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
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, calib_1scan (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 calib_1scan (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).
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
00:00-06:00 Tuan-Anh : Continue with 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.
05:00-11:00 Fengwei :