Daily Reports (2025/11/18-25, NIKA2 run 76, Cryo run 88)
Observers on-site: Tuan-Anh Duong, Fengwei Xu, Benedetta Kalemi, Sihan Jiao
Astronomer-of-Duty, Pool Manager: Ioannis Myserlis
Operators: Joaquín Santiago, Mario Cervera
Preparatory notes
Please, remember to use the focus value of Ar1 (roughly Ar2 + 0.65 mm, but use directly the focus Ar1 monitor if possible).
Please fill the Table with the Ar1,2,3 focus values as follows. At best, make one table per day.
Focus sequences
Scan nr
Target
Ar2
Ar1
Ar3
Polarized?
Notes
Similarly, if any beam maps are taken:
Beam maps (99 sub-scans)
Scan Nr
Target
Focus
Notes
Pool-Account usage: Accounting of observing times
Calibration observations like pointing, focus, and calib_1scan (the latter in case of NIKA2-Pol only, aimed at characterizing the instrumental polarization) which are conducted before and during project observations are part of the project time. Note that all proposals include such overheads in the time and sensitivity estimates. This holds for total power and polarimetry observations.
Other calibration observations which are important for all projects like beam maps, skydips, or calib_1scan for absolute flux calibration may be accounted under the pool account (nikaX-YY, where X = s,w and YY = year).
- When conditions are unstable and it is unclear whether project observations make sense at all, calibrations may be accounted to the pool account.
November 18th, 2025, Tuesday
Focus sequences
Scan nr
Target
Ar2
Ar1
Ar3
Polarized?
Notes
70 -74
MWC349
0.22
0.87
1.08
No
Custom script. Start at 1mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
75 -79
MWC349
0.10
0.72
1.00
No
Custom script. Start at 0.9mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
81 -85
2251+158
0.05
0.80
1.00
Yes
Custom script. Start at 0.75mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
97 -101
2251+158
0.41
1.20
out
Yes
Custom script. Start at 0.8mm. good fitting for ar1, and ar 2 but not ar3
102-106
2251+158
0.35
1.07
1.28
Yes
Custom script. Start at 1.2mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
119-123
2251+158
0.36
1.01
1.24
No
Custom script. Start at 1.1mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
15:30-18:00 Ioannis : Maintenance finished on time and start directly with NIKA2 observations. ~ 1hr of NIKA2 observations training with new observers (and the ones that want to refresh their memory). Started with NIKA2 total power to check stability. Tuning looks good (12/5/21 bad kids for Ar1/2/3) and pointing plus focus look consistent and stable. Sky looks stable (~ 1.5 - 2 Jy/beam at 2mm) and we decide to change to NIKA2-Pol (8/4/39 bad kids on Ar1/2/3). Start of project 084-25. Pointing, focus and calib_1scan (20251118s88) on 3C454 (2251+158), which has similar elevation with selected target (IRAS23151). Tried to do 1 rep on IRAS23151 but fog came fast and light snow started as well, so we stopped until weather gets better.
18:00-00:00 Sihan : @ 19:10 the weather is better, have a try. Sky is stable ( < 2 Jy/beam at 2mm). Restart of project 084-25. Pointing, focus and calib_1scan (20251118s107) on 3C454. 1 repetition on IRAS23151. After the scientific observation, calib_1scan (20251118s117) on 3C454. @ around 21:25 switch to total power for project 066-25.Sky is stable ( < 2 Jy/beam at 2mm). Pointing and focus on 3C454, calib_1scan on CRL2688 (20251118s125). Do skydip @ 23:55 (20251118s135).
November 19th, 2025, Wednesday
Focus sequences
Scan nr
Target
Ar2
Ar1
Ar3
Polarized?
Notes
137-141
Uranus
0.20
0.83
1.07
Yes
Custom script. Start at 1.0mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
5-9
Uranus
0.08
0.75
1.04
Yes
Custom script. Start at 1.0mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
25-29
Uranus
0.15
0.80
1.09
Yes
Custom script. Start at 1.0mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
40-44
Uranus
0.09
0.79
1.04
Yes
Custom script. Start at 1.0mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
49-53
1226+023
0.35
1.03
1.28
No
Custom script. Start at 1.04mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
62-66
1226+023
0.40
1.08
1.37
No
Custom script. Start at 1.03mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
79-83
1226+023
0.07
0.89
1.12
No
Custom script. Start at 1.03mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
92-96
1226+023
?
