NICMOS Phase II

When writing a NICMOS Observing Program, NICMOS observers are assigned a Program Coordinator (PC) as identified in their acceptance letter from the STScI Director. The PC will contact the observer to introduce themselves and help get the Phase II process started.

Additional help can be requested from a Contact Scientist (CS). A Contact Scientist is an Instrument Scientist involved in the calibration and characterization of NICMOS. A CS is assigned to ToO, Moving Target, and some other programs. They are not normally assigned to GO programs. A GO may request that a CS be assigned to their program.

The Phase II Proposal Instructions can be found on the STScI web page. STScI is no longer printing the Phase II Proposal Instructions (P2PI) and do not maintain an inventory of copies. To help the Observer get started, some additional information is provided for: parallel, patterns, and grism observations. For more specific Phase II related information, follow the links to the documents listed below.

Four MIF MULTIACCUM timing sequences (MIF512, MIF1024, MIF2048, and MIF3072) have been replaced by four new SPARS MULTIACCUM timing sequences. The four new timing sequences are SPARS4, SPARS16, SPARS32, and SPARS128. Each timing sequence has two rapid reads at the beginning and end with evenly spaced read outs of 4s, 16s, 32s, and 128s, respectively.

The individual detector read times for the new SPARS sequences are listed in Chapter 12 of the Cycle 14 Phase II Instructions . And, the timing sequences are selectable "Optional Parameters" with APT version 14.2 .

The new SPARS sequences can be most useful for fields with faint sources; i.e., galaxies, nebulae, and faint star clusters.

NICMOS Phase II Documentation

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

FAQs:
Frequently Asked Questions.

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

NCS Subsystems
Description of the NCS instrument specifications and how the cryo-cooler will work with NICMOS.
NICMOS Group 01 Nov 2001 (html)

Plot of the Frequency of Parallel Exposures
Histogram showing the frequency of NICMOS parallel program exposures as of Dec. 28, 1998.
NICMOS Group 28 Dec 1998 (gif)

Plot of the Distribution of Parallel Exposures on the Sky
Distribution of NICMOS parallel exposures.
NICMOS Group 28 Dec 1998 (gif)

Plot of the Distribution of the Exposure Times
Plot of the number of exposures as a function of the integrated exposure time.
NICMOS Group 28 Dec 1998 (gif)

Summary of NICMOS Parallel Programs
This chart shows a summery of the NICMOS parallel programs which were completed.
NICMOS Group 28 Dec 1998 (html)

NICMOS Cycle 7 PAM Setting and Focus
Current PAM settings and actual focci for the three NICMOS cameras.
NICMOS Group 12 Nov 1998 (html)

Performance of the Coronagraph in Cycle 7
Past performance of the Coronagraph and recommendations for proposers
NICMOS Group 28 Oct 1998 (html)

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 2005-002: Grism Sensitivities and Apparent Non-Linearity
Recent grism observations using the NICMOS instrument on HST have extended the spectrophotometric wavelength coverage of a subset of 16 STIS standard stars to ~2ìm. These observations include the three primary WD standards that are used to establish the absolute sensitivities of the three grism modes. However in their overlap region at 0.8-1.0ìm, the ratios of the STIS and NICMOS fluxes for brightest/faintest stars disagree by almost 25%. ACS spectrophotometry for two of the same stars in the same wavelength band agrees with STIS to 2%. A comparison of the grism spectrophotometry directly with ACS F850LP and F892N photometry for eight stars again verifies the need to correct the NICMOS grism data for non-linearity. After correction, the NICMOS grism fluxes have uncertainties ranging up to ~3% at 1.7ìm. The possible effect of this newly discovered apparent non-linearity on NICMOS photometry is being investigated with new NICMOS photometric observations and by comparisons with independent IR data sets.
R. Bohlin, D. Lindler, & A. Riess 10 May 2005 (pdf)

NICMOS ISR-020: NICMOS Phase 2 Proposal Examples
This ISR describes the rationale for a series of Phase 2 examples of NICMOS observations. All the examples are built on the basis of our best understanding of the NICMOS performance before the completion of the Science Mission On-orbit Verification (SMOV).
D. Calzetti 12 Mar 1997 (pdf)

NICMOS ISR-013: NICMOS Proposal Instructions 2: Patterns and Associations
In this ISR the optional parameters in the NICMOS Proposal Instructions which implement the automatic execution of patterns of observations are described.
J. MacKenty 15 May 1996 (pdf)

NICMOS ISR-012: NICMOS Proposal Instructions 1: General Instructions
In this ISR the Proposal Instructions for the NICMOS Science Instrument are described. This report discusses the possible SI configurations, modes, and most of the optional parameters.
J. MacKenty 15 May 1996 (pdf)

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

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

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

Phase II: Coronography Example
Shows an example of writing a phase II for NICMOS coronagraphy.
A. Schultz 06 Jul 2004 (html)

