Status Report

Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2767 12/12/00

By SpaceRef Editor
December 12, 2000
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HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
 
  DAILY REPORT #2767
 
PERIOD COVERED:  0000Z (UTC) 12/11/00 – 0000Z (UTC) 12/12/00
 
Daily Status Report as of 347/0000Z
 
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
 
    1.1 Completed FGS/1R 8315 (The Location of the Active Nucleus in the Radio Galaxy 3C 294)
 
        FGS #1R was used to measure the position of the star and three nearby V~15 stars with respect to a bright Hipparcos star, which can be placed simultaneously in the FGS1R pickle.  We will use groundbased observations to determine more accurately the HST rotation angle so that we can obtain both coordinates to the required accuracy from the single astrometric standard.  The observations completed with no reported problems.
 
    1.2 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.
 
    1.3 Completed STIS/CCD 8260 (Searching for the Hydrogen Reionization Edge of the Universe at 5HST)
 
        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe one of 36 parallel orbits {4–5 fields of 5–8 orbits each} to constrain the H Lyman-edge in emission that marks the transition from a neutral to a fully ionized IGM at a predicted zion~eq5–15.  This edge is due to recombination from the H Lyman series and Lyman continuum, and can be used to constrain zion, one of the most important unknown quantities in large scale structure and cosmology.  The proposal completed nominally.
 
    1.4 Completed Four 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.
 
    1.5 Completed Five Sets of WF/PC-2 8827 (Cycle 9 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 proposal completed nominally.
 
    1.6 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD 8641 (Testing the Accelerating Universe)
 
        The WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) were used to observe Type Ia supernovae which provide evidence for an accelerating universe: an extraordinary result that needs to be rigorously tested.  The observations completed with no reported problems.
 
    1.7 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.
 
    1.8 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.
 
    1.9 Completed FGS 8830 (Long Term Monitoring of FGS-2R in Position Mode)
 
        FGS-2R was used to monitor the instrument’s plate scale and distortions to assure its continued reliably as a guiding FGS.  The observations completed with no reported anomalies.
 
    1.10 Completed Six 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.
 
    1.11 Completed STIS/MA1 8843 (Cycle 9 MAMA Dark Measurements)
 
        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1) was used to perform the routine monitoring of the MAMA detector dark noise.  The proposal completed nominally.
 
    1.12 Completed Five Sets of WF/PC-2 8811 (Cycle 9 Standard Darks)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain 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 problems.
 
    1.13 Completed WF/PC-2 8632 (A UV Atlas of Nearby Galaxies)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a snapshot survey of local galaxies at UV wavelengths with the F300W filter.  The aim of the project is to build a reference UV Atlas of normal galaxies, whose optical images are well known, with the highest possible degree of information, covering all the morphological types and luminosity classes.  The proposal completed normally.
 
    1.14 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 7481 (The Wind-momentum Luminosity Relationship for M31 and M33 B-supergiants)
 
        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to make observations of the B class supergiant star M-33-B-526.  The purpose of these observations is to acquire STIS low-resolution ultraviolet spectra of early B-supergiants in galaxies M31 and M33 to determine the terminal velocities of their stellar winds.  The observations were completed as planned, and no anomalies were reported.
 
    1.15 Completed 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.
 
    1.16 Completed STIS/CCD 8664 (Structural Measurement of Globular Clusters in M31 and NGC 5128: Stalking the Fundamental Plane)
 
        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe in the snapshot mode to image a wide selection of individual globular clusters in two other large galaxies {M31 and NGC 5128} for measurement of their structural parameters {r_c, c, central surface brightness}.  We will use these to compute their binding energies and define the FP in these two galaxies. Comparison with the Milky Way will then give us powerful new information on just how “universal” the cluster formation process was in the early protogalaxies.  The observations completed with no reported problems.
 
    1.17 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.
 
    1.18 Completed WF/PC-2 8769 (The Red Giant Stellar Population In Two Nearby Low-Metallicity Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies)
 
        The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain deep V and I images of two nearby metal-deficient blue compact dwarf {BCD} galaxy MRK71.  The main goal is to detect the red giant stellar population in these resolved BCDs to study their evolutionary history and constrain their ages.  Are they young or old?  The observations completed with no reported problems.
 
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
 
    2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
      Scheduled Acquisitions:  8
                Successful:  8
 
    Scheduled Re-acquisitions:  7
                Successful:  7
 
    2.2 FHST Updates:
                  Scheduled: 24
                Successful: 23
 
        Per HSTAR 8003, the roll delay update at 347/073811Z failed due to FHST-2.  The subsequent full maneuver updates were successful.
 
    2.3 Operations Notes:
 
        The SSR EDAC Error counter was cleared twice per ROP SR-1A.
 
        As directed by an operations request, an RMGA calibration was completed at 346/1233Z.
 
        An FHST map scheduled for 346/184247Z failed.  FINATT saw only one star for each FHST and was unable to compute an attitude.  Attitude was not a problem since the acquisition at 346/1939Z was successful.  HSTAR 8002 was written.
 
        The NSSC-1 status buffer was dumped and reset at 346/2121Z, using ROP NS-3.
 
        The ephemeris load was uplinked at 347/0056Z, using ROP DF-07A.
 
        A TTR was written for a negative mode 1 acquisition at 347/0345Z, resulting in lost engineering data.
 
        SSA transmitter #2 was turned on at 347/0550Z and turned off at 347/0604Z per ROP IC-2.
 
        Using ROP DF-18A, an engineering status buffer limit was adjusted at 347/0751Z.
 
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
 
        Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.

SpaceRef staff editor.