Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2661 07/11/00

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
 
  DAILY REPORT #2661
 
PERIOD COVERED:  0000Z (UTC) 07/10/00 – 0000Z (UTC) 07/11/00
 
Daily Status Report as of 193/0000Z
 
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
 
    1.1 Completed WF/PC-2 8599 (A Census of Nuclear Star Clusters in Late-Type Spiral Galaxies)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to conduct an I-band snapshot survey of a well-defined sample of nearby, face-on spiral galaxies of type Scd or later.  The proposal completed nominally.
 
    1.2 Completed Six 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.
 
    1.3 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8826 (Cycle 9 Supplemental Darks pt 1)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a T dark calibration program that obtains three dark frames every day in order to provide data for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels.  There were no reported anomalies.
 
    1.4 Completed WF/PC-2 8194 (Evolution of High-Redshift Seyfert Galaxies)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to make observations of the high-redshifted Seyfert galaxy Gal-105245 in order to study its evolution.  The observations will provide insights into the Seyfert phenomenon at intermediate redshift and will complement similar HST studies of normal galaxies, clusters and quasars.  The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
 
    1.5 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.
 
    1.6 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8459 (Decontaminations and Associated Observations Pt. 2/2)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to perform the monthly decons.  Also included are instrument monitors tied to decons: photometric stability check, focus monitor, pre- and post-decon internals {bias, intflats, kspots, & darks}, and UV throughput checks.  The observations were completed nominally.
 
    1.7 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.
 
    1.8 Completed WF/PC-2 8268 (Lensed Quasar Hosts at High Redshift)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to make observations of the high redshift, lensed quasar B1359+154.  Gravitational lensing offers a novel way to detect quasar host galaxies at z > 1 and to measure their properties.  The observations were completed as scheduled, and no anomalies were reported.
 
    1.9 Completed S/C 5582 (FOC/48 Monthly Activation (Camera Section Only): Cycle 4)
 
        This proposal was executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
 
    1.10 Completed WF/PC-2 8597 (The Fueling of Active Nuclei: Why are Active Galaxies Active?)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to investigate the accretion onto massive black holes which is believed to be the energy source for AGN.  However, evidence for black holes in quiescent galaxies has also been reported.  Why are these galaxies inactive?  One possibility is that active galaxies are better at providing fuel to the nuclear region than quiescent
galaxies.  Other possible fueling mechanisms such as “bars-within-bars” or nuclear spirals cannot be investigated from the ground because they are relatively small features in the ISM.  The observations were completed as planned.
 
    1.11 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8103 (A Global Picture of White Dwarfs in Cataclysmic Variables)
 
        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to make ultraviolet spectrographic observations of the white dwarf star that is located in the cataclysmic variable star system known as VY-AQR.  The observations were executed as scheduled, and no problems were reported.
 
    1.12 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.
 
    1.13 Completed FOC/96 7923 (FOC F/96 Turn-on)
 
        The Faint Object Camera (f/96) was used to take an internal flat and a dark to ensure that the 30-day limit for the FOC is not
exceeded.  The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
 
    1.14 Completed STIS/MA2 8426 (Cycle 8 MAMA Dark Measurements)
 
        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to make a routine Cycle-8 MAMA dark noise calibration measurement.  This proposal will provide the primary means of checking on the health of the MAMA detectors.  This is done through frequent monitoring of the background count rate.  The observations were completed as planned, and no problems were reported.
 
    1.15 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8662 (A Snapshot Survey of the Hot Interstellar Medium)
 
        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD And MA1) was to be used to obtain a snapshot STIS echelle observation of key tracers of hot interstellar gas {C IV, N IV, and Si IV} for selected FUSE Team O VI survey targets with known UV fluxes.  As described in 2.1 and HSTAR 7717, the acquisition for this proposal failed and the take data flag remained down.  One observation was affected.
 
    1.16 Completed WF/PC-2 8812 (Cycle 9 Internal Monitor)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was to be used to obtain routine internal monitors for WFPC2 in order to monitor the health of the cameras.  As described in 2.1 and HSTAR 7717, the acquisition for this proposal failed and the take data flag remained down.  Seven observations were affected.
 
    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 WF/PC-2 8239 (Imaging the NLR in a Complete Sample of z<0.5 Radio-Quiet PG Quasars)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to observe quasar PG0157+001 and to determine its role in the evolution of galaxies, where a central engine leaves its visible imprints in the galaxy through strong ionization and heating of the ISM.  The observations completed with no reported problems.
 
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
 
    2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
      Scheduled Acquisitions:  8
Successful:  7
 
        Per HSTAR 7717, the acquisition scheduled for 192/184121Z failed when the search radius limit was exceeded on both FGS-1 and FGS-3.  The proposals detailed in 1.15 and 1.16 were affected.  Four STIS 710 status buffer messages were generated.  Accordingly, the STIS flight software error counter was reset at 192/1926Z, using ROP NS-12.
  Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 10
Successful: 10
 
    2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 17
Successful: 17
 
    2.3 Operations Notes:
 
        Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR EDAC error counter was cleared three times.
 
        Engineering status buffer limit management was performed twice per ROP DF-18A.
 
        An NSSC-1 status buffer dump was executed at 192/2248Z as directed by ROP NS-3.
 
        The HST ephemeris table load was uplinked at 193/0126Z.
 
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
 
        Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.