DRAFT
2026-03-29 01:27:47
Type: Announcement-General
Bibcode: 2026TNSAN..89....1S
NOIRLab-Las Cumbres end-to-end demonstration for follow-up of Rubin alerts
Authors: Monika Soraisam (NSF NOIRLab), Bryan Miller (NSF NOIRLab), Andy Adamson (NSF NOIRLab), Tomas Ahumada (NSF NOIRLab), Dan Avner (NSF NOIRLab), Eric Bellm (University of Washington), Bob Blum (NSF NOIRLab), Mark Bowman (Las Cumbres Observatory), César Briceño (NSF NOIRLab), Jeff Carlin (NSF NOIRLab), Hernán Chacana (NSF NOIRLab), Joey Chatelain (Las Cumbres Observatory), Aleksandar Cikota (NSF NOIRLab), Stuartt Corder (NSF NOIRLab), Hannah Crayton (NSF NOIRLab), Guillermo Damke (NSF NOIRLab), Nicolas Esquivel (NSF NOIRLab), Miguel Alberto Gomez (NSF NOIRLab), Melissa Graham (University of Washington), Steve Heathcote (NSF NOIRLab), Clare Higgs (NSF NOIRLab), Leanne Guy (NSF NOIRLab), Lindy Lindstrom (Las Cumbres Observatory), Phil Marshall (SLAC), Tom Matheson (NSF NOIRLab), Chadd Myers (NSF NOIRLab), Jon Nation (Las Cumbres Observatory), Fredrik Rantakyro (NSF NOIRLab), Kevin Reil (SLAC), Andrew Stephens (NSF NOIRLab), Rachel Street (Las Cumbres Observatory), Teal Teal (NSF NOIRLab), Sandrine Thomas (NSF NOIRLab), Sebastián Vicencio (NSF NOIRLab), Kathy Vivas (NSF NOIRLab), Alfredo Zenteno (NSF NOIRLab)
Source Group: ANTARES
Abstract:
NSF NOIRLab, in collaboration with Las Cumbres Observatory, successfully executed two back-to-back real-time follow-up campaigns for Rubin alerts using NOIRLab's end-to-end ecosystem. We describe the follow-up observations and report their results.

Using multiple software tools and facilities developed and operated by NSF NOIRLab and Las Cumbres, we demonstrated the end-to-end process to follow up Rubin alerts over two consecutive nights, UT dates 2026-02-19 and 2026-02-20. Rubin generated approximately 1 million alerts on the first night and 2 million on the second. The back-to-back successful execution of these runs demonstrates the robustness of the system as a whole.

Supernova candidates were selected in real time using ANTARES and automatically ingested into the Gemini/NOIRLab-built target and observation manager, GOATS. GOATS was then used to trigger follow-up observations across participating facilities: Gemini Observatory (prog ID:G-2025B-0529-D), SOAR (prog ID:SOAR2025B-037), Blanco (prog ID:2026A-942051), and Las Cumbres (prog ID:DDT2025B-006), which together constitute the Astronomical Event Observatory Network. Although speed was not the primary objective of this demonstration, follow-up observations typically began within a few tens of minutes of the alert timestamp recorded in the Rubin alert packet.

Immediately upon completion of observations, data from Gemini, SOAR, and Las Cumbres were automatically retrieved via GOATS. For SOAR and Las Cumbres, the data were already processed by their respective pipelines (Goodman Pipeline and BANZAI-FLOYDS pipeline, respectively), while Gemini data were reduced within GOATS using the integrated DRAGONS pipeline.

We obtained spectra for 7 targets, whose classifications (where possible) are listed below. For several additional targets, we gathered follow-up imaging data with Blanco/DECam, in some cases on both nights when separate alerts were received for the same sources. All the data associated with this end-to-end demonstration are public, conveniently accessible through GOATS by entering the corresponding observation IDs for Gemini, SOAR, and Las Cumbres (see an example here); Blanco data retrieval is not yet available in GOATS.

The ANTARES page for each target is linked to the LSST_diaObject_ID in the table below. 

LSST_diaObject_ID

Facility/instrument

Follow-up date (UT)

Observation ID

Classification/Notes

314051320244339039
(AT 2026hnt)

Gemini/GMOS-S
spectroscopy

2026-02-19

G-2025B-0529-D-0223

Both SOAR and LCO spectra are contaminated 
by light from the host galaxy; narrow lines from 
the host are clearly visible. The Gemini data have 
been reduced interactively with DRAGONS, isolating 
the transient trace from the host. The host shows an 
e(a)-like spectrum, indicating a dusty starburst 
galaxy (Poggianti et al., 2009) at a redshift of 0.259. 
This host-galaxy redshift is consistent with the 
measurement from the SOAR and LCO spectra. 

Using GELATO (Harutyunyan et al., 2008; 
gelato.tng.iac.es), the transient spectrum matches 
SN type Ic, but the low S/N prevents a 
definitive classification. 

SOAR/Goodman
spectroscopy

2026-02-19

4116378 

LCO/2-m FLOYDS
spectroscopy

2026-02-19

4116375

LCO/1-m Sinistro
imaging

2026-02-19

4116374

Blanco/DECam
imaging

2026-02-19, 
2026-02-20

2026A-942051

313998539799134474
(AT 2026hob)

SOAR/Goodman
spectroscopy

2026-02-19

4116418 

H-alpha from the host galaxy is clearly visible in the 
SOAR spectrum, which gives a redshift of 0.147. 
The classification from GELATO (Harutyunyan et al., 2008; 
gelato.tng.iac.es) is SN type Ib/c, but the result is uncertain.

