NIRCam Observing Modes

JWST Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) has 5 observing modes: imaging, coronagraphygrism wide field slitless spectroscopy, time-series imaging, and grism time series.

NIRCam's 5 observing modes for science, from 0.6 to 5.0 µm, have corresponding templates in the Astronomer's Proposal Tool (APT):

  • Imaging of two 2.2' × 2.2' fields separated by 44" covering 9.7 arcmin² in total

Simultaneous observations of the same field of view are available in the short wavelength channel (0.6–2.3 µm) and long wavelength channel (2.4–5.0 µm). 


Table 1. Properties of NIRCam observing modes

Observing mode

Wavelength
coverage
(µm)

Field of view§

Pixel 
scale
(arcsec/pix)

Notes

Imaging

0.6–2.3

2 × 132" × 132"
(44" and 5" gaps)

0.031FWHM 2 pix
at 2.0 µm
2.4–5.0

2 × 129" × 129"
(48" gap) 

0.063FWHM 2 pix
at 4.0 µm

Coronagraphic
imaging

1.8–2.2 
2.8–5.0 

20" × 20"

0.031
0.063

Wide field
slitless spectroscopy
2.4–5.0 2 × 129" × 129"0.063R ~ 1,600 at 4 µm
Time-series imaging0.6–2.3 
2.4–5.0

129" × 129"
132" × 132"

0.031
0.063

Grism time series2.4–5.0129" × 129"0.063R ~ 1,600 at 4 µm

§ Smaller fields of view are available using subarrays in the imaging, time series imaging, and grism time-series modes.




Latest updates
  •   
    Updated grism resolution

  •  
    Updated pixel scale values

Originally published