NIRCam Imaging Calibration Status
The overall calibration status and estimated accuracy of NIRCam imaging are described in this article; please also see the article on known issues affecting NIRCam data.
On this page
Astrometric accuracy
Date:
The table below displays the uncertainties in source positions for all NIRCam filter and pupil combinations after WCS corrections using the latest astrometric distortion calibration files that were delivered in February 2024. To convert from pixels to arcsec, multiply by the pixel scale for the appropriate channel. Note that there are some small systematics present for F070W with module B that are currently being investigated.
Aperture | Filter | Pupil | X-residuals mean (pix) | X-residuals mean error (pix) | X-residuals RMS (pix) | Y-residuals mean (pix) | Y-residuals mean error (pix) | Y-residuals RMS (pix) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NRCA1_FULL | F070W | CLEAR | 0.0077 | 0.0012 | 0.0777 | 0.0008 | 0.0011 | 0.0759 |
NRCA1_FULL | F090W | CLEAR | 0.0055 | 0.0013 | 0.0597 | 0.0000 | 0.0013 | 0.0587 |
NRCA1_FULL | F115W | CLEAR | 0.0031 | 0.0012 | 0.0545 | 0.0003 | 0.0012 | 0.0564 |
NRCA1_FULL | F140M | CLEAR | 0.0020 | 0.0012 | 0.0538 | 0.0004 | 0.0013 | 0.0593 |
NRCA1_FULL | F150W | CLEAR | 0.0026 | 0.0006 | 0.0548 | 0.0007 | 0.0006 | 0.0542 |
NRCA1_FULL | F150W2 | CLEAR | 0.0025 | 0.0012 | 0.0531 | 0.0008 | 0.0013 | 0.0563 |
NRCA1_FULL | F150W2 | F162M | 0.0023 | 0.0011 | 0.0517 | 0.0019 | 0.0012 | 0.0560 |
NRCA1_FULL | F150W2 | F164N | 0.0015 | 0.0009 | 0.0557 | 0.0021 | 0.0009 | 0.0597 |
NRCA1_FULL | F182M | CLEAR | 0.0051 | 0.0013 | 0.0568 | 0.0044 | 0.0013 | 0.0608 |
NRCA1_FULL | F187N | CLEAR | 0.0047 | 0.0009 | 0.0563 | 0.0042 | 0.0009 | 0.0591 |
NRCA1_FULL | F200W | CLEAR | 0.0016 | 0.0006 | 0.0542 | 0.0000 | 0.0006 | 0.0551 |
NRCA1_FULL | F210M | CLEAR | 0.0050 | 0.0007 | 0.0573 | 0.0051 | 0.0007 | 0.0579 |
NRCA1_FULL | F212N | CLEAR | 0.0048 | 0.0009 | 0.0575 | 0.0047 | 0.0010 | 0.0630 |
NRCA2_FULL | F070W | CLEAR | 0.0069 | 0.0011 | 0.0737 | -0.0004 | 0.0011 | 0.0706 |
NRCA2_FULL | F090W | CLEAR | 0.0055 | 0.0014 | 0.0631 | -0.0013 | 0.0013 | 0.0618 |
NRCA2_FULL | F115W | CLEAR | 0.0019 | 0.0013 | 0.0593 | 0.0006 | 0.0012 | 0.0566 |
