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Phase I Tool (PIT)

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Phase I: Proposing for Time

The Gemini Phase I Tool (PIT) must be used for proposal preparation and submission.

Each Gemini participating country runs its own Phase I proposal process. Backend servers for each Participant's National Offices allow automatic electronic submission to multiple Participants at the same time. In the few cases when proposal are not generated by the PIT, those must be converted into a specifically structured XML (eXtensible Markup Language) file for transmission from the National TACs to Gemini Observatory in order for the files to be ingested into the Gemini observing database.

The PIT is a Java program that must be loaded onto a local computer (it is not a webform). Best performance is achieved by installing the PIT on individual machines although some institutions may prefer a site installation if they have adequate network resources.

The rest of this page presents:

Assistance with its use can be found at the PIT Help pages.

You can also access a description of all of the PIT's components, and their function.

Download the PIT

caution The PIT is updated every semester to accommodate new instruments and observing modes. We recommended reading the brief summary of new policies, features, and improvements described in the PIT Release Notes. Here is a summary of the PIT versions to use when submitting different types of proposals:

Mode Status PIT Version Fast Turnaround Open 2024A.1.1.0 Queue Open 2024B.2.1.1 Large and Long Open 2024B.2.1.1 Director's Discretionary Time Open 2024A.1.1.0 Poor Weather Open 2024A.1.1.0

Installation files

PIT 2024A.1.1.0

PIT 2024B.2.1.1

Installing the Phase I Tool

The 2024B.2.1.1 version of the PIT was released on February 29, 2024 for support of 2024B proposals.

The 2024A.1.1.0 version of the PIT was released on September 5, 2023 for support of 2024A proposals, including FT, PW and DT.

You can install the software on individual machines or for an entire network of workstations. Follow the instructions for:

The Latex and Word templates for the essay sections of the proposals (science justification, etc) are available here .

If you experience any problems installing or running the PIT, please see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page for the latest information.

Please read the description of new features on the PIT Release Notes page.

Using the Gemini Phase I Tool on macOS

Starting with semester 2017A the PIT is distributed with the required version of Java 1.8 (Java 8).  The system requirements of Java 8 allow it to run on macOS 10.8.3 (Mountain Lion) or later.

Installing on Macintosh macOS

  • Download the appropriate macOS distribution of the Phase I Tool (see Download the PIT) from the Gemini software site (follow the link to browse the directory and right or shift+click the file named, e.g.  pit__macos.dmg).
  • Use the Finder to display the directory in which you downloaded the disk image. You must have at least 270 megabytes of disk space available to install the Phase I Tool on Mac OS X.
  • Double-click on the disk image (dmg) file to open and mount it. Then drag the new Gemini PIT application icon to the location where you want to install it (normally the Applications folder). You can now unmount the disk image from the Finder.
  • Double-click on the application icon to run the Phase I Tool.

On macOS 10.15 (Catalina) and newer you may need to give the application permission to run the first time that you use it. You can either:

  • Ctrl-click the application icon, select Open and then click Open in the subsequent dialog (you may need to do this twice).
  • Double-click the app icon, then click Ok in the subsequent dialog. Then open System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> General and click on Open Anyway. Finally, click Open in the next dialog.

Using the Gemini Phase I Tool on Linux

The Phase I Tool can be used on most recent Linux distributions, including RedHat Enterprise, CentOS, Fedora, and Ubuntu. (Note that you cannot use the twm window manager).

Installing on Linux

  • Download the appropriate Linux distribution of the Phase I Tool (see Download the PIT) from the Gemini software site (follow the link to browse the ftp directory and right or shift+click the file named, e.g.  pit__linux64.tar.gz (64-bit)).
  • Use gunzip and tar to unpack the distribution in a directory where you have at least 200 megabytes of disk space. e.g. gunzip -c filename | tar -xvf -
  • The distribution unpacks into a single directory, for example "pit__linux64"
  • Run the PIT. You can use the complete path to the startup script, as shown below (where the $ represents your shell prompt), or you can include that directory in your PATH. For example ${where_you_untarred}/pit__linux64/pit_

A 32-bit version of the PIT is available upon request. Please submit a helpdesk ticket.

