Telescope scheduler that uses basis functions computed from features to optimize observing strategy
Can be installed with the LSST sims: https://confluence.lsstcorp.org/display/SIM/Catalogs+and+MAF#/
The sim_runner function converts the simulation output to try and match previous output schemas
All values are for the center of the field of view (e.g., airmass, altitude, etc)
| Column Name | Units | Description |
|---|---|---|
| airmass | unitless | airmass of the observation (center of the field) |
| altitude | degrees | Altitude of the observation |
| azimuth | degrees | Azimuth of the observation |
| block_id | int | Identification ID of the block (used by some survey objects) |
| cloud | fraction | what fraction of the sky is cloudy |
| fieldDec | degrees | Declination of the observation |
| fieldId | int | deprecated, should all be 0 or -1. |
| fieldRA | degrees | Right Ascension of the observation |
| filter | string | The filter that was loaded for the observation, one of u,g,r,i,z,y |
| fiveSigmaDepth | magnitudes | The magnitude of an isolated point source detected at the 5-sigma level |
| flush_by_mjd | days | The modified Julian date the observation would have been flushed from the queue at |
| moonAlt | degrees | Altitude of the moon |
| moonAz | degrees | Azimuth of the moon |
| moonDec | degrees | Declination of the moon |
| moonDistance | degrees | Angular distance between the observation and the moon |
| moonPhase | percent (0-100) | The phase of the moon (probably the same as illumination fraction) |
| moonRA | degrees | Right Ascension of the moon |
| night | days | The night of the survey (starting at 1) |
| note | string | Note added by the scheduler, often which survey object generated the observation |
| numExposures | int | Number of exposures in the visit |
| observationId | int | Unique observation ID |
| observationStartLST | degrees | the Local Sidereal Time at the start of the observation |
| observationStartMJD | days | Modified Julian Date at the start of the observation |
| paraAngle | degrees | Paralactic angle of the observation |
| proposalId | int | deprecated |
| rotSkyPos | degrees | The orientation of the sky in the focal plane measured as the angle between North on the sky and the "up" direction in the focal plane. |
| rotTelPos | degrees | The physical angle of the rotator with respect to the mount. rotSkyPos = rotTelPos - ParallacticAngle |
| seeingFwhm500 | arcseconds | The full-width at half maximum of the PSF at 500 nm. (XXX-unsure if this is at zenith or at the pointing) |
| seeingFwhmEff | arcseconds | "Effective" full-width at half maximum, typically ~15% larger than FWHMgeom. Use FWHMeff to calculate SNR for point sources, using FWHMeff as the FWHM of a single Gaussian describing the PSF. |
| seeingFwhmGeom | arcseconds | "Geometrical" full-width at half maximum. The actual width at half the maximum brightness. Use FWHMgeom to represent the FWHM of a double-Gaussian representing the physical width of a PSF. |
| skyBrightness | mag arcsec^-2 | the brightness of the sky (in the given filter) for the observation |
| slewDistance | degrees | distance the telescope slewed to the observation |
| slewTime | seconds | The time it took to slew to the observation. Includes any filter change time and any readout time. |
| solarElong | degrees | Solar elongation or the angular distance between the field center and the sun (0 - 180 deg). |
| sunAlt | degrees | Altitude of the sun |
| sunAz | degrees | Azimuth of the sun |
| sunDec | degrees | declination of the sun |
| sunRA | degrees | RA of the sun |
| visitExposureTime | seconds | Total exposure time of the visit |
| visitTime | seconds | Total time of the visit (could be larger than visitExposureTime if the visit had multiple exposures with readout between them) |
| cummTelAz | degrees | The cumulative azimuth rotation of the telescope mount, should be +/- 270 degrees due to cable wrap limits. |