Gravitational wave events at TNG (updated to November 15th, 2018)

The new LIGO-Virgo interferometers will enter into operations soon. The consortium informed that there will be engineering runs in mid-December 2018 (ER13) and March 2019 (ER14). The observing run O3 will start just after ER14. The figure sketches the updated schedule of the experiment.

On October 1st, 2018 the ToO-category, Long-Term program entitled "Follow-up of electromagnetic counterparts of gravitational wave sources at TNG" led by Silvia Piranomonte (proposal code A38TAC_29), will enter in force.

To ensure an optimal scientific contribution of the TNG to Gravitational Wave (GW) studies, the approved A38TAC_29 proposal will have the highest priority and can override **ALL** other programs at the TNG, including those with time-critical observations. Note that a specific agreement has been established between TNG and IAC to override Spanish-PI proposals on the AOT38 semester.

Full compensation of lost observing time, on a best effort basis, will be offered to programs affected by the GW Urgent Observations (UO). The time lost due to this particular UO can exceed the 2.0 hours foreseen by the TNG policy.

Further details can be found at the updated webpage http://www.tng.iac.es/observing/target_of_opportunity.html

We will inform all PIs in due time about the policy for GW alerts in next semesters.