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.

ApertureFilterPupilX-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_FULLF070WCLEAR0.00770.00120.07770.00080.00110.0759
NRCA1_FULLF090WCLEAR0.00550.00130.05970.00000.00130.0587
NRCA1_FULLF115WCLEAR0.00310.00120.05450.00030.00120.0564
NRCA1_FULLF140MCLEAR0.00200.00120.05380.00040.00130.0593
NRCA1_FULLF150WCLEAR0.00260.00060.05480.00070.00060.0542
NRCA1_FULLF150W2CLEAR0.00250.00120.05310.00080.00130.0563
NRCA1_FULLF150W2F162M0.00230.00110.05170.00190.00120.0560
NRCA1_FULLF150W2F164N0.00150.00090.05570.00210.00090.0597
NRCA1_FULLF182MCLEAR0.00510.00130.05680.00440.00130.0608
NRCA1_FULLF187NCLEAR0.00470.00090.05630.00420.00090.0591
NRCA1_FULLF200WCLEAR0.00160.00060.05420.00000.00060.0551
NRCA1_FULLF210MCLEAR0.00500.00070.05730.00510.00070.0579
NRCA1_FULLF212NCLEAR0.00480.00090.05750.00470.00100.0630
NRCA2_FULLF070WCLEAR0.00690.00110.0737-0.00040.00110.0706
NRCA2_FULLF090WCLEAR0.00550.00140.0631-0.00130.00130.0618
NRCA2_FULLF115WCLEAR0.00190.00130.05930.00060.00120.0566
NRCA2_FULLF140MCLEAR0.00030.00130.05810.00070.00130.0590
NRCA2_FULLF150WCLEAR0.00110.00060.05480.00110.00060.0549
NRCA2_FULLF150W2CLEAR0.00040.00140.05930.00150.00140.0590
NRCA2_FULLF150W2F162M0.00120.00130.06040.00180.00120.0548
NRCA2_FULLF150W2F164N0.00070.00100.06220.00300.00090.0613
NRCA2_FULLF182MCLEAR0.00540.00140.0647-0.00510.00140.0635
NRCA2_FULLF187NCLEAR0.00510.00100.0655-0.00470.00100.0644
NRCA2_FULLF200WCLEAR0.00050.00060.05480.00030.00060.0554
NRCA2_FULLF210MCLEAR0.00490.00070.0579-0.00520.00080.0591
NRCA2_FULLF212NCLEAR0.00480.00100.0652-0.00420.00100.0663
NRCA3_FULLF070WCLEAR-0.00500.00140.0809-0.00150.00160.0960
NRCA3_FULLF090WCLEAR-0.00280.00130.05780.00220.00160.0669
NRCA3_FULLF115WCLEAR0.00150.00130.05530.00260.00130.0559
NRCA3_FULLF140MCLEAR0.00210.00130.05760.00330.00130.0579
NRCA3_FULLF150WCLEAR0.00190.00060.05330.00210.00060.0550
NRCA3_FULLF150W2CLEAR0.00160.00130.05390.00360.00130.0535
NRCA3_FULLF150W2F162M0.00150.00130.05450.00450.00130.0546
NRCA3_FULLF150W2F164N0.00170.00090.05780.00450.00100.0596
NRCA3_FULLF182MCLEAR-0.00430.00130.05780.00760.00140.0625
NRCA3_FULLF187NCLEAR-0.00460.00100.05920.00710.00100.0616
NRCA3_FULLF200WCLEAR0.00100.00060.05380.00120.00060.0554
NRCA3_FULLF210MCLEAR-0.00360.00070.05720.00670.00080.0606
NRCA3_FULLF212NCLEAR-0.00460.00100.05950.00700.00100.0639
NRCA4_FULLF070WCLEAR-0.00710.00130.0775-0.00790.00140.0833
NRCA4_FULLF090WCLEAR-0.00090.00140.0610-0.00710.00150.0639
NRCA4_FULLF115WCLEAR0.00270.00130.0579-0.00260.00130.0554
NRCA4_FULLF140MCLEAR0.00280.00140.0576-0.00110.00130.0546
NRCA4_FULLF150WCLEAR0.00200.00060.0544-0.00070.00070.0554
NRCA4_FULLF150W2CLEAR0.00160.00140.0573-0.00130.00130.0512
