GSFC XMM-Newton GOF Status Report #133: XMM-NEWTON NEWS #65

[GSFC XMM-Newton GOF <xmmhelp@bigbang.gsfc.nasa.gov>]

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_/            XMM-NEWTON NEWS #65   ---    27-Apr-2007            _/
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              XMM-Newton Science Operations Centre at
               ESA's European Space Astronomy Centre,
            P.O. Box - Apdo. 50727, 28080 Madrid, Spain

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SOC Home Page:
   http://xmm.esac.esa.int/
Helpdesk web interface:
   http://xmm.esac.esa.int/external/xmm_user_support/helpdesk.shtml
Helpdesk email address:
   xmmhelp@sciops.esa.int
News Mailing List:
   http://xmm.esac.esa.int/external/xmm_user_support/xmm_news/

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Contents:
          - XMM-Newton long-term scheduling plan
          - BiRD: a Browsing Interface for XMM-Newton RGS Data
          - Temporary Website Shutdown


XMM-Newton long-term scheduling plan
====================================

The scheduling of the sixth XMM-Newton observing cycle observations,
AO6, will start in May 2007 and is expected to end by May 2008.

On April 16, a long-term scheduling plan for the AO6 period has
been released at:

http://xmm.esac.esa.int/external/xmm_sched/advance_plan.shtml

Principal Investigators of pending XMM-Newton observations are
encouraged to check this plan. Especially if observations with
scheduling constraints were approved in the Time Allocation
Committee recommendations. All observers should be aware that, as
flexibility is required in the scheduling process, the long term
plan only fills about 50% of the available observing time, using
some 50% of the approved observations. Consequently about 50% of
the approved observations do not appear in the long term plan. The
full observing plan is only available some two to four weeks in
advance of the start of a revolution. It is intended to follow the
long term plan as closely as possible. The XMM-Newton SOC
nevertheless reserves the right to modify it at any stage of the
scheduling process, should this become necessary.


BiRD: a Browsing Interface for XMM-Newton RGS Data
==================================================

BiRD is an utility for the browsing and visualisation of XMM-Newton
RGS fluxed spectra. The interface allows to select spectra through
different parameters, such as, for example date of observation,
type of object, or quality, and provides some basic visualisation
tools, both for the RGS spectra and spectral images, as well as for
the simultaneous EPIC-pn images.

BiRD is available at the following URL:

http://xmm.esac.esa.int/BiRD/

Questions and comments about this utility can be sent to
BiRD@sciops.esa.int


Temporary Website Shutdown
==========================

The XMM-Newton Science Operations Centre website will be unavailable
starting Friday May 18th and possibly for the whole of the weekend
(May 19th and 20th) due to a scheduled firewall migration process.
All services will be unavailable, including Target of Opportunity
Alert, Helpdesk, the XMM-Newton Science Archive etc. Normal
operations will be restored as soon as possible. We regret any
inconvenience caused by this unavoidable maintenance activity.

Note: During the above period, if you can see the website
      http://xmm.esac.esa.int/ then it is likely that the
      maintenance has been completed ahead of schedule and that
      the site is fully operational.



Yours sincerely,
XMM-Newton SOC

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