Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2638 06/06/00

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
 
  DAILY REPORT #2638
 
PERIOD COVERED:  0000Z (UTC) 06/05/00 – 0000Z (UTC) 06/06/00
 
Daily Status Report as of 158/0000Z
 
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
 
    1.1 Completed Two 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 STIS/CCD 8202 (Bright Quasar Close Lensing Search)
 
        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make observations of HCLQ1124-1as 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.
 
    1.3 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.
 
    1.4 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8645 (A Survey of Mid-UV Morphology of Nearby Galaxies: Galaxy Structure and Faint Galaxy)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to investigate the relation between star formation and the global physical characteristics of galaxies to interpret the morphologies of distant galaxies in terms of their evolutionary status.  The observations completed nominally.
 
    1.5 Completed WF/PC-2 8442 (Cycle 8 Standard Darks)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain dark calibration dark frames every week in order to provide data for the ongoing calibration of the CCD dark current rate, and to monitor and characterize the evolution of hot pixels.  Over an extended period these data will also provide a monitor of radiation damage to the CCDs.  The proposal completed with no reported anomalies.
 
    1.6 Completed Two 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.
 
    1.7 Completed 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.
 
    1.8 Completed Four Sets of WF/PC-2 8442 (Cycle 8 Standard Darks)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain dark calibration dark frames every week in order to provide data for the ongoing calibration of the CCD dark current rate, and to monitor and characterize the evolution of hot pixels.  Over an extended period these data will also provide a monitor of radiation damage to the CCDs.  The proposal completed with no reported anomalies.
 
    1.9 Completed 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.
 
    1.10 Completed 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 galaxy 3C321.0.  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.
 
    1.11 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.  The proposal completed with no reported problems.
 
    1.12 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD/MA1 8180 (The Lyman Continuum Radiation From Galaxies)
 
        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to make observations of galaxies FOCA-498 and FOCA-279 in order to study its Lyman continuum radiation.  The amount of ionizing radiation released into the intergalactic medium by star formation is a poorly known but crucial parameter.  A wavelength calibration image was also taken.  The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
 
    1.13 Completed Two 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.
 
    1.14 Completed WF/PC-2 8212 (Reconciling the SBF and SNIa Distance Scales)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to make observations of the galaxy ESO352-G57 in order to reconcile the surface brightness fluctuation (SBF) and super novae type IA (SNIa) distance scales.  It is imperative that we understand the discrepancy between the SBF and SNIa methods.  The observations were completed as scheduled, and no anomalies were reported.
 
    1.15 Completed STIS/CCD 8412 (STIS CCD Imaging Flats C8)
 
        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to investigate the flat-field stability of the unit over a monthly period.  A bias calibration observation was also taken.  The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
 
    1.16 Completed STIS/CCD 8411 (STIS CCD Spectroscopic Flats C-8)
 
        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to obtain CCD flats in the spectroscopic mode.  The observations were completed as scheduled, and no anomalies were reported.
 
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
 
    2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
      Scheduled Acquisitions: 6
Successful: 6
 
  Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 8
Successful: 8
 
    2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 14
Successful: 14
 
    2.3 Operations Notes:
 
        Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR EDAC error counter was cleared twice.
 
        The 486 engineering status buffer was dumped and cleared at 157/1150Z per ROP DF-18A.
 
        The ephemeris tables were uplinked and verified at 158/0124Z.
 
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
 
        Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.