Phase II Example: NICMOS Polarimetry
Shows an example of a Phase II proposal using NICMOS polarimetry.
NICMOS Group 05 Jun 2004 (html)

Chopping and Dithering Examples
Section from NICMOS Instrument Handbook version 4.1 for Cycle 11
NICMOS Group 01 Nov 2001 (html)

NICMOS Proposing Example - 1
Demonstration of the use of PATTERN, MULTIACCUM sequences for deep field observations. The difference between the optional parameter PATTERN-ORIENT and the visit-level parameter ORIENT is stressed. This example also has NICMOS attached parallel observations.
NICMOS Group 13 Oct 2001 (html)

NICMOS Proposing Example - 2
Various uses of the NICMOS patterns and dithering. This example demonstrates the use of PATTERNS versus POS TARG. observations in the thermal background regime.
NICMOS Group 12 Oct 2001 (html)

NICMOS Proposing Example - 3
This example demonstrates use of the OFFSET option SAM-NO-REAC, use of PATTERN-ORIENT, and use of the readout mode ACCUM.
NICMOS Group 11 Oct 2001 (html)

NICMOS Proposing Example - 4
This example demonstrates the strategy for dealing with Point Spread Function (PSF) subtraction and circumstellar objects without using the coronograph.
NICMOS Group 10 Oct 2001 (html)

NICMOS Proposing Example - 5
This examle demonstrates grism observations of a crowded field, the use of different telescope ROLL ANGLES to deconvolve overlapping spectra, and use of the ACCUM readout.
NICMOS Group 09 Oct 2001 (html)

NICMOS Proposing Example - 6
NICMOS Coronographic Observation
NICMOS Group 08 Oct 2001 (html)

NICMOS Proposing Example - 7
Examples of NICMOS ATTACHED PARALLELS, including suggested MULTIACCUM sequences.
NICMOS Group 07 Oct 2001 (html)

NICMOS Proposing Example - 8
NICMOS Polarimetric Observation
NICMOS Group 06 Oct 2001 (html)

Phase II Example: NICMOS Polarimetry
Shows an example of a Phase II proposal using NICMOS polarimetry.
NICMOS Group 05 Oct 2001 (html)

Phase II Example: NICMOS Grisms using RPS2
Shows an example of how to complete a Phase II proposal using the NICMOS grisms.
NICMOS Group 05 Oct 2001 (html)

Phase II Example: NICMOS Patterns
Shows an example of how to specify different chopping and dithering patterns in Phase II proposals.
NICMOS Group 05 Oct 2001 (html)

Phase II Example: NICMOS Parallel Observations
Example of a Phase II proposal for a parallel observation.
NICMOS Group 05 Oct 2001 (html)

Phase II Example: NICMOS Grisms using APT
Shows an example of how to complete a Phase II proposal using the NICMOS grisms.
NICMOS Group 05 Oct 2001 (html)

Phase II Example: NICMOS Patterns
Shows an example of how to specify different chopping and dithering patterns in Phase II proposals.
NICMOS Group 05 Oct 2001 (html)

Phase II Example: NICMOS Parallel Observations
Example of a Phase II proposal for a parallel observation.
NICMOS Group 05 Oct 2001 (html)

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

NICMOS STScI Analysis Newsletter 34
HST Cycle 14 Phase II Submission Deadline, Release of APT 14.2 for HST Cycle 14, New SPARS MULTIACCUM Timing Sequences, Two Gyro Mode Guiding Test, Time-Limited Non-Linear Response of NICMOS at Low Count Rates, October 2005 Calibration Workshop, HST 700,000 Observation
NICMOS Group 26 Apr 2005 (html)

NICMOS STScI Analysis Newsletter 26
Discusses NICMOS patterns available for Cycle 11, a Phase 2 advisory regarding long wavelength NICMOS observations and updated NICMOS static bad pixel masks.
NICMOS Group 30 Jan 2002 (html)

NICMOS STScI Analysis Newsletter 15
NICMOS standard stars
NICMOS End-of-Life monitoring
NICMOS Prime Science Observations Update
NICMOS at the January 1999 Texas AAS Meeting
NICMOS Group 01 Nov 1998 (html)

NICMOS STScI Analysis Newsletter 9
Proceedings of the 1997 HST Calibration Workshop
Making Associations From Individual NICMOS Observations
New HST field-of-view plotting task available in STSDAS
NICMOS Group 01 Mar 1998 (html)

NICMOS STScI Analysis Newsletter 6
HST Data Handbook Version 3.0 released
Status of the NICMOS pure parallel program
NICMOS imaging polarimetry
NICMOS Group 01 Nov 1997 (html)

NICMOS STScI Analysis Newsletter 4
Changes to flight software to diminish residualbias & resulting new calibration reference files
Changes to the Exposure Time Calculator
History of calibration pipeline
Status of the coronagraph and recommendations for Cycle 7-NICMOS
Release of STSDAS/TABLES 2.0
NICMOS Group 01 Aug 1997 (html)