0.56
0.72
No
Custom script. Start at 0.89mm. good fitting for ar1 and ar3 but not for Ar2
97-101
1226+023
0.15
0.54
0.79
No
Custom script. Start at 0.56mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
129-133
3C286
0.22
1.52
0.76
No
Custom script. Start at 0.54mm. good fitting for ar2, ar1 and ar3
138-142
3C286
0.16
?
?
No
Custom script. Start at -0.23mm. good fitting for ar2 but not for ar1 and ar3
149-153
2251+158
0.06
?
?
No
Custom script. Start at -0.20mm. good fitting for ar2 but not for ar1 and ar3
163-167
2251+158
0.27
?
?
No
Custom script. Start at -0.11mm. good fitting for ar2 but not for ar1 and ar3
168-172
2251+158
0.30
?
?
No
Custom script. Start at 0.50mm. good fitting for ar2 but not for ar1 and ar3
173-177
2251+158
0.30
0.92
1.2
No
Custom script. Start at 0.9mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
183-187
2251+158
0.26
0.92
1.25
Yes
Custom script. Start at 0.92mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
194-198
2251+158
0.29
0.96
1.29
Yes
Custom script. Start at 0.92mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
211-215
2251+158
0.36
1.05
1.37
Yes
Custom script. Start at 0.96mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
236-240
Uranus
0.32
0.97
1.23
Yes
Custom script. Start at 1.05mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
Beam maps (99 sub-scans)
Scan Nr
Target
Focus
Notes
1
Uranus
0.83
Focus optimized for Ar1. NIKA2-Pol mode (beammap1scan95sub_polar_hwp3hz_29min.pako)
45
Uranus
1.04
Focus optimized for Ar3. NIKA2-Pol mode (beammap1scan95sub_polar_hwp3hz_29min.pako)
241
Uranus
0.97
Focus optimized for Ar1. NIKA2-Pol mode (beammap1scan95sub_polar_hwp3hz_29min.pako)
242
Uranus
1.23
Focus optimized for Ar3. NIKA2-Pol mode (beammap1scan95sub_polar_hwp3hz_29min.pako)
00:00-06:00 Tuan-Anh : Starting with NIKA2-Pol, good tuning (17/6/19 bad kids Ar1/2/3). Pointing, focus, calib_1scan (20251118s142) and beam map optimized for Ar1 focus (20251119s1). Then start with 015-17 (B-FUN) observations. Pointing, focus and calib_1scan on Uranus then pointing on 0333+321, 2 repetitions on NGC1333 with calib_1scan. Switch to nikas-25: pointing, focus, calib_1scan on Uranus. Back to 015-17, pointing on 0458-020, 1 repetition on OMC-3N then calib_1scan on Uranus. At last, do a beam map optimized for Ar3 focus (20251119s45) and a skydip (20251119s46). We have a very stable sky +/- 0.5 Jy/beam, tau ~ 0.15 during the shift.
06:00-12:00 Fengwei : After beam map in polarization is finished we move to NIKA2-TP mode (tuning good 15/7/17 bad kids for Ar1/2/3). Pointing and focus on 1226+023 and we start with observations of project 082-25. 1 repetition on PSZ2G229. And we switched to nikas-25: pointing, focus, (20251119s60) on 1226+023. Then we switched to 082-25. Pointing scan and then to start science scans on PSZ2G229 with 1 repetition. Pointing scan (20251119s72) on 1226+023 gives a still good focus and beam shape at both 1 and 2 mm. So we continue 1 repetition on PSZ2G229. We switch to nikas-25: pointing and focus on 1226+023 (20251119s78). Then we switched to 082-25 to do pointing and then 1 repetition on PSZ2G229.
