Status Report

Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2963 – 25 Sep 2001

By SpaceRef Editor

September 25, 2001

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

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #2963

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 09/24/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 09/25/01

Daily Status Report as of 268/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD 8901 (Dark Monitor-Part 1)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor
the darks. There was no anomalous activity.

1.2 Completed Six Sets of WF/PC-2 8936 (Cycle 10 Supplemental Darks Pt1/3)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a dark calibration program that
obtains 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 STIS/CCD 8903 (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. There were no problems.

1.4 Completed WF/PC-2 9050 (Outflow Collimation in Bipolar Symbiotic
Nebulae)

The WF/PC-2 was used to observe flow collimation in evolved stars
that is neither expected nor understood. Classical theories of stellar
evolution do not predict and cannot explain this bipolarity. More exotic
concepts {binary interactions, spun-up atmospheres, poloidal or toroidal
magnetized winds} have been proposed, but observations are yet to verify or
falsify any of their predictions. This proposal will probe the
near-nuclear morphology and kinematics of four bright, low-extinction
targets whose large-scale structure is highly bipolar. The goal is to
provide a detailed description of the circumnuclear outflows, to uncover
the physical structure and nature of the collimator, and to evaluate the
speculative collimation mechanisms. The bright nucleus has hampered
efforts to explore the nebular collimators that lie close to the star, so
we’ll use STIS to disperse the nuclear light and, thus, to avoid its
glare. A secondary goal is to obtain second-epoch WFPC2 images of all
targets. There were no reported problems.

1.5 Completed Five Sets of WF/PC-2 8935 (Cycle 10 Standard Darks)

The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain dark frames every week in order to
provide data for the ongoing calibration of the CCD dark current rate, and
to monitor and characterize the evolution of hot pixels. Over an extended
period these data will also provide a monitor of radiation damage to the
CCDs. The proposal completed with no reported problems.

1.6 Completed Three Sets of 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.

1.7 Completed WF/PC-2 8939 (Cycle 10 Internal Monitor)

The WF/PC-2 was used to calibrate the internal monitor, to be run
weekly to monitor the health of the cameras. No problems were encountered.

1.8 Completed WF/PC-2 8669 (Merger-Driven Evolution Of Galactic Nuclei:
Observations Of The Toomre Sequence)

The WF/PC-2 was used to observe galaxy mergers that are believed
responsible for triggering starburst and AGN activity in galaxies, and even
perhaps transforming spiral galaxies into ellipticals. The proposal
completed nominally.

1.9 Completed STIS/CCD 9088 (Next Generation Spectral Library of Stars)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to produce
a “Next Generation” Spectral Library of 600 stars for use in modeling the
integrated light of galaxies and clusters by using the low dispersion UV
and optical gratings of STIS. The library will be roughly equally divided
among four metallicities, very low {Fe/H < -1.5}, low {-1.5 < Fe/H < -0.5}, near-solar {-0.5 < Fe/H < 0.1}, and super-solar {Fe/H > 0.1}, well-sampling
the entire HR-diagram in each bin. Such a library will surpass all extant
compilations and have lasting archival value, well into the Next Generation
Space Telescope era. No problems occurred.

1.10 Completed STIS/CCD 8929 (First-order LSFs for Pseudo-Aperture
Locations)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure
the LSFs for the CCD spectroscopic modes at the new pseudo-aperture
locations. The proposal completed as planned.

1.11 Completed Two 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.

1.12 Completed WFPC-2/STIS/CCD/MA1 9114 (SINS: The Supernova Intensive
Study– Cycle 10)

The WFPC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and
MA1) were used to perform closer observations of supernovae that will
create the chemical history of the Universe, energize the interstellar gas,
stiffen the spine of the extragalactic distance scale and provide the only
evidence for an accelerating universe. A violent encounter is underway
between the fast-moving debris and the stationary inner ring. Monitoring
this interaction will help solve the riddles of stellar evolution posed by
the enigmatic three-ring system of SN 1987A. Our UV observations of Ly-
Alpha emission reveal the present location and velocity of a remarkable
reverse shock that provides a unique laboratory for studying fast shocks
and a powerful tool for dissecting the structure of the vanished star. No
problems were encountered.

1.13 Completed 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. The proposal had no problems.

1.14 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.

1.15 Completed WF/PC-2 9042 (An Archive To Detect The Progenitors Of
Massive, Core-Collapse Supernovae)

The WF/PC-2 was used to search for supernovae which have massive
star progenitors. The already extensive HST archive and high-resolution
ground-based images of galaxies within ~20 Mpc enables us to resolve and
quantify their individual bright stellar content. As massive, evolved
stars are the most luminous single objects in a galaxy, the progenitors of
core-collapse supernovae should be directly detectable on pre-explosion
images. One Type II progenitor has been observed this year, and the
investigators have proposed a short, companion WFPC2 proposal to confirm
this candidate and identify a second. The observations completed nominally.

1.16 Completed STIS/CCD 8916 (Spectroscopic Sensitivity Workout:
First-order Modes)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure
the basic sensitivity for all supported MAMA and CCD first-order
spectroscopic modes. Sensitivity measurements are done for all supported
tilts of the gratings, at a S/N suitable to any particular setting, in
order to get all measurements done in a reasonable number of orbits but
still get a very accurate sensitivity measurement. There were no reported
problems.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 4

Successful: 4

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 11

Successful: 11

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 11

Successful: 11

2.3 Operations Notes:

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

The ephemeris table was uplinked at 268/0104Z per ROP DF-07A.