Status Report

Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #3040 – 23 Jan 2002

By SpaceRef Editor

January 23, 2002

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

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #3040

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 01/22/02 – 0000Z (UTC) 01/23/02

Daily Status Report as of 023/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 Completed Two 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.

1.2 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 9279 (Resolving the Warm Absorber in NGC
5548)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was
used to map the ionization and velocity structure of the X-ray and UV
absorbers in NGC 5548. NGC 5548 is an important target because 1} it shows
multiple kinematic components in the UV characterized by a range in
ionization parameter and effective column, 2} it shows evidence for
multiple kinematic and ionization components in previous Chandra X-ray
spectra, and 3} it has a low Galactic column, which permits coverage of
spectral lines out to 80 Angstrom with the LETGS. These data yield the
ionization parameter and column density of density of the absorption-line
regions as a function of radial velocity, and constrain the elemental
abundances and shape of the observed EUV continuum. All observations
completed and no anomalies were reported.

1.3 Completed Four Sets of WF/PC-2 8937 (Cycle 9 Supplemental Darks pt2/3)

The WF/PC-2 was used obtain three dark frames every day to provide
data for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels. No
problems were encountered.

1.4 Completed Two Sets of 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.

1.5 Completed WF/PC-2 8059 (POMS Test Proposal: Targeted Parallel
Archive Proposal)

The WF/PC-2 was used to observe the parallel opportunities
available in the neighborhood of bright galaxies are treated in a slightly
different way from the normal pure parallels. Local Group galaxies offer
the opportunity for a closer look at young stellar
populations. Narrow-band images in F656N can be used both to identify
young stars via their emission lines, and to map the gas distribution in
star-forming regions. The observations completed nominally.

1.6 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.

1.7 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.

1.8 Completed Six Sets of STIS/CCD 9317 (Pure Parallel Imaging Program:
Cycle 10)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform
the default archival pure parallel program for STIS during cycle 10. There
were no reported problems.

1.9 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 9318 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII
Parallel Archive Proposal Continuation)

The WF/PC-2 was used to perform the generic target version of the
WFPC2 Archival Pure Parallel program. The program was used to take
parallel images of random areas of the sky, following the recommendations
of the Parallels Working Group. There were no reported problems.

1.10 Completed FGS/1 9407 (Astrometry of a Star Hosting an Extrasolar
Planet: The Mass of Upsilon Andromedae)

Fine Guidance Sensor #1 was used to determine the astrometric
elements {perturbation orbit semimajor axis and inclination} produced by
the outermost extra-solar planet orbiting the F8V star Upsilon
Andromedae. These observations will permit us to determine the actual mass
of the planet by providing the presently unknown sin i factor intrinsic to
the radial velocity method which discovered this object. An inclination, i
= 30degrees, within the range of one very low precision determination using
reanalyzed HIPPARCOS intermediate data products, would produce the observed
radial velocity amplitude, K = 66 ms with a companion mass of ~8 M_Jupiter.
Such a mass would induce in Upsilon Andromedae a perturbation semi-major
axis, Alpha = 0arcs0012. The proposed observations will yield a planetary
mass, rather than, as previous investigations have done, only suggest a
planetary mass companion. The proposal completed nominally.

1.11 Completed Three Sets of 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.

1.12 Completed WF/PC-2 9141 (Fine Scale Temperature Fluctuations in
Gaseous Nebulae)

The WF/PC-2 was used to image the Orion and Eskimo nebulae in
filter sets that will allow determination of O III 5007 and 4363 Angstrom
flux ratios, which is a well calibrated electron temperature
determinant. All observations were completed without incident.

1.13 Completed FGS/2 8946 (Pre-SM3B Observations for Verification of
Operational FGS Calibrations)

Fine Guidance Sensor #2 was used to monitor the characteristics of
the three Fine Guidance Sensors across the boundary of the servicing
mission SM3B. This proposal establishes the pre-SM3B baseline
measurements. No problems were encountered.

1.14 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.

1.15 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.

1.16 Completed WF/PC-2 9058 (Trigonometric Parallax of the Globular
Cluster 47 Tucanae)

The WF/PC-2 was used measure the trigonometric parallax of 47 Tuc,
which is about 1/4 milliarcsec, to an accuracy of 10%. By repeating a
field that was observed in 1995, we will measure the secular motion of the
cluster stars with respect to the SMC background with sufficient accuracy
that the parallax can be measured directly from the displacements within
Cycle 10. Constraints of orientation, and the shape of the WFPC2
footprint, require that we take images at 3-month intervals, rotating 90
degrees each time. The proposal completed with no reported problems.

1.17 Completed Two Sets of STIS/MA2 9573 (NUV-MAMA Daily Dark Monitor)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to perform
daily monitori19f the NUV MAMA detector dark noise in order to monitor
the effects of thermal changes on the NUV dark rate. No problems occurred.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 6

Successful: 6

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 8

Successful: 8

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 15

Successful: 15

2.3 Operations Notes:

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

The SSR-3 EDAC error counter was cleared once per ROP SR-9A.