Keck Observatory Archive: News & Announcements
- October 30, 2024
- The default columns returned by TAP and PyKOA queries have been expanded to include more details about the instrumental setup for each instrument.
- June 17, 2024
- KOA has released Exploring the Compositional Diversity of Small Exoplanets from K2. This Keck Science Mission Support project (PI: A. Howard) observed a large collection of stars hosting super-Earths and Neptune-size planets discovered by the K2 mission extension to Kepler. The project has contributed radial velocities, activity indicators, and derived stellar properties for their sample of stars.
- April 10, 2024
- Data Era for KPF is included in the search results and selectable as "kpfera" in the TAP interface as well as a default returned keyword in PyKOA
- October 10, 2023
- First release of GUIDER data available from the Guider Search tab. The data from the GUIDER cameras will become publicly available per the expiration of each program's proprietary period. KOA Data Release Policy.
- August 14, 2023
- First release of KCRM data for KCWI. The data from KCRM will become publicly available per the expiration of each program's proprietary period. KOA Data Release Policy.
- Updates to the More Options Search interface to allow for mode searching for Solar data for KPF, and red, blue, and fpc modes for KCWI.
- April 11, 2023
- First release of Keck Planet Finder (KPF) data. The data from KPF will become publicly available per the expiration of each program's proprietary period. KOA Data Release Policy.
- The Moving Object Search Service (MOSS) is now accessible through the Python client PyKOA. See Python and TAP Access to KOA.
- October 14, 2022
- KOA now ingests level 2 Reduced MOSFIRE products computed by the PypeIt MOSFIRE DRP. These files take advantage of the real-time ingestion infrastructure used for raw MOSFIRE files and are ingested into KOA upon completion by the pipeline. Modifications to PypeIt have been contributed by the WMKO team to guarantee compatibility with KOA real-time ingestion.
- August 29, 2022
- KOA now ingests raw (level 0) NIRES, NIRSPEC, and OSIRIS observations and Quicklook (level 1) and Reduced (level 2) OSIRIS products in near-real time, generally within 5 minutes after acquisition. This completes the real time ingestion of raw (level 0) observations for all active instruments.
- August 4, 2022
- KOA has released an update to PyKOA, the Python client that now supports download queries for level 1 data for HIRES, LWS, NIRC2, NIRSPEC, and OSIRIS. The code can be installed from the Python Package Index (PyPI) software repository.
- July 6, 2022
- KOA now ingests raw (level 0) NIRC2 observations and Quicklook (level 1) calibrated products in near-real time, generally within 5 minutes after acquisition. In the coming months, real-time ingestion will be implemented for all active instruments.
- June 2, 2022
- KOA now ingests raw (level 0) LRIS observations in near-real time, generally within 5 minutes after acquisition.
- April 19, 2022
- KOA now ingests raw (level 0) DEIMOS, ESI, HIRES, and MOSFIRE observations in near-real time, generally within 5 minutes after acquisition. In the coming months, real-time ingestion will be implemented for all active instruments. The end-of-night ingestion model now used will be decommissioned. The KOA data access policy remains unchanged, so most users accessing public data will not notice this change.
Quicklook (level 1) and science-ready (level 2) reduced products are being computed for DEIMOS by the DEIMOS DRP. These files take advantage of the real-time ingestion infrastructure used for raw DEIMOS files and are ingested into KOA upon completion by the pipeline.
- February 17, 2022
- KOA now ingests raw (level 0) KCWI observations in near-real time, generally within 5 minutes after acquisition. In the coming months, real-time ingestion will be implemented for all active instruments. The end-of-night ingestion model now used will be decommissioned. The KOA data access policy remains unchanged, so most users accessing public data will not notice this change.
Quicklook (level 1) and science-ready (level 2) reduced products are being computed for KCWI by the KCWI DRP. These files take advantage of the real-time ingestion infrastructure used for raw KCWI files and are ingested into KOA upon completion by the pipeline.
The W.M. Keck Observatory has instituted a policy change in which calibration files that do not contain any proprietary target information (eg. darks, flats, bias frames) are assigned to engineering (PROGID=ENG) and are available for immediate public release. This change impacts archive searches based only on the Program ID. The calibration files will be made accessible for each instrument as real-time ingestion is deployed.