NRCA2_FULL | F140M | CLEAR | 0.0003 | 0.0013 | 0.0581 | 0.0007 | 0.0013 | 0.0590 |
NRCA2_FULL | F150W | CLEAR | 0.0011 | 0.0006 | 0.0548 | 0.0011 | 0.0006 | 0.0549 |
NRCA2_FULL | F150W2 | CLEAR | 0.0004 | 0.0014 | 0.0593 | 0.0015 | 0.0014 | 0.0590 |
NRCA2_FULL | F150W2 | F162M | 0.0012 | 0.0013 | 0.0604 | 0.0018 | 0.0012 | 0.0548 |
NRCA2_FULL | F150W2 | F164N | 0.0007 | 0.0010 | 0.0622 | 0.0030 | 0.0009 | 0.0613 |
NRCA2_FULL | F182M | CLEAR | 0.0054 | 0.0014 | 0.0647 | -0.0051 | 0.0014 | 0.0635 |
NRCA2_FULL | F187N | CLEAR | 0.0051 | 0.0010 | 0.0655 | -0.0047 | 0.0010 | 0.0644 |
NRCA2_FULL | F200W | CLEAR | 0.0005 | 0.0006 | 0.0548 | 0.0003 | 0.0006 | 0.0554 |
NRCA2_FULL | F210M | CLEAR | 0.0049 | 0.0007 | 0.0579 | -0.0052 | 0.0008 | 0.0591 |
NRCA2_FULL | F212N | CLEAR | 0.0048 | 0.0010 | 0.0652 | -0.0042 | 0.0010 | 0.0663 |
NRCA3_FULL | F070W | CLEAR | -0.0050 | 0.0014 | 0.0809 | -0.0015 | 0.0016 | 0.0960 |
NRCA3_FULL | F090W | CLEAR | -0.0028 | 0.0013 | 0.0578 | 0.0022 | 0.0016 | 0.0669 |
NRCA3_FULL | F115W | CLEAR | 0.0015 | 0.0013 | 0.0553 | 0.0026 | 0.0013 | 0.0559 |
NRCA3_FULL | F140M | CLEAR | 0.0021 | 0.0013 | 0.0576 | 0.0033 | 0.0013 | 0.0579 |
NRCA3_FULL | F150W | CLEAR | 0.0019 | 0.0006 | 0.0533 | 0.0021 | 0.0006 | 0.0550 |
NRCA3_FULL | F150W2 | CLEAR | 0.0016 | 0.0013 | 0.0539 | 0.0036 | 0.0013 | 0.0535 |
NRCA3_FULL | F150W2 | F162M | 0.0015 | 0.0013 | 0.0545 | 0.0045 | 0.0013 | 0.0546 |
NRCA3_FULL | F150W2 | F164N | 0.0017 | 0.0009 | 0.0578 | 0.0045 | 0.0010 | 0.0596 |
NRCA3_FULL | F182M | CLEAR | -0.0043 | 0.0013 | 0.0578 | 0.0076 | 0.0014 | 0.0625 |
NRCA3_FULL | F187N | CLEAR | -0.0046 | 0.0010 | 0.0592 | 0.0071 | 0.0010 | 0.0616 |
NRCA3_FULL | F200W | CLEAR | 0.0010 | 0.0006 | 0.0538 | 0.0012 | 0.0006 | 0.0554 |
NRCA3_FULL | F210M | CLEAR | -0.0036 | 0.0007 | 0.0572 | 0.0067 | 0.0008 | 0.0606 |
NRCA3_FULL | F212N | CLEAR | -0.0046 | 0.0010 | 0.0595 | 0.0070 | 0.0010 | 0.0639 |
NRCA4_FULL | F070W | CLEAR | -0.0071 | 0.0013 | 0.0775 | -0.0079 | 0.0014 | 0.0833 |
NRCA4_FULL | F090W | CLEAR | -0.0009 | 0.0014 | 0.0610 | -0.0071 | 0.0015 | 0.0639 |
NRCA4_FULL | F115W | CLEAR | 0.0027 | 0.0013 | 0.0579 | -0.0026 | 0.0013 | 0.0554 |