12:00-18:00 Ioannis, Juan : Beam slightly extended (~18.5" at 2mm) so repeat pointing and focus on 1226+023. Indeed focus changed again and now the beam size is getting larger. Skydip (20251119s105) and flux calibration on MWC349 (20251119s108, s114), CRL2688 (20251119s111) and NGC7027 (20251119s118). We moved to project 082-25 after a focus in 3C286 and launch 1 repetition on PSZ2G229 (20251119s122-125 , notice last scan was cancelled) As PSZ2G229 was too low we switched to observing PSZ2G107 but could not focus correctly, finally focus 2251+158 on and did 1 full repetition ( 20251119s157-160 )
18:00 -24:00 Sihan: get good focus at 18:20 then do skydip. The weather is very good and stable (tau <0.15 and <1 jy/beam), and switch to NIKA2pol for project 084-25. Exceptional tuning (9/9/12 bad kids in Ar1/2/3). Pointing, focus and calib_1scan (20251119s188) on 3C454 (2251+158), which has similar elevation with selected target (IRAS23151). Finish one repetition and then go back to 3C454 (2251+158) to do calib_1scan (20251119s209,20251119s219), pointing, focus. Go to IRAS23151 for one repetition, Finish one repetition and then go back to 3C454 (2251+158) to do calib_1scan (20251119s229). Flux calibrations on MWC349 (20251119s231), CRL2668 (20251119s232), NGC7027 (20251119s233). We finish the shift with pointing, focus and two beam maps on Uranus, one with focus optimized for Ar1 (20251119s241) and another for Ar3 (20251119s242). for one repetition.
November 20th, 2025, Thursday
Focus sequences
Scan nr
Target
Ar2
Ar1
Ar3
Polarized?
Notes
246-1-4
Uranus
0.18
0.96
1.18
Yes
Custom script. Start at 0.96mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
23-27
Uranus
0.40
1.04
1.36
Yes
Custom script. Start at 1.04mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
43-47
0316+413
0.42
1.13
1.47
Yes
Custom script. Start at 1.04mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
57-61
1226+023
0.47
1.15
1.41
No
Custom script. Start at 1.13mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
78-82
1226+023
0.52
1.18
1.44
No
Custom script. Start at 1.13mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
92-96
1226+023
?
1.02
1.20
No
Custom script. Start at 1.18mm. good fitting for ar1 and ar3 but not for Ar2
97-101
1226+023
0.30
1.02
1.25
No
Custom script. Start at 0.90mm. good fitting for ar1, ar2 and ar3
107-111
K3-50A
0.30
0.95
1.19
No
Custom script. Start at 1.02mm. good fitting for ar1, ar2 and ar3
129-133
2251+158
0.27
0.67
0.87
No
Custom script. Start at 0.95mm. good fitting for ar1, ar3, but not good fitting for ar2
134-138
2251+158
0.08
0.67
0.98
No
Custom script. Start at 0.57mm. good fitting for ar1, ar2. ar3
157-161
2251+158
0.42
1.22
?
No
Custom script. Start at 0.67mm. good fitting for ar1, ar2. but not good fitting for ar3
162-166
2251+158
0.43
1.10
1.47
No
Custom script. Start at 0.90mm. good fitting for ar1, ar2. ar3
186-190
2251+158
0.60
1.24
1.52
No
Custom script. Start at 1.10mm. good fitting for ar1, ar2. ar3
00:00-06:00 Tuan-Anh : Continue beam map 20251119s242 from previous shift. Start at 0:54 LT, pointing, focus, calib_1scan on Uranus. Switch to BFUN (015-17), pointing on 0333-321, 1 repetition for NGC1333 with calib_1scan (20251120s15), 1 repetition for OMC-3N with calib_1scan (20251120s19). Switch to nikas-25: pointing, focus, calib_1scan on Uranus, 1 repetition for OMC-2S with calib_1scan (20251120s35), 1 repetition for NGC1333 with calib_1scan (20251120s39). Beam slightly extended 17"x18.5" @2mm.
05:00-12:00 Fengwei : Point, focus, and calib_1scan (20251120s48) on 0316+413. Then skydip. Then calib_1scans (20251120s52, 20251120s54) on ALFORI and CRL618. Change to NIKA2-TP with the special setup for project D01-25 (tuning good 9/6/12 bad kids for Ar1/2/3). Point, focus on 1226+023. Now move to project D01-25. Point on 1418+596. Start Science Scan, for three repetitions. And move to 1418+596 again, check the beam FHWM which is 16x18 arcsec, still good. Keep two repetitions. Reach two hours and move to Point, Focus on 1226+023 (in Project nikas-25). Re-focus and move back to Project D01-25. Start two repetitions.