Using the Gemini Phase I Tool on Windows

The Phase I Tool has been tested on Windows 7 and 10. We have not had reports of problems on Windows 8. You may encounter a font display problem in Windows 10 due to an issue with Windows/java font scaling. This does not affect functionality. A workaround is to change the scaling of text and apps to between 100% and 175%, depending on screen resolution.

Installing on Windows

  • Download the appropriate Windows distribution of the Phase I Tool (see Download the PIT) from the Gemini software site (follow the link to browse the directory and right or shift+click the file named e.g. pit__windows.exe).
  • Use Windows Explorer to display the directory in which you downloaded the installer. You must have at least 180 megabytes of disk space available to install the Phase I Tool on Windows.
  • Double-click the installer executable and follow the installer instructions. When the installation is completed, you will see a congratulatory message. Press the "Done" button to exit.
  • The installation places a "Gemini/Gemini PIT" folder in your start menu. Selecting the new Gemini PIT from this menu launches the Phase I Tool.

Release Notes

2024 February 29

The 2024B2.1.0 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2023 September 5

The 2024A.1.1.0 PIT has been released with the following changes:

The 2023B.2.2.0 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2023 February 28

The 2023B.2.1.1 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2022 August 31

The 2023A.1.1.1 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2022 March 1

The 2022B.2.1.1 PIT has been released with the following changes:

The 2022A.1.1.3 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2021 October 18

The 2021B.2.1.3 and 2022A.1.1.2 PITs have been released to support the new JPL Horizons nonsidereal target API.

2021 August 31

The 2022A.1.1.1 PIT has been released with the following change:

2021 March 23

The 2021B.2.1.2 PIT has been released with the following change:

2021 February 26

The 2021B.2.1.1 PIT has been released with the following change:

2021 January 4

The 2021A.1.2.1 PIT has been released with the following change:

2020 August 31

The 2021A.1.1 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2020 May 14

The 2020A.1.1.1 and 2020B.2.1.2 PITs have been released with the following change:

2020 February 28

The 2020B.2.1 PIT has been released with the following changes:

Version 2020B.2.1.1 was released on March 16, 2020. The only change from version 2020B.2.1.0 is that the macOS dmg uses the HFS+ file system instead of APFS so that it will work with older versions of macOS.

2019 August 30

The 2020A.1.1 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2019 February 28

The 2019B.2.1 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2018 December 3

The 2019A.1.2 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2018 August 31

The 2019A.1.1 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2018 March 1

The 2018B.2.1 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2017 August 31

The 2018A.1.1 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2017 March 30

The 2017B.2.1.4 and 2017A.1.1.2 PITs have been released with the following change::

2017 February 28

The 2017B.2.1 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2016 August 31

The 2017A.1.1 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2016 April 4

The 2016B.2.2 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2016 February 29

The 2016B.2.1 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2015 August 28

The 2016A.1.1 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2015 February 27

The 2015B.2.1 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2014 September 25

The 2015A.1.2 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2014 August 29

The 2015A.1.1 PIT has been released with the following changes:

2014 July 24

The 2014B SV PIT (2014.2.2) has been released with the following changes:

2014 February 28

The 2014B PIT (2014.2.1) has been released with the following changes:

2014 February 3

An updated 2014A PIT (2014A.1.2) has been released to support 2014A poor weather, director's time, and GPI early science proposals. Changes from the previous version include:

2013 August 30

The 2014A PIT (2014.1.1) has been released with the following changes:

2013 March 26

The an updated version of the 2013B PIT (2013.2.2) has been released with the following changes:

2013 March 1

The 2013B PIT (2013.2.1) has been released with the following changes:

2012 August 31

The 2013A PIT (2.1.2) has been released with the following changes:

2012 April 3 

An updated version of the 2012B PIT (2.1.0) has been released with the following changes: 

2012 March 1

The 2012B PIT is entirely new and improved. No code is shared with the previous Tool, and users are encouraged to get familiar with the new Tool well ahead of the proposal submission deadline. Some elements will look similar to the Observing Tool (OT).

Proposals for Semester 2012A Director's Time, Poor Weather or Science Verification need to continue to use the 2012A PIT until further notice (at least through June when a new OT will be released).

Users should refer to the Help information for the new PIT, and in need use the Gemini Helpdesk for further assistance.