NRCA4_FULL | F140M | CLEAR | 0.0028 | 0.0014 | 0.0576 | -0.0011 | 0.0013 | 0.0546 |
NRCA4_FULL | F150W | CLEAR | 0.0020 | 0.0006 | 0.0544 | -0.0007 | 0.0007 | 0.0554 |
NRCA4_FULL | F150W2 | CLEAR | 0.0016 | 0.0014 | 0.0573 | -0.0013 | 0.0013 | 0.0512 |
NRCA4_FULL | F150W2 | F162M | 0.0005 | 0.0012 | 0.0533 | 0.0014 | 0.0012 | 0.0499 |
NRCA4_FULL | F150W2 | F164N | 0.0004 | 0.0010 | 0.0578 | 0.0022 | 0.0009 | 0.0549 |
NRCA4_FULL | F182M | CLEAR | -0.0026 | 0.0014 | 0.0578 | -0.0062 | 0.0014 | 0.0579 |
NRCA4_FULL | F187N | CLEAR | -0.0036 | 0.0010 | 0.0593 | -0.0051 | 0.0009 | 0.0571 |
NRCA4_FULL | F200W | CLEAR | 0.0014 | 0.0006 | 0.0546 | 0.0000 | 0.0006 | 0.0556 |
NRCA4_FULL | F210M | CLEAR | -0.0031 | 0.0007 | 0.0566 | -0.0059 | 0.0008 | 0.0610 |
NRCA4_FULL | F212N | CLEAR | -0.0042 | 0.0010 | 0.0611 | -0.0052 | 0.0010 | 0.0601 |
NRCA5_FULL | F250M | CLEAR | -0.0001 | 0.0005 | 0.0385 | 0.0010 | 0.0005 | 0.0447 |
NRCA5_FULL | F277W | CLEAR | 0.0001 | 0.0002 | 0.0310 | 0.0005 | 0.0002 | 0.0321 |
NRCA5_FULL | F300M | CLEAR | -0.0004 | 0.0004 | 0.0346 | 0.0008 | 0.0005 | 0.0382 |
NRCA5_FULL | F322W2 | CLEAR | -0.0003 | 0.0003 | 0.0296 | 0.0012 | 0.0004 | 0.0307 |
NRCA5_FULL | F322W2 | F323N | -0.0012 | 0.0006 | 0.0441 | 0.0030 | 0.0006 | 0.0483 |
NRCA5_FULL | F335M | CLEAR | 0.0012 | 0.0002 | 0.0328 | -0.0030 | 0.0002 | 0.0348 |
NRCA5_FULL | F356W | CLEAR | -0.0005 | 0.0002 | 0.0308 | 0.0005 | 0.0002 | 0.0317 |
NRCA5_FULL | F360M | CLEAR | -0.0010 | 0.0005 | 0.0379 | 0.0009 | 0.0005 | 0.0418 |
NRCA5_FULL | F410M | CLEAR | -0.0003 | 0.0008 | 0.0412 | -0.0001 | 0.0009 | 0.0466 |
NRCA5_FULL | F430M | CLEAR | -0.0005 | 0.0004 | 0.0312 | 0.0004 | 0.0004 | 0.0329 |
NRCA5_FULL | F444W | CLEAR | -0.0006 | 0.0003 | 0.0331 | 0.0001 | 0.0003 | 0.0325 |
NRCA5_FULL | F444W | F405N | -0.0002 | 0.0006 | 0.0485 | 0.0019 | 0.0007 | 0.0508 |
NRCA5_FULL | F444W | F466N | 0.0000 | 0.0005 | 0.0389 | 0.0015 | 0.0005 | 0.0403 |
NRCA5_FULL | F444W | F470N | 0.0000 | 0.0005 | 0.0399 | 0.0021 | 0.0005 | 0.0425 |
NRCA5_FULL | F460M | CLEAR | -0.0004 | 0.0004 | 0.0322 | 0.0011 | 0.0004 | 0.0340 |
NRCA5_FULL | F480M | CLEAR | -0.0003 | 0.0004 | 0.0336 | 0.0011 | 0.0004 | 0.0349 |
NRCB1_FULL | F070W | CLEAR | -0.0078 | 0.0012 | 0.0763 | 0.0080 | 0.0012 | 0.0772 |
