LINC-NIRVANA observation preparation software: design and perspective

Abstract

LINC-NIRVANA (LN) is a near-infrared German-Italian Fizeau (imaging) interferometer for the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). The processing of observations for this complex instrument has to be prepared accurately, considering the constraints imposed by features of the instrument and scientific objectives. The LN Observation Preparation Software (LOPS) is developed at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg in order to provide the observers with a rich and efficient tool to create valid observation programs (OP) for the LN. This paper describes the design of LOPS and presents its current development status addressing the key components and critical aspects