Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2731 10/19/00
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT #2731
PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 10/18/00 – 0000Z (UTC) 10/19/00
Daily Status Report as of 293/0000Z
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
1.1 Completed WF/PC-2 8683 (Imaging Of Brightest Cluster Galaxies: The High End Of The Black Hole Mass Distribution)
The WF/PC-2 was used to make kinematic black hole detections in galaxies to decide whether they indicate that the mass correlates with both optical luminosity and radio power. The observation completed with no reported problems.
1.2 Completed Three Sets of 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 WF/PC-2 8601 (A Snapshot Survey of Probable Nearby Galaxies)
The WF/PC-2 was used to continue the very successful snapshot survey in order to use the high spatial resolution of HST to determine whether selected galaxies are nearby on the basis of resolution into stars, and the magnitudes and colors of the brightest stars. There were no reported problems.
1.4 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.
1.5 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.
1.6 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 that are 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.
1.7 Completed STIS/CCD 8434 (Slitless Spectroscopy/MAMA)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to calibrate the dispersion solution. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.8 Completed Four 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.
1.9 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.
1.10 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.
1.11 Completed WF/PC-2 8634 (Atmospheric Variability on Uranus and Neptune)
The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain snapshot observations of Uranus and Neptune to monitor changes in their atmospheres on time scales of months to years. Uranus is rapidly approaching equinox in 2007, with another 4 degrees of latitude in the northern hemisphere becoming visible every year. Recent HST images during this unique epoch have revealed: {i} strongly wavelength-dependent latitudinal structure, {ii} the presence of numerous visible-wavelength cloud features in the northern hemisphere, and, {iii} in the near-IR, discrete features northward of 25degrees N that have the highest contrast ever seen for a Uranian cloud. Long-term ground- based observations show seasonal brightness changes whose origins are not well understood. Recent IR images of Neptune obtained using adaptive optics on the Keck Telescope indicate that a new "Bright Companion" type of feature has recently appeared in the southern hemisphere. Snapshot observations of these two dynamic planets can supply context in which to discern the nature of long-term changes in their latitudinal atmospheric bands and to track the appearance, movement, and disappearance of discrete albedo features. There were no reported problems.
1.12 Completed STIS/CCD 8631 (Bright Quasar Close Lensing Search II)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to expand the Cycle 8 second generation HST snapshot survey of bright quasars, optimized to find lenses with component image separations < 1". The observations completed nominally.
1.13 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 8098 (Fe II Emission Lines As A Chronometer For High-Redshift Quasars)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was used to make observations of the symbiotic nova RR-TEL to give complete coverage of Fe II emission lines in the 1150- 9800 Angstrom wavelength range. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.14 Completed Two Sets of STIS/MA1 8427 (MAMA Fold Analysis for Cycle 8)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1) was used to perform a MAMA Fold Analysis Proposal for cycle 8. There were no reported problems.
1.15 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 8628 (High Density {~ 10^9 Cm^-3} Gas In The Jet Formation Region Of T Tauri Stars)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used to investigate the ubiquitous outflow that occurs during star formation for which the driving mechanism is still unknown. The proposal intends to compare the kinematics of the UV line formation region with that of the optical forbidden lines and to determine the physical characteristics of the jet formation region. There were no reported problems.
1.16 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8816 (Cycle 9 UV Earthflats)
The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain sequences of earth streak flats to improve the quality of pipeline flat fields for the WFPC2 UV filter set and in order to monitor flat field stability. There were no reported problems.
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
Scheduled Acquisitions: 7
Successful: 7
Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 9
Successful: 9
2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 17
Successful: 17
2.3 Operations Notes:
At 292/1420Z, per an operations request, the Voltage
Temperature/Front End (VTFE) curves for batteries 1 through 6 were raised to K1L4+210mV at -3 degC (an increase of 70 mV). VTFE table dumps were performed before and after the curves were updated, verifying that the VTFE table was patched with the correct values in the appropriate
locations. During the subsequent orbit day period the functionality of the trickle charge initiation, as well as the order and timing of the trim relay openings, was verified. Electrical Power Subsystem Engineers will continue to monitor performance so that additional adjustments for optimization of power system performance can be planned.
The 486 RAM memory was dumped successfully at 292/1702Z.
Correctable SSR EDAC errors were cleared at 293/0607Z per ROP SR-1A.
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.