- December 14, 2021
- KOA made a minor update to some keyword names in:
- HIRES FITS headers
- HIRES TAP metadata
- Table headers of calibration file lists and PyKOA return products.
- September 30, 2021
- KOA has released an update to PyKOA, the Python client that now supports queries for raw data acquired with the LRIS instrument. The code can be installed from the Python Package Index (PyPI) software repository.With this release, raw science and calibration data for all active and retired instruments can be queried using PyKOA or through third-party VO-compliant clients.
- September 2, 2021
- KOA has released an update to PyKOA, the Python client that now supports queries for raw data acquired with the LWS and NIRC instruments. The code can be installed from the Python Package Index (PyPI) software repository.
Also released is showing the original telescope filename with a one click download on the search results table. The original telescope filename continues to be a download filename option.
- July 13, 2021
- KOA has released an update to PyKOA, the Python client that now supports queries for raw data acquired with the NIRC2 and NIRSPEC instruments. The code can be installed from the Python Package Index (PyPI) software repository. Access to data acquired with all Keck instruments will be delivered in 2021.
- June 4, 2021
- KOA has released an update to PyKOA, the Python client that now supports queries for raw data acquired with the MOSFIRE instrument. The code can be installed from the Python Package Index (PyPI) software repository. Access to data acquired with all Keck instruments will be delivered in 2021.
- May 24, 2021
- KOA has released an update to PyKOA, the Python client that now supports queries for raw data acquired with the KCWI and NIRES instruments. The code can be installed from the Python Package Index (PyPI) software repository. Access to data acquired with all Keck instruments will be delivered in 2021.
- February 25, 2021
- KOA has released an update to PyKOA, the Python client that now supports queries for raw data acquired with the ESI and OSIRIS instruments. The code can be installed from the Python Package Index (PyPI) software repository.
- Januray 08, 2021
- KOA has released an update to PyKOA, the Python client that now supports queries for raw data acquired with the DEIMOS instrument. The code can be installed from the Python Package Index (PyPI) software repository.
- November 5, 2020
- KOA has released KODIAQ Data Release 3, flux calibrated, coadded extracted ESI spectra of 727 quasars (Contri\ buted by the KODIAQ team, data lead John M. O'Meara). O'Meara et al. 2020
- October 14, 2020
- KOA has released PyKOA, a Python client that supports queries for raw data acquired with the HIRES instrument. The code can be installed from the Python Package Index (PyPI) software repository. Access to data acquired with all Keck instruments will be delivered throughout Fall 2020 and Winter 2021.
- June 17, 2020
- Two new videos presented at the 236th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS), June 1-3, 2020 have been added.
- How to use the Keck Observatory Archive
- Keck Observatory Archive Webinar
- June 08, 2020
- This allows users to perform DEIMOS searches and return results with wavelength and observing mode constraints.
Image credit: NASA/ESA/K. Retherford/SWRI
Paganini et al. (2020)
- April 15, 2020
- This dataset contains KL and M-wide NIRSPEC spectra of Europa taken over 18 nights between 3 Feb 2016 and 7 May 2017. Contributed by PI (NASA Keck) Lucas Paganini.
- March 30, 2020
- Data files that are a record of the state and actions of the adaptive optics (AO) system for NIRC2 beginning with data taken on 18 Aug 2019. TRS Data is available for download from the NIRC2 search results pages.
- December 12, 2019
- This allows users to perform ESI searches with wavelength constraints and presents filter and grating information in the results table.
- September 10, 2019
- Data are now available to PIs; public access to these data are determined by the data's proprietary periods. Data before and after the upgrade are presented uniformly in KOA, despite some changes in the FITS headers. See: NIRSPEC modes. A small change was made to the handling of dark frames in the calibration association. Since darks are generally not needed for NIRSPEC, all dark frames taken on the same night as science and flat files are returned so users can decide whether to use them in their data reductions.
- July 29, 2019
- The calibration association service returns the optimum set of calibration files for reduction of raw science files.
