2017B NASA Keck Time Solicitation
The call for proposals for NASA Keck time in observing semester 2017B (August 1, 2017-January 31, 2018) is now open for professional research using the NASA allocation for telescope observing time at the W.M. Keck Observatory.
Proposals are due Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 4 pm PDT
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NASA intends the use of the Keck telescopes to be highly strategic in support of on-going missions and/or high priority, long-term science goals. The NASA Keck call is open to a wide range of disciplines spanning from exoplanets and solar system topics to galactic and extragalactic topics. Click
here
for more details on this proposal call.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Click
here
for information on page limits, proposal content, electronic submission, etc.
- The opportunity to propose as Principal Investigators for the NASA time on the Keck Telescopes is open to all U.S.-based astronomers (i.e. those who have their principal affiliation at a U.S. institution).
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Online Proposal Submission Site
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Questions? email:
KeckCFP@ipac.caltech.edu
Highlights for 2017B
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Keck Observatory Archive (KOA) Check:
In an effort to use the NASA time on the Keck telescopes as efficiently as possible, starting in 2017B we will ask proposers to verify to the TAC that their science goals can not be met through public observations already in the Keck Observatory Archive. To accomplish this, the PI must enter text into a box on the submission page explaining why the data in KOA are not sufficient to meet their science goals. Please see this
section in the call guidelines
for more information and instructions.
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Time Domain Astronomy:
Observers now have the ability to propose both cadence (Time Domain Astronomy, TDA) and Target of Opportunity (ToO) programs following the policies outlined
here (ToO policies)
and
here (TDA/cadence policies).
For Semester 2017A, four Keck partners (UC, Caltech, UH, and NASA) have agreed that TAC-approved ToO/TDA projects may interrupt observers at any of the four institutions. Each TAC can award up to a combined total of six ToO/TDA observations which interrupt any of the other institutions. If you are considering submitting a ToO or cadence observing proposal, see
Section V
below for important details.
PIs may ask for their time to be designated as uninterruptable, i.e. as exempt from ToO or cadence interrupts. Note that programs scheduled as half-nights or smaller will not be interrupted. To do this, mark the appropriate box on the NExScI submission page and explain in
one
brief paragraph why the proposed observations cannot be interrupted. This explanation should be scientifically motivated, namely that interruptions would seriously compromise the scientific return of the observing program. It is anticipated that interruption-free time will be rarely granted.
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Information on
strategic grading
is found in
Section Ia
below. Please refer to the updated 2014
NASA Science Plan
for the strategic relevance section of your proposal.
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Letters for Mission Support proposals
must be requested from NASA HQ by
March 1,
two weeks before submission deadline.
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Some of the special notes and considerations for the Keck instruments are listed below. For the complete list, check the
WMKO instrument page
for telescope observing limits and the current list of available instruments.
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KCWI
is planned for commissioning but will
not
be offered for science in 2017B.
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NIRC2 L-band Vortex Coronagraph:
WMKO has prepared a
User Manual for the Vortex Coronograph at NIRC2 on Keck II
and a
Quick User Manual on How to run QACITS for the Vortex Coronograph.
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SUBARU exchange:
Subaru is unavailable for science from early October until Mid December 2017 due to primary mirror recoating. Otherwise, the SUBARU-Keck exchange will continue as last semester with flexibility as to the number of nights available for exchange, with the final number based on the demand from each community. Neither Keck nor Subaru will support Target of Opportunity (ToO) observations during the exchanged nights. All observations will be executed in "classical" observing mode.
Key Dates
March 1: Mission Support letter inquiries due to NASA HQ
March 16: All proposals and supporting letters due to NExScI by 4 pm PDT
Useful Links and Information
The
icon indicates updates have been made since last semester.
The NASA Keck Time Solicitation Information web site is a source of information for professional researchers who wish to submit proposals for the NASA allocation of observing time at the W. M. Keck Observatory. For general public information, please visit the
Keck Home Page.
Web Curator and NExScI Cognizant Official:
Dawn Gelino
(last updated March 15th, 2017 20:55:48)
