Cell observation apparatus, cell observation method, and program

A cell observation apparatus for observing a culturing process of cells according to an observation schedule designated by a user, the apparatus comprising:

• a cell culture incubator with an operation control unit;
• a photographic unit that photographs the cells according to the observation schedule;
• at least one input unit within the control unit that acquires a new observation schedule in response to an input of photographic conditions by the user;
• at least one CPU (Central Processing Unit) within the control unit that determines whether a photographing time of the photographic unit included in the photographic conditions of the new observation schedule that has been acquired by the at least one input unit overlaps a photographing time of the photographic unit included in the photographic conditions of an already registered observation schedule and changes the photographic conditions of either one or both of the observation schedules when the overlapping of the photographing times of the observation schedules has been determined by the at least one CPU;
• a data storage unit within the control unit that registers the new observation schedule, or registers the new observation schedule and then re-registers the already registered observation schedule on the basis of the photographic conditions that are changed by the at least one CPU;
• and
• the cell culture incubator further comprises a stocker unit and a conveying unit.