Status Report

Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2886 – 5 June 2001

By SpaceRef Editor

June 5, 2001

Filed under Hubble Space Telescope, Space Telescope Science Institute, US

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #2886

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 06/04/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 06/05/01

Daily Status Report as of 156/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8828 (Cycle 9 Supplemental Darks pt3/3)

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 with no reported problems.

1.2 Completed WF/PC-2 9226 (Tracking the Evolution of the Homunculus
and Outer Debris in Eta Carinae)

The WF/PC-2 was used to acquire Cycle 10 WFPC2 images of Eta
Carinae in order to track the expansion of high-velocity material ejected
during one or more giant outbursts of the central supermassive star. These
images will increase the time baseline from 2 to 6 years of high-resolution
Planetary Camera data for measuring proper motions and monitoring
photometric changes in the debris field. No anomalous activity was reported.

1.3 Completed WF/PC-2 9073 (Ultraluminous X-Ray Sources and
Intermediate Mass Black Holes)

The WF/PC-2 was used to observe ultraluminous X-ray sources {ULX}
that are second only to AGNs in point-source luminosity yet they have no
known optical counterparts. These extraordinary X-ray objects, which
radiate at the Eddington luminosity of a 30-100 solar mass object, are
non-nuclear sources in normal disk galaxies. One explanation is that they
are binary systems where the accreting black hole has a mass of 30-100
solar masses, although this challenges stellar evolutionary models, which
do not predict remnants larger than about 10 solar masses. Another
possibility is that ULXs are intermediate mass black holes acting as
micro-quasars in galaxy disks and representing the link between stellar
black holes {4-10 solar masses} and supermassive black holes {10^6-10^10
solar masses}. The observations completed with no reported problems.

1.4 Completed WF/PC-2 8812 (Cycle 9 Internal Monitor)

The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain routine internal monitors for WFPC2
in order to monitor the health of the cameras. A variety of internal
exposures are obtained in order to provide a monitor of the integrity of
the CCD camera electronics in both bays {gain 7 and gain 15}, a test for
quantum efficiency in the CCDs, and a monitor for possible buildup of
contaminants on the CCD windows. There were no reported problems.

1.5 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 9045 (The Relationship Between Radio
Luminosity and Radio-Loud AGN Host Galaxy Properties)

The WF/PC-2 was used to determine the relationship between the
properties of the host galaxies of radio-loud AGN and their radio
luminosities. Previous studies in this area with the HST have concentrated
on the 3C sample which shows a tight correlation between luminosity and
redshift, such that evolutionary effects cannot be distinguished from those
depending upon radio luminosity. Our sample of 46 radio galaxies at z ~
0.5 comes from four complete, low-frequency-selected samples of radio
sources with differing flux limits. Thus the total sample spans an
unprecedented three orders of magnitude in radio luminosity at a fixed
redshift interval. The proposal completed with no reported problems.

1.6 Completed WF/PC-2 8592 (Pixel Microlensing of M87)

The WF/PC-2 was used to undertake a pixel microlensing study of M87
in order to: 1} probe the lower end of the M87 IMF via star-star lensing,
2} possibly obtain the first evidence of Massive Compact Objects (MACHOs)
in the halo of a galaxy other than our own, and 3} search for intracluster
MACHOs. The proposal completed nominally.

1.7 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8585 (Cosmological Parameters from
Type Ia Supernovae at High Redshift)

The WF/PC-2 was used to measure the cosmological parameters, Omega,
Lambda, and thus the curvature, Omega_k, using Type Ia supernovae {SNe Ia}
as calibrated standard candles. There were no reported problems.

1.8 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8815 (Cycle 9 Earth Flats)

The WF/PC-2 was used to monitor flatfield stability. This proposal
obtains sequences of Earth streak flats to construct high quality flat
fields for the WF/PC-2 filter set. These flat fields will allow mapping of
the OTA illumination pattern and will be used in conjunction with previous
internal and external flats to generate new pipeline superflats. The
proposal completed nominally.

1.9 Completed WF/PC-2 8599 (A Census of Nuclear Star Clusters in
Late-Type Spiral Galaxies)

The WF/PC-2 was used to conduct an I-band snapshot survey of a
well-defined sample of nearby, face-on spiral galaxies of type Scd or
later. The proposal completed nominally.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 12

Successful: 12

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 5

Successful: 5

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 19

Successful: 19

2.3 Operations Notes:

The STIS instrument remains is safe mode.

The SSR EDAC error counter was cleared twice per ROP SR-1A.