To the subject index Scheduling the Hubble Space Telescope Scheduling the Hubble Space Telescope Imagine using a telescope that is orbiting around the earth. Thus, it is important for the astronomer to stress the need for HST as opposed to ground-based observations. Once the proposal is submitted to STScI, a panel of scientists review the proposal to see if it truly warrants HST time and is technically feasible. After the astronomer is notified that his or her proposal has been accepted, the astronomer must submit a more concise version of the proposal, giving exact observing strategies. They do this through software that is provided to them from STScI. Once received by the PC, the proposal is processed to see when the observations can be performed.
Many aspects can affect when an observation is performed.
For instance, the astronomer might want to observe the object at only certain times of the year. Another aspect that affects scheduling is the fact that the object cannot be too close to the Sun or Moon, because those objects are so bright that they may damage the instruments on the telescope. If the target is in an area of the sky where there are few stars or an overabundance of stars, then acquiring guide stars may be a problem. After all the scheduling issues are worked out, the CS does a review of the proposal to make sure all the scientific aspects of the observations will be achieved without harming the telescope. This is a week long calendar filled with observations.