JWST JDox Latest Updates
Lists of recently updated articles in the JWST User Documentation (JDox) website are provided in this page.
On this page
All articles related to the Cycle 6 Call for Proposals have been reviewed and updated with the latest information. Only major updates are mentioned below.
New JDox articles since January 1, 2026
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Notable updates to JDox articles since Jan 1, 2026
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| Article | Updated on | Update description |
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| Observatory | ||
| JWST Pointing Accuracy |
| Updated pointing accuracy numbers. |
| JWST Guide Star Catalog Updates |
| Added an update about inclusion of WISE mags in GSSS. |
| Instruments → MIRI | ||
| MIRI Imaging Recommended Strategies |
| Updated guidance to match current MIRI best practices. |
| Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern as an available option. Added new subarrays for Cycle 6. | |
| MIRI Point Spread Functions |
| Updated figures and tables with new values. |
| MIRI MRS Target Acquisition |
| New subsection: Does an observation need target acquisition? |
| MIRI Coronagraphic Imaging Target Acquisition |
| Updated content based on current MIRI best practices. |
| MIRI MRS Dedicated Sky Observations |
| Updated background dither guidance for consistency. |
| JWST Mid Infrared Instrument |
| Updated the sensitivity plots to include new LRS subarrays. |
| MIRI Sensitivity |
| Updated sensitivity plot to include new subarrays. |
| MIRI Bright Source Limits |
| Updated the figure (MIRI bright source limits for point sources) to include the new subarrays. |
| MIRI MRS Simultaneous Imaging |
| Added additional information to explain the subarray warning if TA is specified. |
| MIRI Coronagraphic Imaging |
| Updated the IWA for the F2300C filter. |
| MIRI Coronagraphic Imaging APT Template |
| Updated to reflect current best practices. |
| MIRI Coronagraphic Recommended Strategies |
| Updated guidance based on current best practices. |
| MIRI Imaging |
| Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern as an available option. Added new subarrays for Cycle 6. |
| MIRI Low Resolution Spectroscopy |
| Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern as an available option. |
| MIRI Medium Resolution Spectroscopy |
| Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern as an available option. |
| MIRI Wide Field Slitless Spectroscopy |
| Updated information on allowed parallel options with MIRI WFSS. Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern as an available option. |
| MIRI LRS TSOs |
| Added new subarrays for Cycle 6 |
| MIRI Target Acquisition |
| Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern and new LRS subarrays SLITLESSPRISM_IP, SLITLESSPRISM_IPS, and SUBSLIT as available options for science observations. |
| MIRI LRS Slit Target Acquisition |
| Added information about TA for SUBSLIT subarray. |
| MIRI LRS Slitless Target Acquisition |
| Added information about TA for SLITLESSPRISM_IP and SLITLESSPRISM_IPSsubarrays. |
| MIRI Detector Readout FASTR1 |
| Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern as an available option. |
| MIRI Detector Readout SLOWR1 |
| Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern as an available option. |
| MIRI Detector Readout Overview |
| Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern as an available option. |
| MIRI Detector Subarrays |
| Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern as an available option. Added new subarrays for Cycle 6. |
| MIRI Parallel Observations |
| Added information on MIRI WFSS in coordinated parallel mode. |
| MIRI MRS Recommended Strategies |
| Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern as an available option. |
| MIRI LRS Recommended Strategies |
| Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern as an available option. Added new subarrays for Cycle 6. |
| MIRI WFSS Recommended Strategies |
| Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern as an available option. |
| MIRI TSO Recommended Strategies |
| Added new subarrays for Cycle 6. |
| MIRI Cross-Mode Recommended Strategies |
| Added a table with the recommended minimum number of groups for each subarray. Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern as an available option. |
| MIRI Imaging APT Template |
| Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern as an available option. |
| MIRI LRS APT Template |
| Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern as an available option. Added new subarrays for Cycle 6. |
| MIRI MRS APT Template |
| Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern as an available option. |
| MIRI WFSS APT Template |
| Reorganized content to match the flow of the APT template. Added the FASTGRPAVG8 readout pattern as an available option. |
| Instruments → NIRCam | ||
| NIRCam Detector Subarrays |
| Added links to articles about multistripe (superstripe and substripe) subarrays. |
| NIRCam Imaging APT Template |
| Added mention of the 7 superstripe subarray options made available for Cycle 6. |
| NIRCam Time-Series APT Template |
