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WFI First Look Observations: Overview and Community Call

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Overview

When fully operational in 2027, Roman will provide the astronomical community with an unparalleled opportunity to conduct high-resolution, wide-field surveys at near-infrared wavelengths. To debut Roman to the world, the Roman Project will pursue a program of "First Look Observations" which will be among the first images and spectra taken during observatory commissioning. These observations are intended to have high impact and mass appeal for a public audience. They should also be of scientific value.

Community Call

The Roman Project welcomes the collective expertise of the astronomical community and invites suggestions for First Look Observations using the Wide Field Instrument (WFI). These observations should showcase key capabilities of the WFI and provide compelling demonstrations of its observing modes. Community input is a valued contribution to Roman’s mission and will be reviewed and considered by a Project-developed Implementation Team. Final selection of WFI First Look Observations will be driven by multiple factors that include public appeal, a balanced demonstration of capabilities, and observational constraints imposed by commissioning.

Respondents to this call are requested to provide high-level input on candidate First Look Observations including the broad science category of the target, target names or designations, sky locations or coordinates, general information on the observation plan, and a short description of why the target is a good candidate for WFI First Look Observations.

The Roman Project anticipates allocating approximately 12 to 24 hours of commissioning time for First Look Observations and prioritizing ~3 to 5 programs. To aid in preparing First Look Observations, key technical and observation planning information are provided in the resources linked below. Additionally, an example First Look Observation response is provided.

WFI First Look Observation Responses are requested by August 11, 2025 at 5 pm Eastern time. Submit your suggestions at the link below:

WFI First Look Observations Community Response Webform

Additional Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I submit multiple First Look Observation suggestions?

Yes! The Roman Project looks forward to the broad knowledge base of the astronomical community to identify the best ideas for First Look Observations. If you have multiple suggestions, please submit separate responses.

What happens to responses once they are submitted?

Submitted responses will be reviewed by a Project-developed Implementation Team. This team will combine community input with other considerations to identify a prioritized list of targets that showcase Roman WFI to the public and the media. Final selection of WFI First Look Observations will be driven by multiple factors, including a balanced demonstration of capabilities and observational constraints imposed by commissioning.

Should I treat the First Look Observations call like a science proposal?

No! First Look Observation response submissions should not be viewed as a detailed science observation proposal. The call is designed to solicit brief observation suggestions through a webform that include baseline information to enable the Implementation Team to evaluate, select, and prioritize a small number of programs. Respondents do NOT need to use tools like APT to develop their suggestions or provide additional technical information. The full technical and observational approaches required to implement selected programs will be developed by the Implementation Team.

Can I suggest tiling over a significant sky area or staring at the same part of the sky for a long time-domain campaign. Are these kinds of programs feasible as First Look Observations?

The Roman Project plans to allocate ~12 to 24 hours of commissioning time for First Look Observations and prioritize ~3 to 5 programs. Please use these approximate allocations and the technical resources linked above to scope your suggestions. Additionally, First Look Observations are anticipated to be scheduled close in time during commissioning, so suggestions that require repeat visits with relatively long cadences (more than hours) will likely be infeasible.

The Community Call focuses on the WFI, what if I have suggestions for Coronagraph First Look Observations?

A separate White Paper call issued by the Coronagraph team solicits community input on Coronagraph observations, including those during commissioning that could be considered in the First Look Observation process. Full details are provided in the White Paper call available here: Roman Coronagraph Call for White Papers

Where can I ask additional questions about WFI First Look Observations?

Please send an email to roman-surveys@lists.nasa.gov



Response Form Example

View an example First Look Observation response




Visit the Roman Space Telescope Partner Websites

Roman at Jet Propulsion Laboratory
IPAC/Caltech
Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)


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NASA Official: Julie McEnery
Media Inquiries: Claire Andreoli
Website Curator: Jennifer Brill



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