update July 2, 2003; Jean-Pierre Véran and Francois Rigaut