Jeschke Eric

Abstract Reference: 31356
Identifier: P6.13
Presentation: Poster presentation
Key Theme: 6 Python in Astronomy

Queue Mode Software for Subaru Telescope

Authors:
Eric Jeschke, Russell Kackley, Takeshi Inagaki, Sherry Yeh, Tae-Soo Pyo, Fumiyaki Nakata, Ikuru Iwata, Francois Finet, Shintaro Koshida, Kristoph Helminiak, Yusei Koyama, Masato Onodera

Subaru Telescope has operated under a classically-scheduled regimen since starting open use in Y2000. However, from semester 16A onward Subaru is transitioning to queue scheduling for the Hyper Suprime-Cam instrument and has plans to operate future instruments also in queue mode. Subaru carefully studied the queue operation at Gemini, JAC and CFHT before setting on a model for Subaru. In this paper we discuss the rationale for moving to queue mode, the type of scheduling model adopted by the observatory, the design choices for the queue software layer and the current status after one semester of operation. Subaru favors the use of Python for building software, and the queue mode tools are no exception. We describe the architecture of the Python-based tools that where developed for this project.