XMM-Newton observes with all instruments simultaneously, brightness limits and
other constraints permitting. All instruments can be operated independently
(i.e., the exposure times of individual instruments are not coupled to each
other) and observers will receive the science data of all science instruments
operating during an observation.
When planning XMM-Newton observations, several boundary conditions must be taken
into account. The constraining parameters are listed in this section.
The available SOC services listed in section 7
aid in planning XMM-Newton observations. The Target Visibility Checker can be used to
determine the times of visibility of a given target. To avoid duplications,
the Observation Lokator and the list of Outstanding Accepted ToO and Triggered Observations can be used to search for
performed and planned observations. This can also be useful to
draw from experience that has been made with previous observations.