PIT Known Bugs

Known bugs (and workaround, where possible) in the Phase I Tool are described here. Please also read the Frequently Asked Questions / Common Mistakes (FAQ/FMM) page for other possible problems. If you find a new problem, please submit the information via the Gemini HelpDesk.

2022 September 27

The 2023A PIT uses Gaia to estimate guide star probabilities, and this will not find compact resolved objects that may work for LGS observations. If your proposed target meets the criteria for guiding on extended objects described on the Altair web pages, or they were successfully used as Altair LGS guide sources in the past, please ignore the PIT warning "Observation unlikely to have usable guide stars" and add a brief note explaining to the TAC that the warning may be ignored and that the proposed targets are expected to work for LGS observations.

2022 March 30

A formatting change by the ESA GAIA catalog server is currently preventing our software (PIT and OT) from parsing the results correctly. This mainly impacts GeMS/GSAOI asterism searches. We are currently investigating. Until the issue is resolved, make a GSAOI manual guide star search in the OT with the 'Gaia at Gemini' option to confirm that there are asterisms. You may also reference any previous proposals. Describe in the technical justification that there are technical problems with the guide star searches in the PIT, so the guide star warnings should be ignored. This problem was fixed later in the day.

2017 September 1

You may encounter a display problem in Windows 10 in which the fonts in adjacent table rows overlap. This is due to an issue with Windows/java font scaling but this does not affect functionality. A workaround is to change the scaling of text and apps to between 100% and 175%, depending on screen resolution.

2017 March 8

The 2017B.2.1.1 version of the PIT does not allow the submission of proposals for exchange observing at Subaru. This bug is fixed in the 2017B.2.1.2 version of the PIT.

2016 March 1

The 2016A & 2016B versions of the PIT do not allow selecting the Fast Turnaround PI Affiliation before filling out the PI Address. This is fixed in the 2017A PIT.

2015 April 30 

Java version 1.7 has a known unresolved network issue on the Mac if a hostname does not include a domain name, resulting in a message like "your mac's hostname does not contain domain information...". See this page for a workaround.

2015 Feb 27 

If you find that you cannot open an editable copy of a program after importing a previously submitted proposal into a newer version of the PIT, then open the proposal with the version of PIT that was used to create it, create an editable copy, and then save as a new file. Then import the editable proposal into the newer PIT.

2013 March 26

There is a bug in PIT 2013.2.1 that prevents the calculation of guide star availabilities for all users. This bug has been fixed with the release of version 2013.2.2.

2012 March 1

There are no known bugs in the 2012A or 2012B PIT releases. However, there is one issue in the 2012B and later PITs. If it is installed in a multi-user environment then a system administrator must make the startup file executable by all users. For OS X this requires editing the package contents to change permissions on the file JavaApplicationStub.

2000 - 2011

Archive of known bugs 2000 - 2011

PIT FAQ and FMM

Frequently asked questions (and frequently made mistakes!) regarding Phase I proposals and the Gemini Phase I Tool are discussed here. (See also the known bugs page for other known problems).

The links provided below are for information only. The Gemini Observatory does not endorse these products or assume any responsibility for their use. 

All questions should be submitted using the Gemini HelpDesk. This web-based system will send the request to your National Gemini Office staff in the first instance who will then provide you with the answer or escalate it to Gemini staff if necessary.

2020 Feb 28

On recent versions of macOS, especially 10.15 (Catalina), you will need to give the application permission to run the first time that you use it. You can either:

We are working on having the PIT application signed by Apple so that this will no longer be required.

2013 Aug 27

Attaching ITC output to the proposal: Starting in 2014A representative Gemini Integration Time Calculator (ITC) output should be included in the PDF file that is attached to the proposal in the PIT. First, save or print the ITC results page to a PDF file. In Linux and OSX the ability to print to a PDF file should be built in. In Windows you may need to install additional software like the Bullzip PDF printer. A few suggestions for how to incorporate the PDFs from the ITC into the PDF from the LaTeX or Word documents are given below.

2006 Feb 21
Converting a postscript file to PDF: The PIT does not accept postscript (.ps or .eps) attachments. The following tools are available to convert postscript documents to PDF (list thanks to STScI and the Spitzer Science Center).

Free PDF viewers include: