NICMOS Sensitivity

NICMOS provides its hightest sensitivity from 1.1 to ~2 microns, where it is superior to an 8m class telescope, and better sensitivity than the ACS for all observations for wavelengths longward of ~1.0 microns. Important information on sensitivity can be found in Chapter 4: Imaging of the NICMOS Instrument Handbook, as well as in Appendix 1: Imaging Reference Material of the NICMOS Instrument Handbook. For more specific details on sensitivity, follow the links to the documents listed below.


NICMOS Sensitivity & Throughput Documentation

Advisories:
Important updates, discoveries and developments that could potentially affect NICMOS observations, calibration, or data analysis.

FAQs:
Frequently Asked Questions.

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Performance Summaries:
Status reports reflecting the current understanding of instrument characteristics, performance and calibration.

Handbooks:
The NICMOS Instrument Handbook is the primary guide regarding the characteristics and use of the instrument. The HST Data Handbook is the primary guide for calibration, reduction and analysis of NICMOS data.

Instrument Science Reports:
ISRs are technical reports written by members of the NICMOS Group about various aspects of the instrument and data. They usually contain in-depth information about specific topics.

NICMOS ISR-99-005: Camera 3 Intrapixel Sensitivity
Significant sensitivity variation across individual pixels, particularly at the pixel edges, is discussed and solutions are suggested to correct the photometry of point sources in images taken through the F110W and F160W filters.
A. Storrs 23 Aug 1999 (pdf)

NICMOS ISR-019: Cosmic Rays on NICMOS: Results from Thermal Vacuum Data
The analysis of NICMOS data obtained during the System Level Thermal Vacuum Test in August 1996 has yielded some information on the sensitivity of the NICMOS detectors to cosmic ray hits.
D. Calzetti 27 Nov 1996 (pdf)

Papers and Proceedings:
Selected NICMOS related published papers and workshop proceedings.

Presentation from 2002 SPIE Meeting: Post-NCS Performance of the HST NICMOS
A. B. Schultz

NICMOS Flyer for June 2002 AAS Meeting

Tutorials:
Cookbook style instructions, prescribed procedures, and helpful tips.

Examples:
Examples of how to use various NICMOS-related tools, calibration and analysis techniques.

Space Telescope Analysis Newsletters:
STANs contain useful information regarding calibration and data reduction.

NICMOS STScI Analysis Newsletter 3
Update on NICMOS Cycle 7 science program
and Exposure Time Calculator
NICMOS Group 01 Jun 1997 (html)