| Added mention of and link to the superstripe subarrays available starting in Cycle 6. |
| NIRCam Time-Series Imaging |
| Added reference to the superstripe subarrays available for cycle 6 and provided a link. |
| NIRCam Short Wavelength Grism Time Series |
| Added Figure 3: Multistripe subarray images of DHS and LW Grism spectra of a calibration star. |
| NIRCam Target Acquisition |
| Updated on-board procedure for dithered TA exposures |
| Instruments → NIRISS | ||
| Step-by-Step APT Guide for NIRISS SOSS Time-Series Observations of WASP-39 |
| Updated to include description of mitigating contamination from nearby objects. |
| Step-by-Step APT Guide for NIRISS AMI Observations of Extrasolar Planets Around a Host Star |
| Updated for ETC 6.0. (Updated Aperture extraction radius from 2.5" to 2.3", updated ngroups, nint, extracted flux.) |
| Step-by-Step APT Guide for NIRISS AMI Observations of Extrasolar Planets Around a Host Star |
| Updated for ETC 6.0. |
| NIRISS Bright Limits |
| Updated bright limits and sensitivities to be consistent with ETC v6.0. |
| NIRISS Sensitivity |
| Updated sensitivities using ETC v6.0. |
| NIRISS Apertures |
| Associated the 4 new multistripe subarrays with the NIS_SUBSTRIP256 aperture. |
| NIRISS AMI Dithers |
| Added references to support 5-point subpixel dithering. |
| NIRISS AMI Recommended Strategies |
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| Updated the calibrator selection guidelines: prioritizing a brightness match between the target and calibrator is more critical than a spectral type match when a perfect spectral match is not available. | |
| NIRISS Imaging |
| Updated to include suggestion for pixel size considerations when choosing NIRISS or NIRCam imaging |
| NIRISS Aperture Masking Interferometry |
| Updated Figure 5 (AMI contrast curves) caption to introduce recent community tool AMIGO. |
| NIRISS SOSS Recommended Strategies |
| Added information on contamination mitigation through offsets, and context on the Exposures/Dith parameter in APT. |
| Step-by-Step ETC Guide for NIRISS WFSS and Parallel NIRCam Imaging of Galaxies in Lensing Clusters |
| Updated to be consistent with ETC v. 6.0. |
| NIRISS Detector Performance |
| Updated dark signal plot and Figure 3 showing dark signal as a function of time |
| Instruments → NIRSpec | ||
| Included ETC v6.0 bright limits figure and text for BOTS mode when using the Prism/Clear grating/filter pair. | |
| FS, MOS, and IFU bright limits figures updated for ETC v6.0 | |
| Removed text that supports the use of MSATA with non-MOS modes. | |
| Warning box expanded for WATA accuracy to point out possible need for NIRCam imaging. Added warning box in BOTS template subsection to mention need for new TA after each visit or observation in a series. | |
| Added NIRSpec BOTS Prism Multistripe Observations of WASP-62b | |
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| Updated the total visit duration limit information, included additional details on frame limitations in an exposure, and added link to TSO Noise Sources article. | |
| Added warning box for avoided grating tilt between observations. | |
| Figure 4 (Detector decision flowchart for BOTS observations) updated to account for the possible selection of new BOTS PRISM multistripe subarrays. | |
| Added multistripe subarrays to Table 1 | |
| Updated Figure 3 (NIRSpec IFU decision tree) and its description in the caption. | |
| Figure 1 (NIRSpec IFU spectroscopy APT template) updated to most recent APT version, which displays Coordinated Parallel checkbox. | |
| Corrected the due date for MOS program updates | |
| Updated text to clarify Isolation section for MSATA brightest checkbox. | |
| Update the handling of stellarity. | |
| Added Figure 9 - multiple sources per row in the MSA. | |
| NIRSpec MPT - Parameter Space |
| Added a disclaimer (Tip box) about data presented in the plots of this article, in particular with reference to runtimes. |
| NIRSpec MPT - MOS and MSATA Program Updates |
| Updated Figure 3 for APT 2025.7.2, removed text regarding uploading pre-imaging to MAST, and updated text for MSATA for FS and IFU modes. |
| NIRSpec MPT - Computational Performance |
| Provided an update box mentioning improvements in MPT performance. |
| NIRSpec Micro-Shutter Assembly |
| Updated numbers for shutter operability and replaced Fig 5, based on April 2026 on-orbit results. |
| Custom MOS Observations using the MSA Configuration Editor |
| Updated Fig 9, and modified the text for creating a custom configuration. |
| Proposal Preparation → General Support | ||
| JWST Example Science Programs | | Added new NIRSpec BOTS example science program: NIRSpec BOTS Prism Multistripe Observations of WASP-62b |
| JWST Instrument Overheads | | Updated Table 1 (typical instrument overheads) with values for early Cycle 6. Added note on how NIRISS WFSS values are reported. |
| JWST Slew Times and Overheads | | Updated Figure 1 (Slew time plus overhead versus slew distance) and Tables 1 and 2 to APT 2026.3.1 |
| Proposal Preparation → Methods and Roadmaps | ||
| Moving Target Observing Strategies |
| Added mention of NIRCam's new superstripe subarrays and their enhanced bright limits. |
