This morning, Megan Bedell (Flatiron) and I joined a telecon relating to target selection for the new Terra Hunting Experiment with HARPS3 on the Isaac Newton Telescope. It was a great conversation; we are new to this project; we learned that the project has some good and sensible ideas:
One is that the target list must be at least twice as large as what they can handle, so that changes can be made on the fly during the project's 10-year baseline. Another is that target changes must be made algorithmically, to preserve the statistical value of the sample. Another is that the strategy cannot be as dumb as we might like because discovery rate is a driver of policy. And another is that the observing decisions will be made just-in-time, on the fly, at the telescope. Again, algorithmically. My loyal reader knows that I Love These Rules. Now to play!
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