Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2637 06/05/00
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT #2637
PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 06/02/00 – 0000Z (UTC) 06/05/00
Daily Status Report as of 157/0000Z
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
1.1 Completed Six Sets of WF/PC-2 8460 (Cycle 8 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 observations completed with no reported problems.
1.2 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD 8439 (Bias Monitor-Part 2 C8)
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 with no reported problems.
1.3 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8698 (Identification of the Galaxy’s Missing Mass)
The WF/PC-2 was used to observe the nature of dark matter which is one of the key astrophysical questions of the day. The existence of dark matter and its dynamical dominance in the outer parts of our Galaxy and spiral galaxies with flat rotation curves is well established. The MACHO project has identified ~half of the Milky Way’s dark matter with stellar objects of ~0.5 M_sun, probably white dwarfs. But the location of the microlensing in the halo is disputed. Several have detected two candidate halo white dwarfs of L/L_sun ~ 10^-5 in the Hubble Deep Field with 25 +/- 5 mas/year proper motions. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.4 Completed Four Sets of STIS/CCD 8808 (POMS Test Proposal: STIS Non-Scripted Parallel Proposal Continuation III)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make non-scripted, parallel observations as part of a POMS test proposal. The observations completed with no anomalous activity.
1.5 Completed Five Sets of STIS/CCD 8437 (Dark Monitor-Part 2 C8)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor the darks. The proposal completed nominally.
1.6 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8796 (POMS Test Proposal: STIS Non-Scripted Parallel Proposal Continuation IV)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used in the parallel mode to make some low galactic latitude archive observations. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
1.7 Completed Four Sets of STIS/CCD 8407 (STIS CCD Performance Monitor {Cycle 8})
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to run a Cycle-8 CCD performance monitor program. This activity measures the baseline performance and commandability of the CCD subsystem. Only primary amplifier D is used. A dark calibration image was also taken. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no problems were reported.
1.8 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD 8202 (Bright Quasar Close Lensing Search)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make observations of HCLQ2159-0, HCLQ2308-5 and HCLQ1421-2 as part of a second generation survey to search for bright lensing quasars. With the restored PSF, new images will be considerably more sensitive to the presence of both close separation and faint lens components, and because STIS reaches two magnitudes fainter the PC, the new snapshot images will have much greater dynamic range. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
1.9 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 8265 (Reverberation Mapping of a Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 Galaxy)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was used to monitor the UV spectral variability of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 {NLS1} galaxy AKN 564 at 46 epochs in order to measure the size of the broad emission-line region via reverberation-mapping techniques. This measurement, and the virial mass estimate that follows from it, will provide a key test of NLS1 models and help determine the physical mechanism that underlies the principal component of AGN spectra, the Boroson–Green primary eigenvector. These observations will be undertaken in parallel with X-ray and ground-based optical observations that will allow us for the first time to explore the multiwavelength variability characteristics of this important subclass of active galactic nuclei. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.10 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8336 (A Unique Measurement of the Dust-to-Gas Ratio in an Absorption Line System)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make absorption line spectrographic observations of object 0957+561. The dust–to–gas ratio in damped Lyman-Alpha absorbers has been determined from ISM metal abundances and from the effect of extinction on the background quasar continua. The observations were completed as planned, and no anomalies were reported.
1.11 Completed Three Sets of STIS/MA2 8275 (Ultraviolet Snapshots of 3CR Radio Source Counterparts at Low Z)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to make ultraviolet snapshot observations of the radio galaxies 3C388.0, 3C40.0, and 3C338.0. Radio galaxies are an important class of extragalactic objects, representing one of the most energetic astrophysical phenomena, while extraordinarily useful as probes of their environments and of the early Universe. The observations were completed as scheduled, and no anomalies were reported.