11:00-18:00 Benedetta : After changing the setup to normal NIKA2-TP mode (good tuning with 9/5/18 bad kids in Ar1/2/3), we do pointing and focus on K3-50A and start with the observations of project 022-25. Start science scan for three repetitons. After checking the beam FHWM which was good (18.12 * 18.59) and weather stability (very good, +/- 1 Jy/beam), started the second three repetition of science scans. Scan 124 has weather stability issues (tau ~ 0.77).
17:00-23:00 Sihan: get good pointing and focus on 2251+158 and then move to project 066-25. When pointing on the nearby pointing source, sky stability +/- 3-4 Jy/beam. After two repetition2, go to 2251+158 to do pointing, focus, and skydip.Flux calibrations on CRL2668 (20251120s170), NGC7027 (20251120s172), MWC349 (20251120s174). @22:15 switch to NIKApol for project 084-25 (tuning good 8/6/18 bad kids for Ar1/2/3). Pointing, focus and calib_1scan (20251120s192) on 3C454 (2251+158), which has similar elevation with selected target (IRAS23151).
November 21st, 2025, Friday
Focus sequences
Scan nr
Target
Ar2
Ar1
Ar3
Polarized?
Notes
205-209
Uranus
0.53
1.16
1.46
Yes
Custom script. Start at 1.16mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
11-15
Uranus
0.59
1.24
1.64
Yes
Custom script. Start at 1.24mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
30-34
Uranus
0.65
1.35
1.78
Yes
Custom script. Start at 1.24mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
49-53
1226+023
0.65
1.33
1.58
No
Custom script. Start at 1.24mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
70-74
1226+023
0.71
1.41
1.68
No
Custom script. Start at 1.24mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3
84-88
1226+023
??
1.15
1.33
No
Custom script. Start at 1.18mm. good fitting for ar1 and ar3 but not for Ar2
89-93
1226+023
0.38
1.20
???
No
Custom script. Start at 0.8mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2, but not for Ar3
94-98
1226+023
??
1.13
1.35
No
Custom script. Start at 1.2mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2, but not for Ar2
99-103
1226+023
0.4
??
???
No
Custom script. Start at 0.6mm. good fitting for ar2, but not for Ar1 and Ar3
106-110
K3-50A
0.35
1.11
???
No
Custom script. Start at 0.9mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2, not good for Ar3
111-115
K3-50A
0.29
1.05
1.24
No
Custom script. Start at 1.11mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2, ar3
120-124
K3-50A
??
0.85
1.04
No
Custom script. Start at 1.05mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 3, not good for Ar2
124-129
K3-50A
0.06
0.75
1.1
No
Custom script. Start at 0.7mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2, ar 3
146-150
MWC349
??
0.55
0.77
No
Custom script. Start at 0.5mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 3, not good for Ar2
162-166
2251+158
0.02
0.75
??
No
Custom script. Start at 0.3mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2, not good for Ar3
167-171
2251+158
0.05
0.72
0.94
No
Custom script. Start at 0.75mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2, Ar3
190-194
2251+158
0.34
1.02
????
No
Custom script. Start at 0.72mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2, not good for Ar3
195-199
2251+158
0.34
1.04
1.25
No
Custom script. Start at 1.02mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2, Ar3
210-214
2251+158
0.43
1.10
1.37
No
Custom script. Start at 1.04mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2, Ar3
23:00-05:00 Tuan-Anh : Continue science scan in the previous shift then calib_1scan on 2251+158. Start at 00:10 LT, switch to nikas-25, pointing, focus and calib_1scan on Uranus. Switch to B-FUN, pointing on 0333+321 then perform 1 repetition for NGC1333 with calib_1scan (20251121s3), 1 repetition for NGC2024S with calib_1scan (20251121s8). Switch to nikas-25, pointing, focus and calib_1scan (20251121s16) on Uranus. Switch to B-FUN, pointing on 0458-020 then perform 1 repetition for OMC-2S with calib_1scan (20251121s23), 1 repetition for OMC-3N with calib_1scan (20251121s28). Pointing, focus on Uranus then skydip.
