Multiwavelength polarization observations of IXPE blazars

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

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.

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	01:31 (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
73-501	2026-10-17	00:00	Monitoring			Targets missed due to bad weather, 100% humidity.	Failed
73-501	2026-10-18	00:07	Monitoring	Mrk501	ALJj180123 - ALJj180127	Target Mrk 501 was successfully observed. Observations of 1ES 1959+650 were attempted but aborted shortly after starting OB due to bad weather. All targets except Mrk 501 were missed due to bad weather conditions (100% humidity).	Observed
73-501	2026-10-26	00:00	Monitoring			Targets missed due to bad weather conditions - high humidity and thick clouds.	Failed

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