Belli et al. 2017, ApJ, 834, 18
- May 30, 2019
- This data set comprises 167 Keck spectra of high-redshift galaxies. The primary targets are massive quiescent galaxies, but low-mass and/or star-forming objects are also present. Contributed by PI Sirio Belli.
May 9, 2019 Interactive weather plots have been released for nights beginning Feb 21, 2019
March 28, 2019 The Complete Calibration of the Color-Redshift Relation (C3R2) Survey data set has been released. The survey is aimed at providing galaxy redshifts needed for weak lensing cosmology experiments of the 2020s. Contributed by PI (NASA Keck) Daniel Stern.
December 3, 2018 First release of Near-Infrared Echellette Spectrometer (NIRES) data. The data from NIRES will become publicly available per the expiration of each program's proprietary period. KOA Data Release Policy.
August 9, 2018 ASCII tables of all public observations (updated weekly) are now available for downloading. These tables are useful for offline, multi-object queries. In addition, documentation has been added to help new users familiarize themselves with the services and data provided by KOA.
November 30, 2017 First release of Keck Cosmic Web Imager (KCWI) data. The data from KCWI will become publicly available per the expiration of each program's proprietary period. KOA Data Release Policy.
July 26, 2017 KOA is pleased to announce the second data release (DR2) from the Keck Observatory Database of Ionized Absorption toward Quasars (KODIAQ) project. This release contains spectra of 130 new QSOs, bringing the total number of KODIAQ objects to 300. The products are reduced, continuum normalized quasar spectra derived from public HIRES raw data served through KOA. Intermediate data extraction products for the DR2 data will be available in Fall 2017. The data are accessible from the KODIAQ search page. Users may download gzipped tar files of the data and the intermediate data products (currently only available for DR1 data), or perform positional searches to discover, visualize, and download the data sets.
May 30, 2017 Release of browse-quality spectra extracted with a new, automated pipeline from 1,821 nights of NIRSPEC high-dispersion data. The pipeline is written in Python, is available at https://tinyurl.com/nsdrp-code and documented at https://tinyurl.com/koa-nsdrp. The Moving Object Search Service now includes orbital element input for searches of new asteroids and comets.
February 21, 2017 Release of complete, validated metadata and calibration association for LRIS. The calibration association service returns the optimum set of calibration files for reduction of raw science files.
December 19, 2016: Release of the Moving Object Search Service (MOSS), a web interface that supports searches of KOA in time and space for observations of known solar system objects. The service uses the SPICE tools maintained by NASA's Navigation and Ancillary Information Facility to compute ephemerides of Solar System objects.
March 15, 2016: FITS header viewer option added to the quicklook column on the search results pages. Also released are minor updates and bug fixes.
February 16, 2016: Release of interactive viewers for OSIRIS Reduced Data Cubes and NIRC2 Calibrated Images. Also released are date constraints for program searches in the programs pages and one-click downloads of level 1 FITS files on the quicklook pages for OSIRIS, NIRC2, and LWS.
September 28, 2015: First public release of LWS data.
August 31, 2015: Users can now choose to retrieve files from the archive with their telescope-assigned filenames. Also included in this release: forgotten password reset, ADS bibcodes (shown on the Released Programs tab), and direct links to OSIRIS rectification matrices from the download package page.
August 18, 2015: First release of a program interface for use in scripts or from the command line that provides access to public imaging data from all instruments equipped with an imaging mode. The interface uses a common syntax across all instruments and is compliant with Virtual Observatory standards.
July 6, 2015: First public release of NIRC data.
June 15, 2015: Download package organization has been changed; please see User Guide for details. Also, the "Basic Search" form now includes the option to search by TARGNAME.
May 15, 2015: KOA is pleased to announce the first data release of spectra of 170 QSOs from the Keck Observatory Database of Ionized Absorption toward Quasars (KODIAQ) project. The spectra are reduced, continuum normalized quasar spectra derived from public HIRES raw data served through KOA. Intermediate data extraction products are also provided. The data are accessible from a dedicated landing page for KODIAQ. Users may download gripped tar files of the data and the intermediate data products, or perform positional searches to discover, visualize and download the data sets.
