Data Set Overview ================= This data set contains raw near-IR images of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 obtained with SpeX, the low- to medium-resolution spectrograph and imager at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Included are flat field and dark images that can be used in processing the comet data, as well as standard star observations needed for photometric calibration of the comet data. The SpeX instrument is fully described in papers by Rayner et al. (2003,2004). In addition to the spectrograph array, SpeX contains a slit-viewing guider / imager that utilizes a 512x512 Aladdin 2 InSb array. This imager covers a 60x60 arcsec field of view at an image scale of 0.12 arcsec per pixel. The gain on the imaging array is 13 electrons per DN, and the dark current is about 1.5 electrons / second. The following standard stars were observed. Catalog abbreviations are: FS = UKIRT Faint Standards, HD = Henry Draper Catalogue, HR = Harvard Revised Bright Star Catalogue, SAO = Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Star Catalogue. The V magnitudes listed are from various catalogues. References are provided for the source of the J, H, and K magnitudes. FS 23 V=14.75 J=12.97,H=12.44,K=12.38 [HAWARDENETAL2001] FS 132 V=13.33 J=12.15,H=11.86,K=11.84 [HAWARDENETAL2001] FS 135 V=13.34 J=11.98,H=11.64,K=11.59 [HAWARDENETAL2001] HD 106965 V=7.55 J=7.38, H=7.34, K=7.32 [ELIASETAL1982] HD 116960 V=8.02 J=7.93, H=7.98, K=7.94 [CUTRIETAL2003] HD 129655 V=7.22 J=6.82, H=6.72, K=6.69 [ELIASETAL1982] HD 144873 V=8.54 J=7.30, H=6.99, K=6.91 [CUTRIETAL2003] HR 5107 V=3.37 J=3.26, H=3.15, K=3.22 [CUTRIETAL2003] HR 5255 V=5.76 J=5.67, H=5.72, K=5.70 [CUTRIETAL2003] HR 5959 V=5.55 J=5.34, H=5.33, K=5.30 [CUTRIETAL2003] SAO 120733 V=9.36 J=5.87, H=5.01, K=4.75 [CUTRIETAL2003] Images of 9P/Tempel 1 were obtained at J-, H-, K-, and L'-bands in the Mauna Kea filter system, and on one night (June 26), through a narrow-band H3+ filter. The filter parameters (for a nominal operating temperature of ~ 80K) are: band central wavelength band pass (microns) (microns) J_MK 1.250 1.164 - 1.326 H_MK 1.635 1.487 - 1.783 K_MK 2.200 2.027 - 2.363 L'_MK 3.770 3.424 - 4.124 H3+ 3.454 del_lambda/lambda = 0.5% During the periods of June 24 - 26 and July 9 - 17, the slit wheel on SpeX was set to the 'mirror' position, meaning that no slit is visible in the images. Between June 28 and July 9, the 0.8 x 15 arcsec slit was primarily used, and is visible in the guider images, often bisecting the comet or standard star. These on-slit images record that fraction of light in the wings of the point spread function that does not pass through the slit (and on to the spectrograph). These on-slit images were often recorded simultaneously with the spectroscopic observations. In those cases where imaging and spectroscopic data were taken simultaneously, observations from this dataset (IRTF Near-IR Imaging of Comet 9P-Tempel 1 V1.0) can be directly compared to those of the companion dataset, IRTF Near-IR Spectroscopy of Comet 9P-Tempel 1 V1.0, in order to derive spectrophotometric results. By comparing the off- and on-slit images of the Comet and Standard stars, one can constrain the flux fraction passing through the spectrograph slit as a function of time. This is particularly useful in analyzing the spectroscopic 'movie' sequences taken around the time of the DI impact event. The internal flat-field lamp source in SpeX was designed for use with the spectrograph, and is not appropriate for the imager. Thus, this dataset contains both dome and sky flats taken with SpeX on various nights that can be used for image processing. These data were obtained through a coordinated effort by the following observers: Michael S. Kelley Neil Dello Russo Alan Tokunaga Carey Lisse Yan Fernandez Michael DiSanti Diane Wooden Confidence Level Overview ========================= SpeX is a very stable instrument that produces consistently high quality data within sensitivity limits. Time stamps given in the SpeX image headers are very accurate, being derived from a GPS signal.