Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2800 02/02/01
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT #2800
PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 02/01/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 02/02/01
Daily Status Report as of 033/0000Z
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
1.1 Completed WF/PC-2 8600 (Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy Snapshot Survey III)
The WF/PC-2 was used to extend our V and I snapshot survey of nearby dwarf elliptical {dE} galaxies to include a sample of 30 bright dE with significant globular cluster {GC} populations. There were 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 third iteration of this proposal was affected by multiple losses of lock as described in yesterday’s report and HSTAR 8069. Otherwise, the proposals completed nominally.
1.3 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.
1.4 Completed Three 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.
1.5 Completed Two 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 WF/PC-2 8874 (Heritage Observations of the Horsehead Nebula)
The WF/PC-2 was used to observe the Horsehead Nebula {Barnard 33} as part of the Hubble Heritage Project. The aim of the Heritage Project is to provide spectacular HST color images for public release, outreach, and education. There were no reported anomalies.
1.7 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.
1.8 Completed STIS//CCDMA1 7308 (HST FAR-UV Imaging and Spectra of Jupiter’s Aurora Coordinated With Galileo)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to make far-ultraviolet imaging and spectral observations of the aurora near both poles of the planet Jupiter at the same time as scheduled GALILEO spacecraft measurements of Jupiter’s magnetospheric properties and ultraviolet emissions over summer/fall 1997. The observations were completed as planned, and no anomalies were reported.
1.9 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8662 (A Snapshot Survey of the Hot Interstellar Medium)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD And MA1) was used to obtain snapshot STIS echelle observations 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. By taking advantage of the snapshot observing mode we will efficiently obtain a large number of spectra suitable for the study of the highly ionized hot component of the interstellar medium {ISM}. Our goals are to explore the physical conditions in and distribution of such gas, as well as to explore the nature of the interfaces between the hot ISM and the other interstellar gas phases. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.10 Completed Two 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.
1.11 Completed Three Sets of STIS/MA1/MA2 8843 (Cycle 9 MAMA Dark Measurements)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1 and MA2) was used to perform the routine monitoring of the MAMA detector dark noise. The proposal completed nominally.
1.12 Completed WF/PC-2 8699 (The Origin of Short-Period Comets)
The WF/PC-2 was used to detect and characterize cometary nuclei in order to determine the basic physical properties of a large fraction of the population of short-period comets. By acquiring statistically significant data, we can study the origin of this family of comets and test the hypothesis that they are collisional fragments from the Kuiper Belt Objects. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.13 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 8770 (The Nucleosynthesis of Boron – Benchmarks for the Galactic Disk)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used to determine boron (B) abundance. In spite of several HST cycles of B abundance determinations, we do not know the true, ambient, present-day abundance of B. Only two stars {with undepleted Li and Be} have been observed to derive the Population I true B abundance. Past cycles have focused on {1} halo stars with low metallicity and {2} solar-type stars with Li and/or Be deficiencies. In this proposal, the stellar abundances of B will be determined, measured from the B I 2497 Angstrom line from STIS echelle spectra, of main sequence F-G stars that have retained their full initial abundances of boron. Our target stars are those for which ground-based observations show that beryllium is undepleted. These new abundances will map evolution of the B abundance in the Galactic disk in the metallicity range from one-third solar up to solar. Then the B, and previously determined Li and Be abundances, will be used to improve understanding of the nucleosynthesis of B. There were no reported anomalies.
1.14 Completed WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD 8679 (Constraining the Age of the Oldest Stars from the White Dwarf Cooling Sequence in M4)
The WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) were used to search for the oldest and hence coolest white dwarfs {WDs} in M4, the nearest Galactic globular cluster to the Sun. New models for cooling hydrogen white dwarfs predict that their colors should become bluer, rather than redder, with increasing age. The goal is to test these models and at the same time constrain the age of M4. The proposal completed with no problems.
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
Scheduled Acquisitions: 10
Successful: 10
Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 6
Successful: 6
2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 22
Successful: 22
2.3 Operations Notes:
The SSR EDAC error counter was cleared three times per ROP SR-1A.
A TTR was written when re-transmits were required at 033/041449Z during the uplink of a NSSC-1 load.
Using ROP NS-5, SI C&DH errors were reset at 033/0421Z.
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.
