Cycle-Independent Documentation

In addition to cycle-specific documentation, the following documents are regularly updated:

Quick Guide — brief booklet with an overview of each instrument, including science examples
​Tech Flyer — single-page list of specifications of SOFIA and its instrument suite
USPOT Manual — instructions for submitting proposals with the Unified SOFIA Proposal and Observation Tool (USPOT); download USPOT here
Co-Author Affiliations with the People’s Republic of China


Cycle 10 Documentation

Call for Proposals (for regular proposals)
Call for Proposals for the SOFIA Legacy Program (SLP)
Observer's Handbook for Cycle 10
USPOT Manual
AOR and projects examples (Proposal prep webinars proceedings)

SLP & SARP Budget Template (not cycle-specific)
Grant Funding Distribution Plan
Grant Budget Guidelines 
Grant Progress Report Template
Co-Author Affiliations with the People’s Republic of China

SOFIA Archival Research Program

Call for Proposals
USPOT Manual
Budget Template
Grant Funding Distribution Plan
Grant Budget Guidelines
Grant Progress Report Template

Cycle 9 Documentation

Call for Proposals (for regular proposals)
Call for Proposals for the SOFIA Legacy Program (SLP)
Observer's Handbook for Cycle 9
USPOT Manual (not cycle-specific)

AOR and projects examples (Proposal prep webinars proceedings)
SLP & SARP Budget Template (not cycle-specific)

Grant Funding Distribution Plan (updated June 25, 2021)
Grant Budget Guidelines
Grant Progress Report Template
Co-Author Affiliations with the People’s Republic of China

Cycle 8 Documentation

Call for Proposals (for regular proposals)
Call for Proposals for Legacy (SLP) and Archival (SARP) programs.
Observer's Handbook for Cycle 8
USPOT Manual (not cycle-specific)
SLP & SARP Budget Template (not cycle-specific)


Documentation Compilation

Compilation of SOFIA documentation, including data documentation, as described below.

  • Call for Proposals - overview of the specified cycle, including offered instrumentation, available modes of operation, southern deployment, and notable changes from previous cycles.
  • Observer's Handbook - the primary technical reference for astronomers who wish to submit a proposal to SOFIA; provides an in-depth review of each instrument's capabilities and observation techniques
  • Data Handbooks - descriptions of data products, processing steps, calibration procedures, and known issues
  • Data Cookbook Recipes - guided examples of common data analysis objectives using SOFIA processed data; access SOFIA archival data here
Documentation Compilation
Documentation Instrument Cycle Link
Observer's Handbook   10 link
Observer's Handbook   9 link
Observer's Handbook   8 link
Observer's Handbook   7 link
Observer's Handbook   6 link
Observer's Handbook   5 link
Observer's Handbook   4 link
Call for Proposals   10 link
Call for Proposals   9 link
Call for Proposals   8 link
Call for Proposals   7 link
Call for Proposals   6 link
Call for Proposals   5 link
Call for Proposals   4 link
Call for Proposals   3 link
Call for Proposals   2 link
Legacy Call for Proposals   10 link
Legacy Call for Proposals   9 link
Legacy Call for Proposals   7 link
Legacy Call for Proposals   8 CfP for SLP and SARP proposals
Archival Call for Proposals   8 CfP for SLP and SARP proposals
Data Cookbook Recipe FORCAST   Photometry
Data Cookbook Recipe FORCAST   Grism Spectra Series: Basic Inspection and Assessment
Data Cookbook Recipe FORCAST   Grism Spectra Series: Custom Spectral Extraction
Data Cookbook Recipe FORCAST   Grism Spectra Series: Basic Line Analysis
Data Cookbook Recipe HAWC+   30 Doradus (associated white paper here)
Data Cookbook Recipe FIFI-LS   Basic Cube Analysis using SOSPEX
Data Cookbook Recipe GREAT   How to View GREAT Spectra Using CLASS Utility
Data Cookbook Recipe GREAT   Data Inspection (python)
Data Cookbook Recipe EXES   Data Inspection (python)
Data Cookbook Recipe EXES   Telluric Correction
Data Handbook EXES   link
Data Handbook FIFI-LS   link
Data Handbook FLITECAM   link
Data Handbook FORCAST   link
Data Handbook HAWC+   link