Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2803 02/07/01

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
 
  DAILY REPORT #2803
 
PERIOD COVERED:  0000Z (UTC) 02/06/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 02/07/01
 
Daily Status Report as of 038/0000Z
 
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
 
    1.1 Completed WF/PC-2 8600 (Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy Snapshot Survey III)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to extend our V and I snapshot survey of nearby dwarf elliptical {dE} galaxies to include a sample of 30 bright dE with significant globular cluster {GC} populations.  There were no reported problems.
 
    1.2 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.
 
    1.3 Completed Five Sets of WF/PC-2 8827 (Cycle 9 Supplemental Darks pt2/3)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain three dark frames every day to provide data for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels.  The proposal completed nominally.
 
    1.4 Completed Two Sets of 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.
 
    1.5 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 8673 (The Properties of Ly-Alpha Absorbers at Redshifts Between 0.9HST)
 
        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used obtain new Echelle resolution spectra of three bright quasars which, when combined with archived and scheduled observations, will be used to characterize the properties of Ly-Alpha absorbers in the redshift range 0.9<z<1.6.  There were no reported problems.
 
    1.6 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8805 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII Parallel Archive Proposal Continuation)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a generic target version of the WFPC2 Archival Pure Parallel program.  The program will be used to take parallel images of random areas of the sky, following the recommendations of the Parallels Working Group.  The proposal completed with no reported problems.
 
    1.7 Completed STIS/MA1 8843 (Cycle 9 MAMA Dark Measurements)
 
        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1) was used to perform the routine monitoring of the MAMA detector dark noise.  The proposal completed nominally.
 
    1.8 Completed FGS/1 9167 (Astrometry of the Extrasolar Planet of Epsilon Eridani)
 
        Fine Guidance Sensor #1 was used in position mode to determine the astrometric elements {perturbation orbit semimajor axis and inclination} of the candidate extra-solar planet around the K2 V star Epsilon Eridani that has been detected by Dopler spectroscopy.  These observations will also permit determination of  the actual mass of the planet by providing the sin{i} factor which can not be determined with the radial velocity method.  There was no anomalous activity.
 
    1.9 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.
 
    1.10 Completed STIS/CCD 8663 (Survey of SMC Planetary Nebulae: Nebular and Stellar Evolution in a Low- Metallicity Environment)
 
        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to survey of SMC planetary nebulae {PNe} in order to study the co-evolution of the nebulae and their central stars, in an environment that is chemically very metal poor.  We will obtain STIS imaging and medium-resolution slitless spectroscopy that will yield line fluxes and nebular morphologies in important emission lines, plus magnitudes of the central stars.  From these data we will gather a harvest of information: the nebular size, morphology, ionization structure, density, and mass; and the central star temperature, luminosity, and mass.  The proposal completed with no reported anomalies.
 
    1.11 Completed WF/PC-2 8883 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII Backup Parallel Archive Proposal II)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to complete a POMS test proposal designed to simulate scientific plans.  There were no reported problems.
 
    1.12 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD 8679 (Constraining the Age of the Oldest Stars from the White Dwarf Cooling Sequence in M4)
 
        The WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) were used to search for the oldest and hence coolest white dwarfs {WDs} in M4, the nearest Galactic globular cluster to the Sun.  New models for cooling hydrogen white dwarfs predict that their colors should become bluer, rather than redder, with increasing age. The goal is to test these models and at the same time constrain the age of M4.  The proposal completed with no problems.
 
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
 
    2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
      Scheduled Acquisitions:  6
Successful:  6
 
  Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 10
Successful: 10
 
    2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 12
Successful: 12
 
    2.3 Operations Notes:
 
        Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR EDAC error counter was cleared three times.
 
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
 
        Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.