| JWST Time-Series Observations Roadmap |
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| Moving Target Field of Regard |
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| Moving Target Overheads |
| Updated discussion of guide star acquisition and smart accounting. |
| HCI MIRI Limiting Contrast |
| Removed pre-flight contrast curves and updated with commissioning / on-sky measurements from Boccaletti 2022. |
| Moving Target Acquisition and Tracking |
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| JWST Wide Field Slitless Spectroscopy Roadmap |
| Updated the text to reflect that MIRI WFSS is available for pure and coordinated parallels starting in Cycle 6. |
| JWST Time-Series Observations Noise Sources |
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| JWST Imaging |
| Updated Figure 3, JWST imaging sensitivity, to use sensitivities from ETC 6.0. |
| HCI NIRISS Limiting Contrast |
| Updated Figure 1 (NIRISS AMI limiting contrast example) caption to introduce recent community tool AMIGO. |
| HCI Inner Working Angle |
| Changed MIRI IWA to 2.38" from 2.16" |
| Moving Target Scattered Light Considerations |
| Updated the satellite checker Jupyter notebook and improved the guidance for pre-submission mitigation strategies for NIRSpec IFU observations. |
| JWST High-Contrast Imaging Roadmap |
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| HCI Small Grid Dithers |
| Removed pre-launch language, specifically adding verbage about the PSF library, calwebb_coron3, and removing reference to LOCI in the data processing section. |
| JWST Time-Series Observations Known Issues |
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| JWST Parallel Observations |
| Added MIRI WFSS to the allowed pure parallel observing modes. |
| Proposing Tools → Exposure Time Calculator | ||
| JWST ETC Imaging Aperture Photometry Strategy |
| Added plots and text to describe extraction aperture/EE options |
| JWST ETC Reports |
| Added text for 4 multistripe-specific report quantities and one NIRSpec TA-specific quantity |
| JWST ETC NIRCam Target Acquisition |
| Updated saturation limits for ETC 6.0. |
| JWST ETC MSA Aperture Photometry Strategy |
| Replaced Figure 1 and removed text for two parameters to reflect ETC v6.0 Strategy tab. |
| JWST ETC Source Spectral Energy Distributions |
| Provided updated information on Solar System spectra.. |
| JWST ETC IFU Strategies |
| Updated the IFU Aperture Photometry strategy description to include Encircled Energy. |
| JWST ETC Aperture Spectral Extraction Strategy |
| Updated the figure and text to account for the ability to specify offsets in the cross-dispersion direction. |
| JWST ETC MIRI Target Acquisition |
| Added new subarrays for Cycle 6. |
| Proposing Tools → Astronomer's Proposal Tool | ||
| JWST ETC to APT Interface Support Information |
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| APT Coordinated Parallel Observations |
| Added MIRI WFSS + NIRCam Imaging to the allowed parallel combinations. |
| APT Pure Parallel Observations |
| Updated Section 4 to become consistent with the situation in APT 2026.3.1, and added a description for the new MIRI WFSS mode. |
| Proposing Tools → JWST Other Tools | ||
| JWST Moving Target Visibility Tool Help |
| Updated for MTVT version 1.2. |
| JWST General Target Visibility Tool Help |
| Updated for GTVT version 1.2. |
| Data → Accessing JWST Data | ||
| Coming soon | ||
Data → Science Calibration Pipeline | ||
| Updated for build 12.3 | |
Data → JWST Calibration Status | ||
| Added a caveat about MIRI astrometry and the Gaia catalog. | |
| Order 3 updates added to the table for the wavelength calibration. | |
| Added information about recent community tool AMIGO. | |
| Update the percent uncertainties of imaging photometric calibration values taken from the latest photom reference files | |
Data → Known issues with JWST data | ||
| Added the persistence correction notebook. | |
| Updated the EMI information for the new subarrays in Cycle 6. | |
| Added section on MIRI reset switch charge decay (RSCD) | |
| Updated the EMI information for the new subarrays in Cycle 6. | |
| Updated for build 12.3 and moved section on resampling artifacts. | |
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| Updated the 1/f noise section text to provide current information about cleaning 1/f noise in the JWST pipeline. | |
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| Added issue: Stage 3 data products missing from MAST | |
| Data → Post-Pipeline Data Analysis | ||
Coming soon |
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Articles updated prior to Jan 1, 2026
Articles updated between Jan 1 and December 31, 2025 are listed at JDox Updates 1 January - 31 December 2025
Articles updated between Jan 1 and December 31, 2024 are listed at JDox Updates from 1 January - 31 December 2024
Articles updated between June 1 and December 31, 2023 are listed at JDox Updates 1 June - 31 December 2023
Articles updated between January 28 and May 31, 2023 are listed at JDox Updates 28 Jan - May 31 2023.
Articles updated prior to January 27 2023 are listed at JDox Updates 12 July - 6 December 2022.