December 19, 2014: First public release of OSIRIS data. These data products contain complete sets of metadata for level 0 images, including WCS information derived by KOA; and level 1 browse products derived from the public OSIRIS pipeline, automated by KOA. Finally, the search engine returns the optimum set of calibration files for reduction of raw science files.
September 24, 2014: First release of LWS data. The data from LWS will be accessible only to PI's until September 2015 at the earliest. Also released are minor updates and bug fixes.
August 7, 2014: Minor bug fixes to correct behavior when special characters are included in some input fields: "+" in Object Name and single quotes in a Program Title are now handled properly.
July 2, 2014: First release of NIRC data. The data from NIRC will be accessible only to PI's until July 2015 at the earliest. First public release of ESI data.
April 1, 2014 First public release of DEIMOS data.
January 29, 2014 First public release of MOSFIRE data.
December 18, 2013: First release of OSIRIS data. The data from OSIRIS will be accessible only to PI's until December 2014 at the earliest. Also released is a portal summarizing Contributed Datasets.
September 30, 2013: First public release of LRIS data.
July 30, 2013: Minor updates to the User Interface
July 2, 2013: First release of ESI data. The data from ESI will be accessible only to PI's until July 2014 at the earliest.
March 19, 2013: First release of DEIMOS data. The data from DEIMOS will be accessible only to PI's until April 2014 at the earliest.
Jan 28, 2013: First release of MOSFIRE data. The data from MOSFIRE will be accessible only to PI's until January 2014 at the earliest. The Keck Observatory Archive now also houses data from the Keck Interferometer.
Oct 2, 2012: First release of LRIS data. The data from LRIS will be accessible only to PI's until September 2013 at the earliest. Also released is a new interactive return display for the Released and My Programs pages.
May 3, 2012: First public release of NIRC2 data for observations between 2001 and 2012. As of May 3, 2012, the nights listed here are not accessible. They will be available by the end of May 2012. Also released is a new interactive return display for sorting and filtering on returned data.
November 14, 2011: Download packaging improvements
October 31, 2011: Minor updates and bug fixes
August 31, 2011: New interactive plotting tool for HIRES extracted spectra
July 13, 2011: Database optimization; several minor bug fixes
March 7, 2011: KOA now archives weather data from several sources for each night.
October 15, 2010: Release of a new "My Programs" interface for PIs that provides an overview of their programs and data in the archive. The release also has additional sources of weather data and examples for importing NED and SIMBAD search results into KOA searches.
May 17, 2010: First public release of NIRSPEC data for observations made between 2000 and 2010.
November 10, 2009: Release of a new "Basic Search" form. Users may search on observation date, object name, or object location and have their results returned as a list or a download package.
August 12, 2009: Public release of extracted browse products for observations made between 1994 and 2004.
July 31, 2008: Public release of extracted browse products for observations made after August 2004.
June 30, 2008: Public release of observations made between January 1995 and December 2000.
April 30, 2008: Public release of observations made between January 2001 and August 2004, prior to the 3-chip CCD upgrade.
July 17, 2006: Public release of Keck Observatory Archive - anonymous users may now search for and retrieve non-proprietary data.
November 11, 2005: HIRES observations of GRB051111 were taken on November 11 UT, and are publicly available through the Keck Observatory Archive.
July 4, 2005: HIRES observations of comet Tempel 1 and the Deep Impact collision are available to the public through the Keck Observatory Archive.
September 2, 2004: KOA is now open to PIs with HIRES data. A username and password, which will be provided to PIs after their observing runs, are required for login.
August 19, 2004: The Keck Observatory Archive has begun ingesting HIRES data.
Please acknowledge the use of KOA by including this text in your publications:
This research has made use of the Keck Observatory Archive (KOA), which is operated by the W. M. Keck Observatory and the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute (NExScI), under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Please also acknowledge the PI(s) of datasets that have been obtained through KOA, and please contact the KOA Help Desk if you publish archival data.
If your research uses data reduced by the DEIMOS DRP or MOSFIRE DRP, please use the PypeIt Citation.
Privacy Policy Image Use Policy
The Keck Observatory Archive (KOA) is a collaboration between the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute (NExScI) and the W. M. Keck Observatory (WMKO). NExScI is sponsored by NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program, and operated by the California Institute of Technology in coordination with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
