Status Report

Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2834 – 22 Mar 2001

By SpaceRef Editor

March 22, 2001

Filed under Space Telescope Science Institute, US

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #2834

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 03/21/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 03/22/01

Daily Status Report as of 081/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8864 (CCD Dark Monitor-Part 2)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor
the darks for the CCD. The proposal completed nominally.

1.2 Completed STIS/CCD 8865 (Bias Monitor-Part 2)

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 anomalous activity.

1.3 Completed Two Sets of FGS/1 8731 (A High Angular Resolution Survey
of the Most Massive Stars in the SMC)

Fine Guidance Sensor #1 was used to conduct high angular resolution
observations of some of the SMC’s hottest and most luminous objects by
conducting a comprehensive survey of nearly every spectral type in the
upper portion of the HR diagram. Binary or multiple star systems will be
detected down to an unprecedented level, more than one order of magnitude
better than possible with WFPC2. The targets selected include a
representative list of normal Main Sequence O-stars and their evolved
descendents, namely supergiants, hypergiants, LBVs, and WRs, many of which
have been previously observed by HST’s spectrometers for purposes of
cosmological calibrations. The observations completed, and no problems
were reported.

1.4 Completed STIS/CCD 9246 (POMS Test Proposal: Non-scripted Parallel
Proposal Continuation IV)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform
a generic target version of the 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
observations completed with no anomalous activity.

1.5 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD 9248 (Probing the Large Scale
Structure: Cosmic Shear Observations)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure
the distortion of light bundles from distant galaxies that probe the
statistical properties of the intervening inhomogeneous {dark} matter
distribution. Its tidal gravitational field distorts the observable image
shapes thereby causing a coherent ellipticity pattern {Cosmic Shear}. The
observations completed nominally.

1.6 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.

1.7 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8591 (The Smallest Nuclear Black Holes)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe
small nuclear black holes which are the last major unexplored part of BH
parameter space, searching for the smallest BHs that HST can possibly
find. The proposal completed with no reported anomalies.

1.8 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8824 (Decontaminations and Associated
Observations Pt. 3/4)

The WF/PC-2 was used for the monthly WFPC2 decons. Also included
are instrument monitors tied to decons: photometric stability check, focus
monitor, pre- and post-decon internals {bias, intflats, kspots, & darks},
UV throughput check, VISFLAT sweep, and internal UV flat check. There were
no reported problems.

1.9 Completed 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.

1.10 Completed WF/PC-2 9244 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII Parallel Archive
Proposal Continuation)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a generic target version of the
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 observations completed with no anomalous
activity.

1.11 Completed WF/PC-2 8709 (UV Light from Old Stellar Populations: A
Census of UV Bright Stars in `Blue Tail’ Globular Clusters)

The WF/PC-2 was used to make observations of UV-bright stars in
Galactic Globular Clusters {GGCs}. These will complement data obtained
during Cycles 5 and 6. The goals are multifold: {a} to observe the
morphology in the faint blue tails {BTs} of GGC horizontal branches {HBs};
{b} to explore the relationship between the HB mass distribution in BT
clusters to the clusters’ structural and dynamical properties; {c} to gain
further samples of Blue Straggler Stars and the long-sought Cataclysmic
Variables in GGC cores; and {d} to obtain relatively large samples of post
main sequence stars. The observations completed with no reported problems.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 5

Successful: 5

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 11

Successful: 11

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 10

Successful: 10

2.3 Operations Notes:

Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR EDAC error counter was cleared at 080/1046Z.

SSA transmitter #1 was turned on at 081/0215Z and turned off at
081/0240Z as directed by ROP IC-2.