Observing Blocks

Since the Observing Block (OB) generator was made publically available, more than 30 programs and an equal number of users are now using the OB Generator to prepare their observations at the NOT. Programs that particularly benefit from the OB Generator are Fast-Track, Service, Monitoring & ToO programmes, where the execution is done either by staff or by the visiting observer.

With the launch of the OB generator and the increased demand on NOT staff to carry out a bigger variety of programs in service nights (Fast-Track, Service, Monitoring, ToO, Pay-Back, Queue), an upgrade of the observing planning tool was highly needed. Based on the Fast-Track management interface, a new tool named the 'OB Queue' has been developed which allows for optimal planning of all the kind of different programs that request observations through the use of the OB Generator. Remaining ``old style´´ OBs that were still active have all been ported to the new system.

The new OB generator has been used over the last half year also for NOTCam fast-tracks, although the compiler is not yet ready. This meant that all the instrument setup and observing scripts now are entered as comments in the OBs. The corresponding OB compiler for NOTCam is being developed.