Whipple Collaboration Observation Selection Procedure

The Whipple Collaboration uses an internal peer-review process to establish the yearly observing program. Observers from within the collaboration submit observing requests consisting of a 1-2 page document detailing the scientific motivation for the observation, the amount of time requested for the observation, and the strategy for acquiring the observations (e.g., how the time should be spread out, any constraints on elevation, etc.). A Telescope Allocation Committee, consisting of one representative from each collaborating institution, reviews each proposal and ranks them according to the compelling nature of the science, suitability for the 10m telescope, and the chance for success. The program for the observing season is drawn from the rank-ordered list of proposals until the anticipated observing time for the season is filled. In addition to the observers program a small fraction of the telescope time ($\sim$ 10%) is reserved for engineering purposes as well as discretionary observations (e.g., an AGN which is in a high, or active, state). The actual allocation of the telescope is carried out by the local group in Tucson and is determined by the local sidereal time in any given dark period (i.e., roughly the time between last quarter of the Moon and first quarter of the Moon).