1.12 Completed Six 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. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.13 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD/MA1 8254 (A Unique Calibration of Asteroseismology: the DBV GD358)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to achieve an improved understanding of the white dwarf stars which has a great potential in both physics and astronomy. Determination of the basic physical parameters of the white dwarf stars will help us realize that potential; asteroseismology is the key. The asteroseismology can be used to constrain the stellar structure and evolution, including the stellar mass and even the stellar distance if we can determine the pulsation indices of the non-radial g-mode light variations observed in compact pulsators. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.14 Completed STIS/MA1/MA2 8144 (UV Spectroscopic Snapshots of FUSE AGN Targets)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was used to make far ultraviolet spectrographic snapshot observations of the FUSE AGN target MRK290. This object is currently scheduled to be observed by the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer {FUSE}. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
1.15 Completed WF/PC-2 8095 (Accurate Proper Motions of Galactic Halo Populations)
The WF/PC-2 was used to make observations of the galaxy NGC-1049 in order to study the proper motion of its galactic halo population, which include globular clusters and dwarf galaxies. The proper motions of these populations will be determined to unprecedented accuracy, approximately an order of magnitude better than has been previously possible. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
1.16 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8241 (A Snapshot Survey of Interstellar Absorption Lines)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to make high resolution Echelle spectrographic observations of the standard ultraviolet star HD157857 as part of a snapshot survey of interstellar absorption lines. A wavelength calibration image was also taken. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
1.17 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 8423 (FASTEX — Faint Standard Extension)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was used to measure the fainter standard stars which are needed for the flux calibration of COS and for the prism modes on ACS. The proposal completed with no outstanding problems.
1.18 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8314 (Star Clusters of NGC 6822)
The WF/PC-2 was used to make observations of the star clusters located in the irregular local group galaxy NGC-6822. The goals are: {1} to measure the oldest population of stars in the field to answer the question of when star formation commenced in this galaxy; {2} to ascertain the nature of the star formation history of the galaxy; and {3} to look for evidence of a halo population of old stars. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
1.19 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD 7912 (STIS Parallel Archive Proposal – Nearby Galaxies – Imaging and Spectroscopy)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make parallel observations of nearby galaxies. This survey will be useful to study the star formation histories, chemical evolution, and distances to these galaxies. These data will be placed immediately into the Hubble Data Archive. The observations were completed as scheduled, and no problems were reported.
1.20 Completed STIS/CCD 8189 (The Source of Gamma Ray Bursts and the Nature of their Hosts)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make high resolution optical and ultraviolet observations of the Gamma Ray Burster (GRB) 000418 and its host galaxy. This comprehensive set of observations will provide new insights into the astrophysics of GRBs and their high redshift host galaxies. The observations were completed as planned, and no problems were reported.
1.21 Completed STIS/CCD 8418 (CCD Sensitivity Monitor C8)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make observations of standard source AGK+81D266 as part of a CCD
sensitivity-monitoring program in Cycle-8. The sensitivity of each CCD grating mode is monitored to detect any change due to contamination or other causes. A wavelength calibration image was also taken. The observations were completed as planned, and no anomalies were reported.
1.22 Completed STIS/CCD 8340 (Probing the Kinematics of the Narrow-Line Region in Seyfert Galaxies with Slitless Spectroscopy)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform studies of the gas kinematics of the narrow-line regions in Seyfert galaxies. Previous studies indicate complex velocity fields, with evidence for both gravitational and non-gravitational forces. The proposal completed nominally.
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
Scheduled Acquisitions: 30
Successful: 30
Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 19
Successful: 19
2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 70
Successful: 69
The roll delay update scheduled for 154/2200Z failed due to tracker 2. The following full maneuver update and acquisition were successful, however. HSTAR 7640 was written.
2.3 Operations Notes:
At the end of the weekend CCS sting "G" was prime, CCS string "C" was backup, and strings "A" and "B" were ingesting real-time data.
Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR EDAC error counter was cleared four times.
The engineering status buffer limit was set to 15 at 154/0120Z per ROP DF-18A.
ROP IC-2 was used at 156/1824Z to turn transmitter #1 on and off.
The NSSC-1 engineering report was cleared at 157/0407Z per ROP NS-5.
The NSSC-1 status buffer was dumped using ROP NS-3.
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.