NRCB1_FULL | F090W | CLEAR | 0.0008 | 0.0013 | 0.0600 | 0.0069 | 0.0014 | 0.0662 |
NRCB1_FULL | F115W | CLEAR | 0.0055 | 0.0013 | 0.0586 | 0.0021 | 0.0013 | 0.0614 |
NRCB1_FULL | F140M | CLEAR | 0.0061 | 0.0013 | 0.0599 | 0.0011 | 0.0014 | 0.0636 |
NRCB1_FULL | F150W | CLEAR | 0.0066 | 0.0007 | 0.0572 | 0.0002 | 0.0007 | 0.0564 |
NRCB1_FULL | F150W2 | CLEAR | 0.0066 | 0.0013 | 0.0589 | 0.0013 | 0.0013 | 0.0601 |
NRCB1_FULL | F150W2 | F162M | 0.0036 | 0.0012 | 0.0562 | 0.0038 | 0.0013 | 0.0600 |
NRCB1_FULL | F150W2 | F164N | 0.0034 | 0.0010 | 0.0622 | 0.0035 | 0.0010 | 0.0650 |
NRCB1_FULL | F182M | CLEAR | 0.0059 | 0.0014 | 0.0634 | 0.0006 | 0.0014 | 0.0639 |
NRCB1_FULL | F187N | CLEAR | 0.0049 | 0.0009 | 0.0606 | 0.0010 | 0.0010 | 0.0630 |
NRCB1_FULL | F200W | CLEAR | 0.0063 | 0.0007 | 0.0572 | -0.0001 | 0.0007 | 0.0578 |
NRCB1_FULL | F210M | CLEAR | 0.0064 | 0.0008 | 0.0580 | 0.0000 | 0.0008 | 0.0589 |
NRCB1_FULL | F212N | CLEAR | 0.0042 | 0.0010 | 0.0624 | 0.0012 | 0.0010 | 0.0662 |
NRCB2_FULL | F070W | CLEAR | -0.0112 | 0.0013 | 0.0858 | -0.0005 | 0.0011 | 0.0735 |
NRCB2_FULL | F090W | CLEAR | -0.0024 | 0.0013 | 0.0614 | 0.0032 | 0.0013 | 0.0630 |
NRCB2_FULL | F115W | CLEAR | 0.0028 | 0.0012 | 0.0561 | -0.0002 | 0.0012 | 0.0577 |
NRCB2_FULL | F140M | CLEAR | 0.0037 | 0.0012 | 0.0570 | 0.0002 | 0.0013 | 0.0584 |
NRCB2_FULL | F150W | CLEAR | 0.0043 | 0.0006 | 0.0550 | -0.0009 | 0.0006 | 0.0561 |
NRCB2_FULL | F150W2 | CLEAR | 0.0038 | 0.0012 | 0.0544 | -0.0006 | 0.0012 | 0.0556 |
NRCB2_FULL | F150W2 | F162M | 0.0028 | 0.0012 | 0.0550 | 0.0002 | 0.0012 | 0.0566 |
NRCB2_FULL | F150W2 | F164N | 0.0032 | 0.0009 | 0.0616 | 0.0005 | 0.0009 | 0.0606 |
NRCB2_FULL | F182M | CLEAR | 0.0040 | 0.0013 | 0.0596 | 0.0002 | 0.0013 | 0.0594 |
NRCB2_FULL | F187N | CLEAR | 0.0039 | 0.0009 | 0.0596 | 0.0000 | 0.0009 | 0.0608 |
NRCB2_FULL | F200W | CLEAR | 0.0043 | 0.0006 | 0.0544 | -0.0006 | 0.0006 | 0.0564 |
NRCB2_FULL | F210M | CLEAR | 0.0048 | 0.0007 | 0.0556 | -0.0008 | 0.0007 | 0.0584 |
NRCB2_FULL | F212N | CLEAR | 0.0042 | 0.0009 | 0.0605 | -0.0003 | 0.0009 | 0.0611 |
NRCB3_FULL | F070W | CLEAR | -0.0206 | 0.0015 | 0.1003 | 0.0042 | 0.0012 | 0.0808 |
