Status Report

Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #2990 – 2 Nov 2001

By SpaceRef Editor
November 2, 2001
Filed under , ,

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #2990

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 11/01/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 11/02/01

Daily Status Report as of 306/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed Two 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.

1.2 Completed STIS/CCD 8901 (Dark Monitor-Part 1)

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

1.3 Completed STIS/CCD 9110 (A Search for Kuiper Belt Object Satellites)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to
investigate whether the large number of collisions thought to have taken
place in the primordial Kuiper belt suggest that many Kuiper belt objects
{KBOs} could have suffered binary-forming collisions similar to that which
formed the Pluto — Charon binary. Detection of such KBO satellites would
allow measurement of KBO masses, would help to understand the past
collisional environment of the Kuiper belt, and would give a context to the
otherwise unique-seeming formation of the Pluto — Charon binary. The
proposal completed with no reported problems.

1.4 Completed Two Sets of 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.

1.5 Completed WF/PC-2 9160 (Disks and Envelopes of Nearby Nebulous
Young Stellar Objects: A Snapshot Survey)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a snapshot survey of nearby
nebulous young stellar objects to study the detailed morphology of the
their disks and envelopes and probe the effect of inclination on the
infrared spectral energy distribution of disk/envelope systems. The
proposal completed as planned.

1.6 Completed Two 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 Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8932 (Decontaminations and
Associated Observations Pt. 1/3)

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, &and
darks}, UV throughput check, VISFLAT sweep, and internal UV flat check. No
problems were reported.

1.8 Completed WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD 9099 (High Spatial Resolution
Spectroscopy of the Massive Globular Cluster G1)

The WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) were
used to obtain high spatial resolution, long-slit spectroscopy of the most
luminous globular cluster in the Local Group, G1 in M31. The kinematic
structure obtained with these data will provide a stringent test of whether
a central black hole exists, thereby determining whether globular clusters
share the same intimate connection that normal galaxies do with their black
holes. No problems were reported.

1.9 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8940 (Cycle 10 Earth Flats)

The WF/PC-2 was used to monitor flatfield stability by obtaining
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 without incident.

1.10 Completed STIS/CCD 8908 (CCD Imaging Flats C10)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to
investigate flat-field stability over a monthly period. The proposal
completed with no reported problems.

1.11 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 9166 (Fossil Gaseous Halos of Massive
Galaxies at z~1)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used to
observe host galaxies of high-redshift, powerful radio sources that are
likely the progenitors of present-day gE and cD galaxies, and therefore
provide important laboratories in which to investigate the formation of
massive galaxies in the early Universe. Many high-redshift radio galaxies
exhibit giant, Ly-alpha halos. Similar nebulae without associated radio
sources have recently been discovered in a galaxy overdensity at z =
3.09. The LyAlpha luminosity of these halos is comparable to the total
X-ray luminosities of low–z X–ray clusters, and may reflect the hot,
cooling gas reservoir from which the galaxy/cluster is forming. The
observations completed as planned.

1.12 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.

1.13 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.

1.14 Completed STIS/MA2 8920 (Cycle 10 MAMA Dark Measurements)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to perform
the routine monitoring of the MAMA detector dark noise, and is the primary
means of checking on health of the MAMA detectors systems through frequent
monitoring of the background count rate. The proposal completed with no
reported anomalous activity.

1.15 Completed STIS/CCD 9047 (The Densely Spotted Photospheres of
Active Cool Stars)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe
rapidly rotating main-sequence stars that are so heavily mottled by star
spots that rotational modulation of their light may amount to 0.1 magnitude
or more. It is proposed to measure the packing fraction and size
distribution of small star spots on the inner face of the G2/3V primary of
the eclipsing binary SV Cam {= HD 44982}. There were no reported problems.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 6

Successful: 6

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 11

Successful: 11

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 6

Successful: 6

2.3 Operations Notes:

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

Joint Integrated Simulation #2 (EVA-1/Planning/EVA-2) is still in
progress. This simulation is expected to be completed by 8:00 p.m. this
evening.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.

SpaceRef staff editor.