Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2773 12/20/00
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT #2773
PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 12/19/00 – 0000Z (UTC) 12/20/00
Daily Status Report as of 355/0000Z
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
1.1 Completed STIS/CCD 8572 (Identifying Normal Galaxies at 1.3 < z < 2.5)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform studies of faint, distant galaxies. It is now possible to observe hundreds of galaxies out to z=1 and in the range 3 < z < 4.5, yet the redshift range 1 < z <3 remains largely unexplored. No problems were noted.
1.2 Completed Three 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.
1.3 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.
1.4 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.
1.5 Completed 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.
1.6 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.
1.7 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.
1.8 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.
1.9 Completed Five 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.
1.10 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 8207 (The Ofpe/WN Stars In M33: Understanding Wolf-Rayet Star Formation In Different Environments)
Both WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) were used to make observations of Wolf-Rayet stars in the galaxy M-33. WF/PC-2 imaging parallel to the primary spectroscopy in UBV and FUV filters will substantially extend our study of the hot massive star population and populous stellar clusters in this galaxy. A wavelength calibration image was also taken. The observations were completed as planned, and no anomalies were reported.
1.11 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.
1.12 Completed STIS/CCD 8169 (HST-Galileo Io Campaign)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make observations of Jupiter’s moon Io. Io plays a central role in the Jovian system, yet the mechanisms that couple its volcanoes, the tenuous atmosphere, the escaping corona and the plasma torus remain elusive. In 1999 there is the unique opportunity to combine HST observations with the Galileo close flybys of Io. The observations were completed as planned, and no problems were reported.
1.13 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8836 (Performance Monitor {Cycle 9})
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure the baseline performance and commandability of the CCD subsystem. Only primary amplifier D was used. Bias and Flat Field
exposures were taken in order to measure read noise, CTE, and
gain. Numerous bias frames were taken to permit construction of "superbias" frames in which the effects of read noise have been rendered negligible. Full frame and binned observations were made, with binning factors of 2 x 1, 1 x 2, 2 x 2, 4 x 1, and 4 x 2. Dark images were taken in 2×2 binning mode; 1×1 binning darks are being taken in the nominal CCD Dark Monitor. The exercise completed nominally.
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: 12
Successful: 12
2.3 Operations Notes:
On three occasions, the SSR EDAC error counter was cleared, using ROP SR-1A.
A TTR was written when commanding was made impossible on CCS "C" string at 354/1424Z due to a bad router in building 23.
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.