05:00-11:00 Fengwei: Taking over from Tuan-Anh. calib_1scan on ALFORI (20251121s038) and calib_1scan on CRL618 (20251121s041), calib_1scan on 3C286 (20251121s044), and calib_1scan on 3C273 (20251121s047). Change to NIKA2-TP (in the D01-25 setup) and tuning looks good (9/7/12 bad kids in Ar1/2/3). Back on D01-25. Four repetitions on M51. After pointing calibration on 1418+546 and find a bit elongated beam. So, Pointing and re-Focus on 1226+023. Then back to D01-25. Two repetitions again on M51.
11:00-17:00 Benedetta: Performed a skydip on nikas-25 project. Performed pointing and focusing on 1226+023. Very good sky conditions 1 Jy/beam. The focusing has been repeated 4 times on source 1226+023 and every time one of the three arrays was not on focus. So we changed to another source, K3-50A, which is less bright but further to the sun. After 2 focusing repetitions we obtained a good compromise at 1.05 mmm to focus the 3 arrays. Then back to project D01-25. Nearby pointing to 1418+56. Size FWHM too elongated (16.95 x 19.58 arcsec). We focus again on a bright source K3-50A. Nearby pointing to 1418+56, beam dimensions FWHM 16.53 x 18.26, sky stability good < 5 Jy/beam. Three repetitions again on M51. Nearby pointing to 1418+56, beam dimensions FWHM 17.4 x 20.79, little elongated but since the project is almost done avoiding refocus to perform one last science scan because sky stability very good < 2 Jy/beam, tau still less than 0.1. Run the last science scan on M51. Refocusing on nikas25, on MWC349. Bad results for array 2. Refocusing.
17:00-23:00 Sihan: Change to NIKA2-TP (from the D01-25 setup) and tuning looks good (13/6/12 bad kids in Ar1/2/3) for project 066-25. Pointing and focus on 3C454 (2251+158). Finish 2 repetition for project 066-25. Flux calibrations on CRL2668 (20251121s204), NGC7027 (20251121s205), MWC349 (20251121s206). @21:20 switch to NIKApol for project 084-25 (tuning good 15/6/10 bad kids for Ar1/2/3). Pointing, focus and calib_1scan (20251121s215) on 3C454 (2251+158). 1 repetition on IRAS23033.
November 22nd, 2025, Saturday
Focus sequences
Scan nr
Target
Ar2
Ar1
Ar3
Polarized?
Notes
232-236
Uranus
0.5
1.14
1.49
Yes
Custom script. Start at 1.04mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3 ?
7-11
Uranus
0.49
1.14
1.46
Yes
Custom script. Start at 1.14mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3 ?
27-31
Uranus
0.58
1.23
1.
Yes
Custom script. Start at 1.14mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3 ?
37-41
W3OH
0.28
1.11
1.30
Yes
Custom script. Start at 1.14mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3 ?
63-67
1226+023
0.63
1.35
2.02
No
Custom script. Start at 1.14mm. good fitting for ar1, ar 2 and ar3 ?
23:00-05:00 Tuan-Anh : Start B-FUN (015-17) at 23:25, switch to nikas-25: pointing, focus on Uranus then calib_1scan (20251121s237). Switch to 015-17, pointing on 0458-020, 1 repetition for OMC-3N with calib_1scan (20251121s244), 1 repetition for OMC-2S with calib_1scan (20251122s4), Pointing, focus and calib_1scan (20251122s12) on Uranus in nikas-25 project. Switch to 015-17, pointing on 0333+321 then do 1 repetition on NGC1333 with calib_1scan (20251122s19), 1 repetition on NGC2024 with calib_1scan (20251122s24) Pointing, focus and calib_1scan (20251122s32) on Uranus in nikas-25 project. Do skydip (20251122s33).
05:00-11:00 Fengwei: Taking over from Tuan-Anh. In nikas-25, do pointing and focus on W3OH. Start 084-25 at 4:22. Point and calib_1scan on 0316+413 (20251122s44). Move on W3OH for pointing. 1 repetition on G138.2957. Point and calib_1scan on 0316+413 (20251122s55). In nikas-25, calib_1scan on 3C286 (20251122s58) and calib_1scan on 1226+023 (20251122s61).