NIRI Hot News

2006 May 22
Replaced cold heads.

2005 Dec 12
Removed FeII filter; installed Pabeta and Jcont(1207).

2005 May 9
Removed Jcont(1.207) and Pabeta filters; installed Jcont(1.065).

2005 Apr
Begin multi-instrument queue observing.

2004 Nov 5
The Oct 21 - Nov 4 run was nearly wiped out by bad weather, with clouds and high humidity during the entire run. The problems with the array readout culminated during this run, and on Oct 25 we changed out the coadder board, and on Nov 1 we disabled the window cover ionizer. Ever since the array has been behaving very well, and we have seen very few instances of the quadrant bias variations or pattern noise.

2004 May 16
Third and fourth NIRI runs completed. Weather generally better during both runs, but with only a few nights of excellent seeing. ALTAIR now in frequent use with NIRI, with almost all Band 1-3 programs under way or completed. Problems with electronic pickup on array frames were somewhat alleviated starting on April 5. Typically 90% of the data frames obtained in each program since then are uncontaminated; we continue to work toward a complete solution to this problem. One of NIRI's internal motors began failing toward the end of the May run, limiting our observing options during the final three nights of the May run. That motor is being replaced during mid-May and it is expected that the instrument will be available for use at the start of the May 29 - June 9 run.

2004 Mar 12
Second 2004A observing run completed - weather conditions were appallingly bad - heavy snow/thunderstorm complete with electrical damage closed telescope for several nights; weather poor thereafter (clouds, horrible seeing) - only able to do parts of the few programs that could tolerate those conditions. Continued problems with vertical striping and different dc levels in the four array quadrants in some images; as the pattern appears nearly constant, some workarounds for this are possible.

2004 Feb 12
First 2004A observing run completed - weather conditions were generally poor (esp seeing). Some problems with array dc level instability visible as vertical striping and as different dc levels in the four array quadrants in some images; otherwise instrument performance was nominal.

2004 Jan 20
NIRI update, Dewar being cooled after mechanical overhaul and replacement of some filters in preparation for 2004B

2003 Jun 19
NIRI update, Semester 2003A Results

2003 Jan 31
NIRI update, Important guidance on selecting guide stars for NIRI during 2003A

2002 Dec 29
NIRI completes scheduled queue nights for 2002B - weather (seeing) not great on most December nights, but instrument performs well

2002 Dec 2
NIRI on telescope and being used in H-band for commissioning of ALTAIR

2002 Oct 7
NIRI update, damaged mechanisms inspected and fixed

2002 Sep 24
NIRI update; failure of pupil wheel and gimbal mechanism

2002 Sep 12
NIRI update, beginning of semester 2002B

2002 Jul 12
NIRI update, end of semester 2002A

2002 Apr 10
NIRI update, midway through semester 2002A

2002 Jan 30
Report on progress with NIRI during semester 2001B; update on current status

2001 Sept 26
Excellent progress with NIRI flexure; update on acceptance tests, queue and System Verification observations

2001 May 3
Statement regarding the availability of NIRI in 2001A

Last update 2006 September 1; Andrew Stephens, Tom Geballe & Joe Jensen