Planning JWST NIRSpec MSA spectroscopy using NIRCam pre-images

Tracy L. Beck; Leonardo Ubeda; Susan A. Kassin; Karoline Gilbert; Diane M. Karakla; I. N. Reid; William P. Blair; Charles D. Keyes; D. R. Soderblom; Maria A. Peña-Guerrero

doi:10.1117/12.2232804

15 July 2016 Planning JWST NIRSpec MSA spectroscopy using NIRCam pre-images

Tracy L. Beck, Leonardo Ubeda, Susan A. Kassin, Karoline Gilbert, Diane M. Karakla, I. N. Reid, William P. Blair, Charles D. Keyes, D. R. Soderblom, Maria A. Peña-Guerrero

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9910, Observatory Operations: Strategies, Processes, and Systems VI; 99101O (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2232804
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2016, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Abstract

The Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) is the work-horse spectrograph at 1-5microns for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). A showcase observing mode of NIRSpec is the multi-object spectroscopy with the Micro-Shutter Arrays (MSAs), which consist of a quarter million tiny configurable shutters that are 0. ′′20×0. ′′46 in size. The NIRSpec MSA shutters can be opened in adjacent rows to create flexible and positionable spectroscopy slits on prime science targets of interest. Because of the very small shutter width, the NIRSpec MSA spectral data quality will benefit significantly from accurate astrometric knowledge of the positions of planned science sources. Images acquired with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) have the optimal relative astrometric accuracy for planning NIRSpec observations of 5-10 milli-arcseconds (mas). However, some science fields of interest might have no HST images, galactic fields can have moderate proper motions at the 5mas level or greater, and extragalactic images with HST may have inadequate source information at NIRSpec wavelengths beyond 2 microns. Thus, optimal NIRSpec spectroscopy planning may require pre-imaging observations with the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) on JWST to accurately establish source positions for alignment with the NIRSpec MSAs. We describe operational philosophies and programmatic considerations for acquiring JWST NIRCam pre-image observations for NIRSpec MSA spectroscopic planning within the same JWST observing Cycle.

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Tracy L. Beck, Leonardo Ubeda, Susan A. Kassin, Karoline Gilbert, Diane M. Karakla, I. N. Reid, William P. Blair, Charles D. Keyes, D. R. Soderblom, and Maria A. Peña-Guerrero "Planning JWST NIRSpec MSA spectroscopy using NIRCam pre-images", Proc. SPIE 9910, Observatory Operations: Strategies, Processes, and Systems VI, 99101O (15 July 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2232804

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