NRCB3_FULL | F090W | CLEAR | -0.0035 | 0.0014 | 0.0611 | 0.0043 | 0.0013 | 0.0605 |
NRCB3_FULL | F115W | CLEAR | 0.0037 | 0.0013 | 0.0584 | 0.0023 | 0.0013 | 0.0596 |
NRCB3_FULL | F140M | CLEAR | 0.0062 | 0.0013 | 0.0605 | 0.0010 | 0.0014 | 0.0620 |
NRCB3_FULL | F150W | CLEAR | 0.0059 | 0.0006 | 0.0554 | 0.0007 | 0.0007 | 0.0563 |
NRCB3_FULL | F150W2 | CLEAR | 0.0052 | 0.0013 | 0.0580 | 0.0016 | 0.0013 | 0.0567 |
NRCB3_FULL | F150W2 | F162M | 0.0052 | 0.0012 | 0.0562 | 0.0015 | 0.0012 | 0.0565 |
NRCB3_FULL | F150W2 | F164N | 0.0063 | 0.0010 | 0.0636 | 0.0019 | 0.0010 | 0.0621 |
NRCB3_FULL | F182M | CLEAR | 0.0062 | 0.0014 | 0.0636 | 0.0007 | 0.0014 | 0.0647 |
NRCB3_FULL | F187N | CLEAR | 0.0059 | 0.0010 | 0.0613 | 0.0010 | 0.0009 | 0.0607 |
NRCB3_FULL | F200W | CLEAR | 0.0059 | 0.0006 | 0.0558 | 0.0006 | 0.0007 | 0.0574 |
NRCB3_FULL | F210M | CLEAR | 0.0057 | 0.0007 | 0.0564 | 0.0006 | 0.0007 | 0.0584 |
NRCB3_FULL | F212N | CLEAR | 0.0061 | 0.0010 | 0.0640 | 0.0010 | 0.0010 | 0.0638 |
NRCB4_FULL | F070W | CLEAR | -0.0213 | 0.0014 | 0.0932 | -0.0075 | 0.0011 | 0.0757 |
NRCB4_FULL | F090W | CLEAR | -0.0026 | 0.0013 | 0.0594 | -0.0010 | 0.0013 | 0.0613 |
NRCB4_FULL | F115W | CLEAR | 0.0060 | 0.0012 | 0.0569 | -0.0001 | 0.0012 | 0.0572 |
NRCB4_FULL | F140M | CLEAR | 0.0080 | 0.0013 | 0.0606 | 0.0003 | 0.0013 | 0.0593 |
NRCB4_FULL | F150W | CLEAR | 0.0081 | 0.0007 | 0.0575 | 0.0001 | 0.0007 | 0.0572 |
NRCB4_FULL | F150W2 | CLEAR | 0.0075 | 0.0013 | 0.0587 | 0.0004 | 0.0013 | 0.0561 |
NRCB4_FULL | F150W2 | F162M | 0.0074 | 0.0012 | 0.0567 | 0.0030 | 0.0012 | 0.0566 |
NRCB4_FULL | F150W2 | F164N | 0.0072 | 0.0009 | 0.0612 | 0.0028 | 0.0009 | 0.0615 |
NRCB4_FULL | F182M | CLEAR | 0.0081 | 0.0013 | 0.0631 | 0.0005 | 0.0013 | 0.0620 |
NRCB4_FULL | F187N | CLEAR | 0.0076 | 0.0009 | 0.0626 | 0.0004 | 0.0009 | 0.0607 |
NRCB4_FULL | F200W | CLEAR | 0.0076 | 0.0006 | 0.0571 | -0.0006 | 0.0006 | 0.0578 |
NRCB4_FULL | F210M | CLEAR | 0.0074 | 0.0007 | 0.0577 | -0.0004 | 0.0007 | 0.0598 |
NRCB4_FULL | F212N | CLEAR | 0.0079 | 0.0009 | 0.0631 | 0.0008 | 0.0010 | 0.0633 |
NRCB5_FULL | F250M | CLEAR | 0.0024 | 0.0005 | 0.0413 | 0.0009 | 0.0005 | 0.0448 |
NRCB5_FULL | F277W | CLEAR | 0.0023 | 0.0002 | 0.0300 | -0.0005 | 0.0002 | 0.0310 |
