Abstract

Planning Micro Shutter Array observations of high redshift galaxies in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field

Diane Karakla (STScI)

Tracy Beck, Karoline Gilbert, and Gary Curtis

The JWST’s Near Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) will enable multi-object spectroscopy through the Micro Shutter Array (MSA). The MSA is capable of observing up to a few hundred sources at once using ~250,000 individually configurable shutters. The Space Telescope Science Institute has developed an MSA Planning Tool (MPT) to facilitate the complex observation planning process for a variety of observing cases. The tool finds optimal positions on the sky where many (high-valued) sources can be observed through a series of user-constrained dithers. It also designs the associated MSA configurations for each position. The MPT is included in the Astronomer’s Proposal Tool (APT), an integrated software package developed by STScI for the preparation of observing proposals.

Mode of presentation: poster