Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS)

Call for Proposals for S26A

The principal investigator (PI) must read Observations page and follow the instructions for observation planning and proposal preparations.

News and Updates for S26A

   1. Update of exposure time for a single frame (15 min --> 7.5 min) in Queue mode policy
   2. Reference arm specification for targets focused on near-Infrared arm
   3. On the constraints of Classical mode observation
   4. IFU-like mode is available in CfP S26A (updated on Aug. 8, 2025)
   5. Call for proposal of Community filler
   6. Current Status of PFS: Notice on ETC updates (updated on 2025.08.12)
   7. PFS DRP Tutorial Visit for details on PFS Data Reduction Pipeline.

Introduction

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The Subaru Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS) is a spectrograph system mounted at the prime focus of the Subaru telescope. Four identical spectrograph modules are fed by a total of ~2400 fibres, allowing for simultaneous observations of ~2400 targets within a very wide-field (~1.25 deg²). The spectra cover a wide wavelength range from 0.38 μm to 1.26 μm, with a resolving power of approximately 2,300 in the blue channel, and up to 5,000 in the red channel (medium resolution mode).

In principle, observations will be conducted in queue mode, to maximize the observing efficiency by optimizing the fiber positions. Classical mode observations can be requested for observations that require exposure times other than 15 min, specific configuration of pointing centers, or time-critical execution.

Please review the Observations page carefully when planning to observe with PFS. For proposal preparation, please also refer to Getting Started Manual.

Instrument

• Overview
• Basic instrument parameters
• System efficiency
• FITS header
• Publications

Observations

• Observation modes
  • Queue mode
  • Classical mode
  • Target of Opportunity (ToO)
  • Fillers
• Proposal and Observation preparations
  • Tutorial materials
  • Applicable to all modes
    • Reference arm specification for targets focused on near-Infrared arm
    • Requirements on uploading multiple target list
  • Queue mode preparations
  • Classical mode preparations
    • Constraints on Classical Modes
  • ToO preparations
  • Community filler preparations
  • Template of Technical Justification
• Additional information
• Relevant documents
• Tools
  • PFS Spectral Simulator
  • PFS Target Uploader

Data access and reduction

• Queue progress
• Data access
• Data reduction pipeline
• PFS science platform
• PFS DRP Tutorial

Current status

• Status of instrument
• Status of DRP development
• Performance verification

Links

• PFS Project
• Proposal of PFS Subaru Strategic Program (SSP)
• Getting Started Manual for preparation of PFS proposal.
• Tutorial of PFS Target Uploader
• Tutorial of PFS Spectral Simulator (ETC)

Contact

PFS observation helpdesk

Questions regarding proposal and observation preparation:

Some of our helpdesk members are non-Japanese speakers. In principle, please ask your questions in English. Responses to questions in Japanese may take some extra time.