Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2672 07/26/00
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT #2672
PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 07/25/00 – 0000Z (UTC) 07/26/00
Daily Status Report as of 208/0000Z
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
1.1 Completed STIS/CCD 8685 (Isolated Compact Stellar Systems In The Fornax Cluster)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe a new population of compact objects in the center of the Fornax Cluster. These objects have spectra typical of old stellar systems, but are unresolved in ground- based imaging. They are all at least 10 times more luminous than any Galactic globular clusters, but fainter than any known compact dwarf galaxies. They may be a new class of intermediate object, neither globular clusters nor dwarf galaxies but something in between. The observations completed nominally.
1.2 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.
1.3 Completed Two 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 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.
1.5 Completed STIS/CCD 8603 (Secular Changes In The Temperatures And Radii Of Extreme Helium Stars)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make observations of 15 extreme helium stars (EHEs_ which, together with IUE data, will give a 20-year baseline of ultraviolet spectrophotometry. EHEs are luminous stellar remnants evolving rapidly to become white
dwarfs. They represent an important stage in the evolution of at least some low-mass stars, and are closely related to the R Coronae Borealis variables. Models do not agree about their origin, nor about what fraction of normal stars pass through this phase, in which the stars have been completely stripped of their outer layers. The models do predict that EHEs are contracting and provide rate predictions and evolutionary
lifetimes. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.6 Completed WF/PC-2 8598 (Snapshot Survey of Extended OIIl Lambda 5007Angstrom Emission in Seyfert Galaxies)
The WF/PC-2 was used for a snapshot survey of narrow band OIII Lambda 5007Angstrom images for a well defined sample of 88 Seyfert galaxies {29 Seyfert 1s and 59 Seyfert 2s}, 18 of which already have data in the archive, selected from a mostly isotropic property, the 60Mum flux. These data will be used: 1} to determine the origin of the misalignment between the accretion disk axis and the host galaxy plane axis, which can be due to mergers with other galaxies, or by the self induced radiation warping; 2} to compare the size and shape of the Narrow Line Regions (NLR) of Seyfert 1s and Seyfert 2s, and to study the frequency of conically shaped NLR in Seyfert galaxies, which are usually unresolved from ground-based observations; and 3} estimate the importance of shocks to the ionization of the NLR. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.7 Completed 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/STIS/CCD/MA1 8015 (Properties of the Lyman-Alpha Forest and Metal-Line Systems at Low Z)
The WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) were used to make observations of the Lyman-Alpha forest and the Metal line systems in radio galaxy 3C351. This program seeks to learn more about the properties of metal-line systems and the Lyman-alpha forest at low redshifts. A wavelength calibration image was also taken. The observations were executed as scheduled and no anomalies were noted.
1.9 Completed STIS/MA1 8721 (An UV Imaging Survey of IR-Bright Star- Forming Galaxies)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1) was used to carry out a UV {~1, 600 Angstrom} snapshot imaging survey of all the actively star-forming galaxies detected by ISO at Lambda>170 Mum and closer than cz=9000 km/s. The sample covers a large region in the parameter’s space of morphology, luminosity, metallicity, and star formation intensity. There were no reported anomalies.
1.10 Completed STIS/CCD 8226 (Discerning the Origins of Blue Stragglers: Masses and Rotation Rates)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to study the blue stragglers in globular cluster NGC-104. Conventional wisdom holds that the masses of Blue Straggler Stars in globular clusters are significantly larger than the turnoff mass. A wavelength calibration observation was also taken. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.
1.11 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8059 (POMS Test Proposal: Targeted Parallel Archive Proposal)
The WF/PC-2 was used to observe the parallel opportunities available in the neighborhood of bright galaxies are treated in a slightly different way from the normal pure parallels. Local Group galaxies offer the opportunity for a closer look at young stellar
populations. Narrow-band images in F656N can be used both to identify young stars via their emission lines, and to map the gas distribution in star-forming regions. The observations completed nominally.
1.12 Completed STIS/CCD 8640 (A Public STIS Survey of the Host Galaxies of Gamma-Ray Bursts)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to obtain high-resolution images of the fields containing gamma-ray burst with well-localized coordinates; i.e. the burst has been localized to within approximately one arcsecond. The goal of this survey is to obtain a uniform sample of images of the host galaxies of these bursts. There were no reported problems.
1.13 Completed WF/PC-2 8544 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII Backup Parallel Archive Proposal II)
The WF/PC-2 was used to execute a POMS test proposal that was designed to simulate scientific plans. No problems were encountered.
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
Scheduled Acquisitions: 8
Successful: 8
Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 10
Successful: 10
2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 17
Successful: 17
2.3 Operations Notes:
The SSR EDAC error counter was cleared four times per ROP SR-1A.
The STIS MCE-2 reset at 208/035434Z while the low voltage was on and while outside any SAA interval. The STIS flight software error counter was reset at 208/0358Z as directed by ROP NS-12. MAMA-2 will be recovered at 209/0411Z the time of the next SMS-commanded high voltage on sequence.
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.