Tools & Resources for Observers

Tools

The NOT FAQ page	Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about observing at the NOT
Sequencer Reference Manual	A description of all available Sequencer commands and scripts
Pointing Script Generator	Create and upload telescope pointing scripts with finding charts.
Observing Script Generator	Create observing scripts
Guide Stars	Search the guidestar server for suitable guide stars
Overheads at the NOT	Table of typical overheads for different operations at the telescope
Source Catalogue	Create a source catalog to be used at the NOT
Signal-to-Noise Calculator	Calculate expected Signal-to-noise ratios for a range of instruments
Laser Traffic Control System	See if the ING laser beam will interfere with your observations. (External link, ING)
Ephemeridis Data	Calculate ephemerides for Roque de los Muchachos and other sites for any date. (External link, ING)
Visibility Plots	Show the observability of objects for a particular night, over a year, or find optimal observing dates. (Length of night)
The NOT blank fields	Catalogue of blank fields for twilight flats
The NOT focus fields	Catalogues of suitable focus fields for focussing the telescope
The NOT standard star catalogues page	Informs about available standard star catalogues and how to use them
Standard Star List	Show visibility tables of Landolt, Spectrophotometric or Infrared standard fields, including finding charts.
DDS Search Engine	Create finding charts from the Digitized Sky Survey Catalog (External link, ING).
Submit a Fault Report	If you encounter problems during your run, please let us know by submitting a fault report
End-of-Night Report	Please fill out this form at the end of every night
End-of-Run Report	Please fill out this form at the end of the run
FITS Header Archive	Search through our FITS header archive
Aladin	Create a finding chart using Aladin

External Resources

• The ADS: France, USA
• XXX preprints: Spain, USA
• Digital Sky Survey: CADC/DAO
• CDS, Strasbourg
• Simbad
• The STScI Digitized Sky Survey
• USNO catalog (at ESO).
• A Digital Spectral Classification Atlas
• NASA Extragalactic Database (NED) (Caltech)
• Skyview Advanced

Basic Data:

• Handbook of Space Astronomy and Astrophysics (@ADS USA)
• Periodic Table of the Elements

Software:

• Search the IRAF help pages: @ NOAO, @ ESO, @ UK.

Miscellanous Resources:

• AstroWeb (NRAO)
• Kapteyn Institute an excellent list of resources.
• ESO's standard stars list & visibility tool.
• SOFA Standard Object For Astronomy calibration site.
• Landolt Equatorial Standards including finding charts.
• The Standard Star Newsletter
• CAMC atmospheric extinction for La Palma.

See also our general links page.