News about Science Data Product Forum
We would like to draw your attention about the existence of the Science Data Products internet forum which can be found at: http://www.eso.org/sci/data-processing/forum.htmlNaCo News
On this page, we list the main changes that affected the instrument and this web site.
- December 20th, 2011: The PHASE-II version of the P89 User Manual is online (now including the template/keyword table). The P88 Calibration Plan is the latest to follow for P89.
- October 15th, 2011 (beginning of P88): the NACO IOT is pleased to announce that the drift associated to pupil tracking is now fixed! NACO is therefore more suited for high contrast imaging and can be used with coronagraphic masks in the image plane (Lyot, 4QPM) without much issue (still VM only for P88-P89). The residual drift of about 1 pix/hour (very much acceptable) can be attributed to an imperfect flexure compensation model.
- September 1st, 2011: as stated in the P89 call for proposals, UT4 (HAWK-I, NACO and SINFONI) will not be available in April 2012 as preparatory work required for the installation of the Adaptive Optics Facility (AOF) will take place in addition to the planned recoating of the M1. In addition, NACO is currently planned to be decommissioned at the end of P89 or early P90 (october 2012). Proposers for Large Programmes using NACO and/or ISAAC should take their limited availability into account.
- August 31th, 2011: The PHASE-I version of the P89 User Manual is online (+ template/keywords table). The P88 Calibration Plan is the latest to follow for P89.
- June 17th, 2011: The PHASE-II version of the P88 User Manual is online (+ template/keywords table). The P88 Calibration Plan features minor fixes from P87's.
- April 26th, 2011: all visible WFS (NGS/LGS 7x7, NGS 14x14, LGS 14x14) are back in service! The performance level reached during recommissioning is the same as prior to the intervention (on month ago).
- March 8th, 2011: The PHASE-I version of the P88 User Manual is online (+ template/keywords table). The P87 Calibration Plan is the latest to follow for P88.
- March 7th, 2011: new versions of the P87 User Manual (+ template/keywords table) and P87 Calibration Plan are online.
- March 6th, 2011: the 7x7 (NGS and LGS) and 14x14 (LGS) VIS-WFS are currently not available and for probably a few weeks (please ask the instrument scientists for updates). Other WFS (14x14 VIS NGS, 14x14 IR, 7x7 IR) are available.
- December 20th, 2010: A version of the P87 User Manual was online but not linked to this page, apologies.
- March 15th, 2010: new modes are offered in P86 (see call for proposals). The web pages have been updated and the P86 user manual is now available (please check again in May for updated version).
- Sept 12th, 2009:SAMPol and Seeing enhancer have been
succesfully commissioned and are offered for P85. Cube imaging, also
known as lucky imaging is offered in SM for P85.
Chopping is decommissioned from P85 onward. - Feb. 27th, 2009:SAMPol and Seeing enhancer are pending commissioning; as soon as this is over the relative information will be updated on these web pages and on the manual. In the meantime, the last version of the P83 manual should be considered valid for P84 as well.
- Nov. 15th, 2008: all the new modes of NaCo are offered in VM and have been succesfuly proven on sky: SAM, pupil tracking, cube mode and SDI+4. The modes work well and some last minute improvements have been documented in the web pages. Users have to be aware that there has not yet been time to update the P2PP time calculator. The reported execution times are not correct, especially in the case of cube mode, which is actually much more efficient than normal observations. Visiting astronomers are encouraged to contact the night astronomer to discuss their observing strategies.
- Oct. 5th, 2008:p82 starts. The new version of the p82 manual
has been posted on the web. It is the same as the one offered for Phase
1 of P83. The web pages have also been updated with more information on
SAM, cube mode and pupil tracking. Interested users are encouraged to
check the relative web pages on this site (under Instrument
Description).
- June 24th, 2008: p82 phase II officially starts. The new version of the p82 manual has been posted on the web.
Among the news:
- SAM: the Mode has been succesfully commissioned. We are working on the templates.
Sparse aperture mask interferometry uses special aperture masks in the pupil wheel to obtain the very highest angular resolution at the diffraction limit. When used correctly, these masks transform the single 8-m telescope pupil into a sparse interferometer array, and it is therefore necessary to understand the principles of optical interferometry and in particular the recovery of complex Fourier data (amplitudes and phases) from the Fizeau interference patterns that result.
SAM is offered in VM only. Users with approved proposals are encouraged to contact the IS at naco@eso.org in advance of their run to discuss the details.
- Cube mode - The mode is in advance stage of characterization.
This mode is a variant of the of the burst mode already offered with VISIR and ISAAC. In this mode, a data-cube with each single DIT frame is saved. This mode is particularly interesting for lucky-imaging type of observations, where one wants to select the best frames out of a set before co-adding them. The mode is not suited for time resolved applications, since we have no way to time-stamp each single DIT frame and we occasionally lose frames. There are stringent limitations to the use of this mode, in particular it will only be offered in combination with basic imaging (no LGS).
This mode is only offered for VM proposals. Users who requested it are encouraged to contact the IS at naco@eso.org in advance of their run to discuss the details.
- Pupil tracking mode for imaging applications (includes 4QPM coronagraphy and SDI+) - Tentatively offered, pending commissioning.
We are working on the implementation and preparing final on-sky tests.
Pupil tracking mode is being implemented to support SAM, but given the demand from the community, it will be tentatively offered for use with imaging and 4QPM coronagraphic observations. In this mode, the telescope, independently from NaCo, tracks the pupil instead of the field. This new tracking mode opens the possibility to do Angular Differential Imaging (ADI), a high contrast imaging technique that reduces quasi-static speckle noise and facilitates the detection of nearby companions.
Given its complexity and novelty, pupil tracking is only offered in VM. Users with approved proposals are encouraged to contact the IS at naco@eso.org in advance of their run to discuss the details.
- Chopping in Lp and Mp (imaging) will be offered again in P82'. There are more stringent limitations on the brightness of the AO star and on the size of the chop throw. Check the user's manual for details.
- SAM: the Mode has been succesfully commissioned. We are working on the templates.
- March 19th, 2008: a bug in the ETC caused off-axis S/N values to be systematically overestimated (that is, cases where the target and AO reference bjects differed). This bug only affected the imaging ETC as called via the NAOS Preparation Software (NAOS-PS). The bug has bee fixed.
- February, 2008: News in the Call for Proposals P82. New modes tentatively offered (pending commissioning): cube mode in imaging (NGS only), Sparse Aperture Interferometric Masks, Pupil Tracking with imaging and coronagraphy.
- December 22, 2007: new version of User's Manual and Web Pages for Phase 2 of P81 publicly released.
- September 23-24, 2007: commissioned the SDI+4 mode: SDI+ with Coronagraphic 4QPM_H
- August 24, 2007: News in the Call for Proposals P81
- August 1, 2007; New IOT settles in.
Old News
- April 03, 2007: Laser guide star facility: observing policies
- March 15, 2007: Novelties in the Call for Proposal P80
- February 28, 2006: Novelties in the Call for Proposal P78
- February 23, 2006: Latest important news about chopping
- February 16, 2006: Latest news about the SDI
- June 1, 2005: Important last minute news for service and visitor, concerning the SDI observations.
- January 6, 2005: Updated user manual for period 75 service and visitor mode observation runs.
- October 21, 2004: Important news for service and visitor, concerning chopping & SDI observations.
- August 8, 2004: Updated user manual for period 74 service and visitor mode observation runs.
- June 1, 2004: A new Aladdin3 array recently installed in CONICA, becomes operational.