Blanco/DECam
imaging

2026-02-19

2026A-942051

170019716255973493
(AT 2026eio)

Gemini/GMOS-N
spectroscopy

2026-02-19

G-2025B-0529-D-0240

The spectrum appears to be dominated by the host galaxy 
light, preventing classification. Narrow lines from the 
host give a redshift of 0.251. 

LCO/1-m Sinistro
imaging

2026-02-19

4116453

313963359491850270
(AT 2026ejv)

Blanco/DECam
imaging

2026-02-19

2026A-942051

-------

313972153257558986
(AT 2026hoj)

Blanco/DECam
imaging

2026-02-19

2026A-942051

-------

170019696272736349
(AT 2026fku)

 

Blanco/DECam
imaging

2026-02-19, 
2026-02-20

2026A-942051

-------

313967752817672227
(AT 2026emp)

Blanco/DECam
imaging

2026-02-19

2026A-942051

-------

314051320305156133
(AT 2026dmz)

SOAR/Goodman
spectroscopy

2026-02-20

4117162

The classification from GELATO (Harutyunyan et al., 2008; 
gelato.tng.iac.es) is SN type II. The H-alpha line from 
the host galaxy is visible, giving a  redshift of 0.053. 

LCO/1-m Sinistro
imaging

2026-02-20

4117143

Blanco/DECam
imaging

2026-02-20

2026A-942051

170019716341956650
(AT 2026eil)

Gemini/GMOS-S
spectroscopy

2026-02-20

G-2025B-0529-D-0331

Based on SNID (Blondin & Tonry 2007), the object is a SN
type Ia at redshift 0.35. The classification is consistent with 
GELATO (Harutyunyan et al., 2008; gelato.tng.iac.es).

170019717277810735
(AT 2026ctw)

Gemini/GMOS-N
spectroscopy

2026-02-20

G-2025B-0529-D-0332

Based on SNID (Blondin & Tonry 2007), the object is a SN
type Ia at redshift 0.155. The classification is consistent with 
GELATO (Harutyunyan et al., 2008; gelato.tng.iac.es).

170028526873870371
(AT 2025ahkl)

LCO/2-m FLOYDS
spectroscopy

2026-02-20

4117281

A classification could not be obtained.

314051320414732370
(AT 2026hol)

Blanco/DECam
imaging

2026-02-20

2026A-942051

-------

314051321263554927
(AT 2026hom)

Blanco/DECam
imaging

2026-02-20

2026A-942051

-------

170019696299475118
(AT 2026fgr)

Blanco/DECam
imaging

2026-02-20

2026A-942051

-------

170028526654193673
(AT 2026hon)

 

LCO/1-m Sinistro
imaging

2026-02-20

4117265

-------

170028526448672839
(AT 2026hoo)

LCO/1-m Sinistro
imaging

2026-02-20

4117284

-------

 

Show current TNS values
Catalog Name Reported RA Reported DEC Reported Obj-Type Reported Redshift Host Name Host Redshift Remarks TNS RA TNS DEC TNS Obj-Type TNS Redshift
TNS 2026hnt [314051320244339039] 03:55:57.565 -50:50:35.59 03:55:57.565 -50:50:35.59
TNS 2026hob [313998539799134474] 04:12:03.325 -49:28:15.39 04:12:03.325 -49:28:15.39
TNS 2026eio [170019716255973493] 09:57:21.062 +00:57:37.58 09:57:21.062 +00:57:37.58
TNS 2026ejv [313963359491850270] 04:12:42.068 -47:23:31.47 04:12:42.068 -47:23:31.47
TNS 2026hoj [313972153257558986] 04:04:16.344 -50:11:44.43 04:04:16.344 -50:11:44.43
TNS 2026fku [LSST-AP-DO-170019696272736349] 04:05:59.307 -49:14:44.84 DES J040559.36-491446.2 04:05:59.307 -49:14:44.84
TNS 2026emp [313967752817672227] 04:14:05.757 -48:05:02.15 04:14:05.757 -48:05:02.15
TNS 2026dmz [314051320305156133] 04:01:30.641 -48:49:19.18 04:01:30.641 -48:49:19.18
TNS 2026eil [170019716341956650] 10:03:21.879 +02:42:05.79 10:03:21.879 +02:42:05.79
TNS 2026ctw [LSST-P-DO-170019717277810735] 10:06:57.670 +01:55:37.43 SN Ia 0.15 10:06:57.670 +01:55:37.43 SN Ia 0.15
TNS 2025ahkl [LSST-P-DO-170028526873870371] 12:27:13.976 +08:28:56.69 12:27:13.976 +08:28:56.69 SN IIn 0.177
TNS 2026hol [314051320414732370] 04:15:26.440 -48:10:23.80 04:15:26.440 -48:10:23.80
TNS 2026hom [314051321263554927] 04:13:28.035 -45:53:55.46 04:13:28.035 -45:53:55.46
TNS 2026fgr [LSST-AP-DO-170019696299475118] 04:00:36.140 -48:25:10.72 DES J040036.19-482511.1 04:00:36.140 -48:25:10.72
TNS 2026hon [170028526654193673] 12:29:42.620 +07:06:08.17 12:29:42.620 +07:06:08.17
TNS 2026hoo [170028526448672839] 12:21:11.367 +07:49:31.56 12:21:11.367 +07:49:31.56

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