NRCB5_FULL | F300M | CLEAR | 0.0026 | 0.0004 | 0.0375 | -0.0001 | 0.0005 | 0.0403 |
NRCB5_FULL | F322W2 | CLEAR | 0.0026 | 0.0003 | 0.0304 | -0.0001 | 0.0003 | 0.0305 |
NRCB5_FULL | F322W2 | F323N | 0.0018 | 0.0006 | 0.0464 | 0.0018 | 0.0006 | 0.0488 |
NRCB5_FULL | F335M | CLEAR | 0.0028 | 0.0002 | 0.0312 | -0.0010 | 0.0002 | 0.0325 |
NRCB5_FULL | F356W | CLEAR | 0.0026 | 0.0002 | 0.0303 | -0.0010 | 0.0002 | 0.0315 |
NRCB5_FULL | F360M | CLEAR | 0.0023 | 0.0005 | 0.0412 | -0.0005 | 0.0005 | 0.0436 |
NRCB5_FULL | F410M | CLEAR | 0.0020 | 0.0008 | 0.0456 | -0.0004 | 0.0009 | 0.0500 |
NRCB5_FULL | F430M | CLEAR | 0.0023 | 0.0004 | 0.0325 | -0.0009 | 0.0004 | 0.0334 |
NRCB5_FULL | F444W | CLEAR | 0.0021 | 0.0003 | 0.0325 | -0.0004 | 0.0003 | 0.0320 |
NRCB5_FULL | F444W | F405N | 0.0019 | 0.0006 | 0.0517 | 0.0011 | 0.0007 | 0.0546 |
NRCB5_FULL | F444W | F466N | 0.0019 | 0.0005 | 0.0425 | 0.0007 | 0.0005 | 0.0436 |
NRCB5_FULL | F444W | F470N | 0.0021 | 0.0005 | 0.0440 | 0.0010 | 0.0006 | 0.0455 |
NRCB5_FULL | F460M | CLEAR | 0.0019 | 0.0004 | 0.0346 | 0.0004 | 0.0004 | 0.0356 |
NRCB5_FULL | F480M | CLEAR | 0.0022 | 0.0004 | 0.0328 | 0.0004 | 0.0004 | 0.0336 |
Photometric calibration
Date:
An updated flux calibration was released in CRDS on September 14, 2023 (pmap 1126).
- The absolute flux calibration uncertainties are <1% for most filters/detectors, and 1%–2% for the remainder. Four LW filters reach 2%–4%: F322W2 & F460M on module B and F430M & F460M on module A.
- The absolute flux calibration of the weak lenses (used in time-series observations) is currently based on ground data, and is within about 5% uncertainty. An update based on in-flight observations of standard stars is expected in the spring of 2024.
- Average detector-to-detector offsets are <0.03 mag between the standard stars (often < 0.01 mag), depending on filter.
- Subarray and full frame observations agree to <1%.
Stability is <1% based on repeated imaging measurements in F212N in the shortwave channel and F470N in the longwave channel throughout Cycle 1.
Target acquisition for time-series imaging
Date:
Analysis of the target acquisition performance for time-series imaging is still in progress.