Observing Information for Murriyang, the CSIRO Parkes Radio Telescope

Current Observing: Murriyang Live!

System Changes: History Log

Calibration Files: Clock and Flux Files

Recent News

01 Sep 2022
- The October 2022 schedule has been released, only for October through to December.
09 Jul 2021
- Updates to this webpage, including removal of links to decommissioned backends.
22 Dec 2020
- Calibration data files link updated (see above)
04 Aug 2020
- Parkes Community workshop held. Video of the workshop can be found here and the slides here.
27-29 May 2020
- Various updates to this page and associated links.
08 Apr 2020
- Added link to clock file repository (see above).
23 Dec 2019
- Updated user guide link.
16 Oct 2019
- Added link to new DHAGU interface.
01 Oct 2019
- New UWL focused Users Guide released as pdf, full html user guide to follow later in the month.
15 Jul 2019
- Added link to log of system changes (see above).

This page contains information to assist you in observing

Current Schedule

Quick Start Observing Information

Proposals (OPAL)

PULSE at Parkes

Plan your observations

Lightning Tracker

Conditions at the Telescope

(for overall monitoring use MoniCA)

Breakthrough Listen

Data Access & Telescope users

Please find below a full listing of web links.

General Observing Information

Proposals
Scheduling
- Currently scheduled observations.
- Login to the Portal to see recent changes to the schedule.
Organising your observing
- Read the Users Guide.
- Sign up for observer training.
- Request the current observing password.
- Do the HSE online induction (requires login).
- Choose calibration sources from the calibrator database.
- Use COORD to determine Rise/Set times of objects.
- Use Observability tool to produce time vs. elevation charts for multiple objects.
- CALIB to determine which known sources/pointing calibrators are currently visible.
- Use PLANETS to calculate positions of the Sun, Moon and planets (JPL DE405 Ephemerides also available).
- Calculate the amount of time you will need with the Sensitivity Calculator.
- Convert your target's coordinates with COCO (HEASARC version of the coordinate conversion form).
- Use LINES to determine rest frequencies of recombination or molecular/atomic lines within a bandpass.
- Use VELO to convert velocities-frequencies.
- Book a visit to an ATNF site (including Parkes).
Support
- If you experience a problem, submit a fault report.
- Check the fault report archive (CSIRO nexus account holders).
- Tell us about your experiences with an observer questionnaire.
- For Telescope Users Committee feedback see here.

Monitoring

Weather
- Check weather conditions with WeatherZone.
- Use the essential energy storm tracker to see oncoming storm fronts.
- See the Sydney and Wagga Wagga radars.
- Submit a weather report (now done via the JIRA system, see link)
RFI
- Check conditions at 16cm with our RFI weather monitor.
- Check for known interference with our RFI links.
- If your observations are severely impacted by RFI, please submit an RFI report.
System
- The status of the telescope and observatory can be monitored with MoniCA.

Guides

Data Reduction
- Obtain your spectral line data from the ATOA: Australia Telescope Online Archive.
- Obtain your pulsar data from the DAP: Data Access Portal.
Legacy Information (unmaintained/outdated)
- Parkes Health, Safety and Environment Manual.
- The Dish and the Great Beyond video.
- Previous surveys and databases.
- Read about the Telescope Control System (TCS).
- A guide to HIPSR.
- A tutorial for HIPSR usage.

Modified: Jimi Green (09-Jul-2021)