P60 Observers Information
Since 2004 the Palomar 60-inch
(P60)
telescope has operated exclusively
in a robotic, queue-scheduled service-observing mode. Allocation of P60 observing time is
handled through the appropriate time allocation process for eligible constituencies.
Caltech observers can find P60 proposal information at the COO Solicitation Page
P60 Instruments
As of this writing the operational P60 instruments are the facility optical camera, and the Robo-AO robotic adaptive optics system. Both instruments operate in a queue-scheduled mode.
Facility Optical Camera
The P60 default instrument is the facility optical camera. It operates in a seeing-limited mode (median delivered image quality ~ 1.9" following the secondary mirror mount refurbishment completed in early 2012).The facility optical camera has a 2048x2048 pixel focal plane with 24 um pixels (0.378"/pixel plate scale). Standard filters for the facility camera include Johnson U, B, & V; Kron-Cousins Rc & Ic; all five SDSS bands, Thuan-Gunn g, and Halpha. Observers should consult these notes on P60 facility camera filters.
A comprehensive description of the P60/facility camera system is provided by Cenko et al 2005.
Instructions on composing a P60 Robot Target List are given in Fox 2004. Please also see these sample P60 observing templates.
Authorized users with questions about P60 facility camera observing should contact
p60support [at] astro.caltech.edu.