NRCA4_FULLF150W2F162M0.00050.00120.05330.00140.00120.0499
NRCA4_FULLF150W2F164N0.00040.00100.05780.00220.00090.0549
NRCA4_FULLF182MCLEAR-0.00260.00140.0578-0.00620.00140.0579
NRCA4_FULLF187NCLEAR-0.00360.00100.0593-0.00510.00090.0571
NRCA4_FULLF200WCLEAR0.00140.00060.05460.00000.00060.0556
NRCA4_FULLF210MCLEAR-0.00310.00070.0566-0.00590.00080.0610
NRCA4_FULLF212NCLEAR-0.00420.00100.0611-0.00520.00100.0601
NRCA5_FULLF250MCLEAR-0.00010.00050.03850.00100.00050.0447
NRCA5_FULLF277WCLEAR0.00010.00020.03100.00050.00020.0321
NRCA5_FULLF300MCLEAR-0.00040.00040.03460.00080.00050.0382
NRCA5_FULLF322W2CLEAR-0.00030.00030.02960.00120.00040.0307
NRCA5_FULLF322W2F323N-0.00120.00060.04410.00300.00060.0483
NRCA5_FULLF335MCLEAR0.00120.00020.0328-0.00300.00020.0348
NRCA5_FULLF356WCLEAR-0.00050.00020.03080.00050.00020.0317
NRCA5_FULLF360MCLEAR-0.00100.00050.03790.00090.00050.0418
NRCA5_FULLF410MCLEAR-0.00030.00080.0412-0.00010.00090.0466
NRCA5_FULLF430MCLEAR-0.00050.00040.03120.00040.00040.0329
NRCA5_FULLF444WCLEAR-0.00060.00030.03310.00010.00030.0325
NRCA5_FULLF444WF405N-0.00020.00060.04850.00190.00070.0508
NRCA5_FULLF444WF466N0.00000.00050.03890.00150.00050.0403
NRCA5_FULLF444WF470N0.00000.00050.03990.00210.00050.0425
NRCA5_FULLF460MCLEAR-0.00040.00040.03220.00110.00040.0340
NRCA5_FULLF480MCLEAR-0.00030.00040.03360.00110.00040.0349
NRCB1_FULLF070WCLEAR-0.00780.00120.07630.00800.00120.0772
NRCB1_FULLF090WCLEAR0.00080.00130.06000.00690.00140.0662
NRCB1_FULLF115WCLEAR0.00550.00130.05860.00210.00130.0614
NRCB1_FULLF140MCLEAR0.00610.00130.05990.00110.00140.0636
NRCB1_FULLF150WCLEAR0.00660.00070.05720.00020.00070.0564
NRCB1_FULLF150W2CLEAR0.00660.00130.05890.00130.00130.0601
NRCB1_FULLF150W2F162M0.00360.00120.05620.00380.00130.0600
NRCB1_FULLF150W2F164N0.00340.00100.06220.00350.00100.0650
NRCB1_FULLF182MCLEAR0.00590.00140.06340.00060.00140.0639
NRCB1_FULLF187NCLEAR0.00490.00090.06060.00100.00100.0630
NRCB1_FULLF200WCLEAR0.00630.00070.0572-0.00010.00070.0578
NRCB1_FULLF210MCLEAR0.00640.00080.05800.00000.00080.0589
NRCB1_FULLF212NCLEAR0.00420.00100.06240.00120.00100.0662
NRCB2_FULLF070WCLEAR-0.01120.00130.0858-0.00050.00110.0735
NRCB2_FULLF090WCLEAR-0.00240.00130.06140.00320.00130.0630
NRCB2_FULLF115WCLEAR0.00280.00120.0561-0.00020.00120.0577
NRCB2_FULLF140MCLEAR0.00370.00120.05700.00020.00130.0584
NRCB2_FULLF150WCLEAR0.00430.00060.0550-0.00090.00060.0561
NRCB2_FULLF150W2CLEAR0.00380.00120.0544-0.00060.00120.0556
NRCB2_FULLF150W2F162M0.00280.00120.05500.00020.00120.0566
NRCB2_FULLF150W2F164N0.00320.00090.06160.00050.00090.0606
NRCB2_FULLF182MCLEAR0.00400.00130.05960.00020.00130.0594
NRCB2_FULLF187NCLEAR0.00390.00090.05960.00000.00090.0608
