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Multiwavelength polarization observations of IXPE blazars

PI: Pouya M. Kouch

This is a 32-hour polarimetric monitoring of 13 Very High Energy (VHE) $\gamma$-ray emitting blazars. The result will provide simultaneous optical data to directly support the VHE $\gamma$-ray data obtained with our blazar monitoring programs at MAGIC and LST-1. Due to the highly magnetized nature of blazar jets, multiwavelength polarization studies are considered to be effective in trying to answer some of the biggest open questions in AGN physics, namely: Do low and high energy emissions originate from the same region in the jet? What mechanisms/models are responsible for the emissions and particle accelerations? Do blazar subclasses show different polarization behaviors? Our results from this monitoring program in conjunction with VHE $\gamma$-ray and X-ray monitoring data are essential to answer these questions.


Monitoring program

This optical polarization monitoring program is complementary to our on-going VHE $\gamma$-ray and X-ray monitoring programs of blazars. The polarization monitoring observations should be performed using FAPOL. The required accuracy for the measurement is 0.3\%. The monitoring consists of 225 visits for 13 sources spread over 26 nights, translating to a total of 31 hours of observation. Standard star polarization observations need another 1 hour over six nights.
Calibrations: Twilight flats + alfosc-calibs

The OB generator will be used to request all ToO observations. Scripts to perform all the requested operations will be automatically created and placed in the directory ~/scripts/72-012/. An email will be sent automatically to the observer, which contains all the information about the requested observations, the names and locations of the scripts, instructions for observing and comments from the creator of the trigger.
To summarise:

Go to the directory
  cd ~/scripts/73-501
List the available scripts
  ls -lrt

and execute the OB generated scripts requested in the trigger email.


Target Epochs Duration [sec] RA Dec
Mrk 421 18 600 11 04 27.3,+38 12 32
Mrk 501 36 360 16 53 52.2,+39 45 37
PG 1553+113 36 360 15 55 43.0,+11 11 24
1ES 2344+514 24 360 23 47 04.8,+51 42 18
1ES 1959+650 24 360 19 59 59.9,+65 08 55
1ES 1218+304 24 360 12 21 21.9,+30 10 37
ON 325 24 360 12 17 52.1,+30 07 01
ON 231 36 360 12 21 31.7,+28 13 59
1ES 1011+496 18 360 10 15 04.2,+49 26 01
PKS 1510-089 30 360 15 12 50.5,-09 06 00
BL Lacertae 36 360 22 02 43.3,+42 16 40
S5 0716+714 18 360 07 21 53.4,+71 20 36
S4 0954+65 18 360 09 58 47.2,+65 33 55


Date UT window Duration [hh:mm] Comments
06-10-2026 03:00-[SAT] 00:06 S50716
06-10-2026 01:45-[SAT] 00:06 TXS0506
06-10-2026 05:30-[SAT] 00:06 S40954
07-10-2026 [EAT]-21:30 00:06 Mrk501
07-10-2026 [EAT]-00:30 00:06 1ES1959
07-10-2026 [EAT]-02:30 00:06 BLLac
07-10-2026 [EAT]-04:30 00:06 1ES2344
10-10-2026 02:45-[SAT] 00:06 S50716
10-10-2026 01:30-[SAT] 00:06 TXS0506
10-10-2026 05:15-[SAT] 00:06 S40954
10-10-2026 05:30-[SAT] 00:06 1ES1011
11-10-2026 [EAT]-21:00 00:06 Mrk501
11-10-2026 [EAT]-00:30 00:06 1ES1959
11-10-2026 [EAT]-02:30 00:06 BLLac
11-10-2026 [EAT]-04:15 00:06 1ES2344
17-10-2026 02:30-[SAT] 00:06 S50716
17-10-2026 01:00-[SAT] 00:06 TXS0506
17-10-2026 04:45-[SAT] 00:06 S40954
17-10-2026 05:00-[SAT] 00:06 1ES1011
18-10-2026 [EAT]-20:45 00:06 Mrk501
18-10-2026 [EAT]-00:00 00:06 1ES1959
18-10-2026 [EAT]-01:45 00:06 BLLac
18-10-2026 [EAT]-03:30 00:06 1ES2344
26-10-2026 02:00-[SAT] 00:06 S50716
26-10-2026 00:30-[SAT] 00:06 TXS0506
26-10-2026 04:30-[SAT] 00:06 S40954
26-10-2026 04:30-[SAT] 00:06 1ES1011
26-10-2026 05:30-[SAT] 00:10 Mrk421
26-10-2026 [EAT]-20:15 00:06 Mrk501
26-10-2026 [EAT]-23:30 00:06 1ES1959
26-10-2026 [EAT]-01:30 00:06 BLLac
26-10-2026 [EAT]-03:15 00:06 1ES2344
02-11-2026 01:30-[SAT] 00:06 S50716
02-11-2026 00:00-[SAT] 00:06 TXS0506
02-11-2026 04:00-[SAT] 00:06 S40954
02-11-2026 04:00-[SAT] 00:06 1ES1011
02-11-2026 05:00-[SAT] 00:10 Mrk421
02-11-2026 [EAT]-23:00 00:06 1ES1959
02-11-2026 [EAT]-01:00 00:06 BLLac
02-11-2026 [EAT]-02:45 00:06 1ES2344

P73 tracking
Program Tracking
Proposal 73-501
Semester P74: 20261001 - 20270401
Principal Investigator Pouya M. Kouch
Programme Multiwavelength Photo-polarimetric Monitoring of Blazars
Instrument ALFOSC
Time Allocation 28.9 hours monitoring spread over period
Total Nights 28.9h
Type Monitoring
Notes Fixed dates to be scheduled
Total Time Spent 01:24 (hh:mm)
Proposal Date Time Type Targets Files Comments Status
73-501 2026-10-06 00:22 Monitoring TXS0506+056, S5_0716+714, S4_0954+65 ALJj060229 - ALJj060233, ALJj060269 - ALJj060273, ALJj060274 - ALJj060278 Observed with clear skies and seeing was under 1.0" Observed
73-501 2026-10-07 00:13 Monitoring Mrk501, 1ES1959+650 ALJj070045 - ALJj070049, ALJj070055 - ALJj070059 The ones observed were mainly under clear skies, with seeing values from 1" to 1.3". The ones missing are due to ToO's. Observed
73-501 2026-10-10 00:25 Monitoring TXS0506+056, S5_0716+714, 1ES1011+496,
S4_0954+65
ALJj100252 - ALJj100256, ALJj100257 - ALJj100261, ALJj100262 - ALJj100266, ALJj100267 - ALJj100271 All targets observed successfully with clear skies and sub-arcsec seeing. Observed
73-501 2026-10-11 00:24 Monitoring S4_0954+65, Mrk501, 1ES1959+650, BL_Lac,
1ES2344+514
ALJj110070 - ALJj110073, ALJj110109 - ALJj110113, ALJj110114 - ALJj110118, ALJj110119 - ALJj110123 Mrk501 observed successfully with thin clouds and sub-arcsec seeing. Other targets observed successfully with clear skies and sub-arcsec seeing. Observed

 

The above information is collected from the ToO/Mon reports that have been created by the observer.

Should any of the observations have been carried out using the OB system, you will find additional information HERE

Back to top Last modified: October 08 2026