Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2746 11/09/00
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT #2746
PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 11/08/00 – 0000Z (UTC) 11/09/00
Daily Status Report as of 314/0000Z
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
1.1 Completed WF/PC-2 8893 (Decon Visits Associated with Nov 1 2000 WFPC2 Safing)
The WF/PC-2 was used to perform decon and post-decon standard observations after WF/PC-2 is brought out of safemode { Entered safemode on Nov 1 2000.}
1.2 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8287 (A Search For Transparent Lines of Sight With Intergalactic He-II Absorption Towards 26 Bright z > 2.9 Quasars)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to make He-II absorption line observations of quasar HE0101-302. The aim is to identify more suitable bright objects for detailed studies of intergalactic He-II absorption at a redshift of Z <2.9 and >3.2 . A wavelength calibration observation was also taken. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
1.3 Completed FGS/1R 8728 (The Low-Mass Multiple System GL 831 {Wolf 922}: Definitive Orbit and the Mass-Luminosity Relation)
Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) 1R was used to observe GL 831 = Wolf that belongs to the select group of about one dozen nearby multiple systems suitable for calibrating the empirical mass-luminosity relation for masses below 0.2 Msun. This has been observed 13 times with FGS3 through Cycle 7. However, use of FGS 1R should clarify the location and nature of a fainter third component, possibly of 0.1 Msun, detected in two observations with the less capable FGS3. The observations completed nominally.
1.4 Completed STIS/CCD 8562 (Probing the Large Scale Structure: Cosmic Shear Observations)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to probe the distortion of light bundles from distant galaxies, looking at the statistical properties of the intervening inhomogeneous {dark} matter distribution. The proposal completed nominally.
1.5 Completed STIS/CCD 8837 (CCD Dark Monitor-Part 1)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor the darks. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.6 Completed Five Sets of WF/PC-2 8892 (Test Exposures To Support WF/PC-2 Shutter RAM Patch)
The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a series of test exposures supporting all mechanisms and major observing modes of WF/PC-2. These will be carried out before and after the installation of the RAM patch, in order to identify any differences in the behavior of the camera. The exposures will also be used to quantify any difference in the instrumental background potentially related to the additional on-time of the shutter LEDs. For modes that actually operate the shutter, the program will consist of identical exposures so that each exposure type will be carried out with each blade. The exposures completed nominally.
1.7 Completed STIS/CCD 8838 (Bias Monitor – Part 1)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor the bias in the 1×1, 1×2, 2×1, and 2×2 bin settings at gain=1, and 1×1 at gain = 4, to build up high-S/N superbiases and track the evolution of hot columns. The proposal completed nominally.
1.8 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8566 (High Resolution UV/X-Ray Spectroscopy of SMC X-1)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to perform simultaneous observations of the X-ray pulsar SMC X-1 and its B0 companion SK160 with Chandra and ground-based optical telescopes. The proposer will search for correlation between orbital phase and "bleaching” of important P Cygni lines by X-ray photoionization, and will model the simultaneous X-ray, ultraviolet, and optical continuum emission at different phases of the superorbital period to measure changes in mass accretion rate, disk structure, and disk size. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.9 Completed STIS/CCD 8172 (STIS Deep DLA Imaging Survey II)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make deep observations of quasar/alpha galaxy PHL1222. The HST imaging, together with ground-based spectroscopy, will unify absorption-line studies and faint galaxy imaging studies, providing a comprehensive picture of the history of assembly, star formation, gas consumption, and chemical enrichment in the Damped Lyman-Alpha galaxies. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
1.10 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD 8631 (Bright Quasar Close Lensing Search II)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to expand the Cycle 8 second generation HST snapshot survey of bright quasars, optimized to find lenses with component image separations < 1". The observations completed nominally.
1.11 Completed STIS/CCD 8881 (An Unbiased Survey of X-Ray and Optical Emission From Extended Radio Jets in AGN)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to an X-ray bright jet in the distant quasar PKS 0605-085 that shows that X-rays can be energetically dominant in relativistic jets. The observations completed nominally.
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
Scheduled Acquisitions: 11
Successful: 11
Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 3
Successful: 3
2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 27
Successful: 27
2.3 Operations Notes:
WF/PC-2 was recovered with the old RAM load at 312/0000Z via SMS commanding. This was followed by a decontamination sequence (see 1.1). Pre-patch WF/PC-2 test exposures were taken (see 1.6) followed by the RAM patch installation at 313/1420Z, again by SMS commanding. This was followed by post-patch test exposures (see 1.6). No problems have been reported.
Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR EDAC error counter was cleared twice.
The engineering status buffer had its limits adjusted at 313/1158Z per ROP DF-18A.
SSA transmitter #2 was turned on and off at 313/1338Z, 314/0509Z and at 314/0154Z in accordance with ROP IC-2.
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
GSFC Internal Simulation #1 (Rendezvous/Capture) will be executed today from approximately 8:00 a.m. until approximately 8:30 p.m. from the GSFC.
Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.