NRCB2_FULLF200WCLEAR0.00430.00060.0544-0.00060.00060.0564
NRCB2_FULLF210MCLEAR0.00480.00070.0556-0.00080.00070.0584
NRCB2_FULLF212NCLEAR0.00420.00090.0605-0.00030.00090.0611
NRCB3_FULLF070WCLEAR-0.02060.00150.10030.00420.00120.0808
NRCB3_FULLF090WCLEAR-0.00350.00140.06110.00430.00130.0605
NRCB3_FULLF115WCLEAR0.00370.00130.05840.00230.00130.0596
NRCB3_FULLF140MCLEAR0.00620.00130.06050.00100.00140.0620
NRCB3_FULLF150WCLEAR0.00590.00060.05540.00070.00070.0563
NRCB3_FULLF150W2CLEAR0.00520.00130.05800.00160.00130.0567
NRCB3_FULLF150W2F162M0.00520.00120.05620.00150.00120.0565
NRCB3_FULLF150W2F164N0.00630.00100.06360.00190.00100.0621
NRCB3_FULLF182MCLEAR0.00620.00140.06360.00070.00140.0647
NRCB3_FULLF187NCLEAR0.00590.00100.06130.00100.00090.0607
NRCB3_FULLF200WCLEAR0.00590.00060.05580.00060.00070.0574
NRCB3_FULLF210MCLEAR0.00570.00070.05640.00060.00070.0584
NRCB3_FULLF212NCLEAR0.00610.00100.06400.00100.00100.0638
NRCB4_FULLF070WCLEAR-0.02130.00140.0932-0.00750.00110.0757
NRCB4_FULLF090WCLEAR-0.00260.00130.0594-0.00100.00130.0613
NRCB4_FULLF115WCLEAR0.00600.00120.0569-0.00010.00120.0572
NRCB4_FULLF140MCLEAR0.00800.00130.06060.00030.00130.0593
NRCB4_FULLF150WCLEAR0.00810.00070.05750.00010.00070.0572
NRCB4_FULLF150W2CLEAR0.00750.00130.05870.00040.00130.0561
NRCB4_FULLF150W2F162M0.00740.00120.05670.00300.00120.0566
NRCB4_FULLF150W2F164N0.00720.00090.06120.00280.00090.0615
NRCB4_FULLF182MCLEAR0.00810.00130.06310.00050.00130.0620
NRCB4_FULLF187NCLEAR0.00760.00090.06260.00040.00090.0607
NRCB4_FULLF200WCLEAR0.00760.00060.0571-0.00060.00060.0578
NRCB4_FULLF210MCLEAR0.00740.00070.0577-0.00040.00070.0598
NRCB4_FULLF212NCLEAR0.00790.00090.06310.00080.00100.0633
NRCB5_FULLF250MCLEAR0.00240.00050.04130.00090.00050.0448
NRCB5_FULLF277WCLEAR0.00230.00020.0300-0.00050.00020.0310
NRCB5_FULLF300MCLEAR0.00260.00040.0375-0.00010.00050.0403
NRCB5_FULLF322W2CLEAR0.00260.00030.0304-0.00010.00030.0305
NRCB5_FULLF322W2F323N0.00180.00060.04640.00180.00060.0488
NRCB5_FULLF335MCLEAR0.00280.00020.0312-0.00100.00020.0325
NRCB5_FULLF356WCLEAR0.00260.00020.0303-0.00100.00020.0315
NRCB5_FULLF360MCLEAR0.00230.00050.0412-0.00050.00050.0436
NRCB5_FULLF410MCLEAR0.00200.00080.0456-0.00040.00090.0500
NRCB5_FULLF430MCLEAR0.00230.00040.0325-0.00090.00040.0334
NRCB5_FULLF444WCLEAR0.00210.00030.0325-0.00040.00030.0320
NRCB5_FULLF444WF405N0.00190.00060.05170.00110.00070.0546
NRCB5_FULLF444WF466N0.00190.00050.04250.00070.00050.0436
NRCB5_FULLF444WF470N0.00210.00050.04400.00100.00060.0455
NRCB5_FULLF460MCLEAR0.00190.00040.03460.00040.00040.0356
NRCB5_FULLF480MCLEAR0.00220.00040.03280.00040.00040.0336



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.




Notable updates


Originally published