Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2946 – 29 Aug 2001

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #2946

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 08/28/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 08/29/01

Daily Status Report as of 241/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8615 (Ultraviolet Spectroscopy of R Coronae
Borealis Stars — Broad Lines from an Accretion Disc?)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to
obtain spectra of three R Coronae Borealis {RCB} stars that will provide
novel data on hot gas near these stars.
RCBs are hydrogen-deficient and fade at unpredictable times as a carbon
soot cloud obscures the star. Optical spectra taken when a star has faded
reveal an emission line spectrum containing sharp and broad lines. The
latter are of much higher excitation than the former. For RCB, it has been
suggested that the broad lines arise from an accretion disk around a
compact secondary. These optical lines are visible only during the
infrequent extreme fadings of a RCB. The observations completed as planned.

1.2 Completed Two 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.

1.3 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8941 (Cycle 10 UV Earthflats)

The WF/PC-2 was used to monitor flat field stability by obtaining
sequences of earth streak flats to improve the quality of pipeline flat
fields for the WFPC2 UV filter set. As described in 2.1 and HSTAR 8316,
the acquisition for the second iteration of this proposal defaulted to fine
lock backup on one FGS only, possibly affecting four
observations. Otherwise, The proposal had no problems.

1.4 Completed Ten Sets of 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.

1.5 Completed Two Sets of STIS/MA2 8710 (Timing And Proper Motion
Measurement Of The Proposed Optical Counterpart Of The Nearby Pulsar
PSR1929+10)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to observe
PSR1929+10, an old, nearby isolated neutron star detected as an X-ray
pulsar. Optical observations of neutron stars include both young and
middle-aged objects for which different emission models {e.g.
magnetospheric and thermal} have been proposed. However, the general
picture is far from being clear. A firm optical identification of
PSR1929+10 would thus be crucial to understand the long term evolution of
the optical luminosity of pulsars and to investigate possible turnovers in
the emission physics. Just before the second iteration of this proposal,
the MCE-2 reset detailed in 2.3 occurred. No other anomalous activity
occurred.

1.6 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.

1.7 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.

1.8 Completed Two 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.

1.9 Completed WF/PC-2 9057 (Host Galaxies of Obscured QSOs Identified
by 2MASS)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a snapshot survey of red QSOs
discovered in The Two Micron All Sky Survey {2MASS} to investigate the
detailed properties of their host galaxies. This large, possibly dominant,
population of QSOs in the local universe has been previously overlooked
because reddening by {intrinsic} obscuration along our line of sight causes
their colors to be too red for identification by traditional “UV- excess”
techniques. Their near-IR colors are similar to PG- type {UV-excess} QSOs,
but it is far from certain whether they are indeed from the same parent
population or represent a completely new class of QSO. There were no
reported problems.

1.10 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 7508 (Ultraviolet Line Eclipses by
Extrasolar Planets)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to
observe extrasolar planets. It is planned to observe the stars during two
consecutive transits to distinguish between intrinsic variability and
perodic phenomena. As described in 2.1 and HSTAR 8316, the acquisition for
this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS only, possibly
affecting two observations. Otherwise, there were no other reported problems.

1.11 Completed STIS/CCD 8648 (SINS: The Supernova Intensive Study–
Cycle 9)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe
supernovae which explode to create the chemical history of the Universe and
energize the interstellar gas. The proposal completed with no reported
problems.

1.12 Completed STIS/CCD 9077 (Survey of the LMC Planetary Nebulae)

The Space telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform
a snapshot survey of all known LMC planetary nebulae {PNe} in order to
study the co-evolution of the nebulae and their central stars, and to probe
the chemical enrichment history of the LMC. There were no reported problems.

1.13 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.

1.14 Completed WF/PC-2 9060 (Photometry of a Statistically Significant
Sample of Kuiper Belt Objects)

The WF/PC-2 was used to propel the physical study of KBOs forward
by performing accurate photometry at V, R, and I on a sample of up to 150
KBOs. The sample is made up of objects that will be observed at thermal
infrared wavelengths by SIRTF and will be used with those data to derive
the first accurate diameters and albedos for a large sample of KBOs. The
observations completed nominally.

1.15 Completed STIS/CCD 9066 (Closing in on the Hydrogen Reionization
Edge of the Universe)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used in parallel
constrain the Hydrogen reionization edge in emission that marks the
transition from a neutral to a fully ionized IGM at a predicted
redshifts. The proposal completed uneventfully.

1.16 Completed FGS/1 9169 (An Interferometric Harvest of Double
Degenerates)

Fine Guidance Sensor #1R was used to observe the white dwarf mass
and age distributions that hold clues to the star formation history of our
Galaxy and the age of the disk. No problems were reported.

1.17 Completed STIS/CCD 9128 (A Snapshot Survey of Absorption Lines
from High Velocity Clouds in the Milky Way)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to search
for Mg II and Mg I absorption from Galactic High Velocity Clouds {HVCs}
along the sightlines of 51 of the brightest QSOs, BL Lacs and Seyfert 2
galaxies in the sky. The observations completed with no rpeorted problems.

1.18 Completed STIS/CCD 9285 (POMS Test Proposal: STIS Non-scripted
Parallel Proposal Continuation III)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make low
galactic latitude, non-scripted parallel observations as part of a POMS
test proposal. The observations were completed as planned, and no
anomalies were reported.

1.19 Completed WF/PC-2 9124 (Mid-UV SNAPSHOT Survey of Nearby
Irregulars: Galaxy Structure and Evolution Benchmark)

The WF/PC-2 was used to investigate the relation between star
formation and the global physical characteristics of galaxies to interpret
the morphologies of distant galaxies in terms of their evolutionary
status. Distant galaxies are primarily observed in their rest frame
mid-ultraviolet. They resemble nearby late-type galaxies, but are they
really physically similar classes of objects? It is proposed to address
this question through a SNAPSHOT survey in the 2 mid-UV filter F300W of 98
nearby late-type, irregular and peculiar galaxies. No problems were reported.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 9

Successful: 9

As detailed in HSTAR 8316, the acquisition at 240/054012Z resulted
in fine lock backup on FGS-3 only when the scan step limit was exceeded on
FGS-1. The proposals described in 1.3 and 1.10 may have been affected.

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 8

Successful: 8

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 20

Successful: 19

Per HSTAR 8318, the update at 240/122613Z failed, but the following
update at 240/122742Z succeeded.

2.3 Operations Notes:

Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR EDAC error counter was cleared twice.

The 486 engineering status buffer limits were adjusted twice per
ROP DF-18A.

The STIS MCE-2 reset at 240/100154Z while the high voltage was on
and while outside any SAA interval. This may have affected the proposal
described in 1.5. The STIS flight software error counter was reset at
240/1004Z, using ROP NS-12. MAMA-2 was recovered at 241/0702Z via normal
SMS commanding.

SI C&DH errors were rest at 240/1329Z, per ROP NS-5.

ROP SR-4A was used to record engineering data beginning at 241/0653Z.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.