Hubble Space Telescope Daily Report #3056 – 14 Feb 2002
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT #3056
PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 02/13/02 – 0000Z (UTC) 02/14/02
Daily Status Report as of 045/0000Z
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 Three 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.
1.3 Completed WF/PC-2 9125 (Are there Large Dust Grains in Orion’s
Proto-Planetary Disks?)
The WF/PC-2 was used to acquire dithered PC images of six of the
largest circumstellar disks in the Orion nebula to study the unique
properties of dust within these systems. No anomalous activity occurred.
1.4 Completed Two 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.
1.5 Completed STIS/MA1 9063 (Optical Counterparts of Isolated Neutron
Stars)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1) was used to test the
understanding of both quantum chromodynamics {QCD} and quantum
electrodynamics {QED}. Specifically, the measurement of radii of neutron
stars can test QCD at high density. This is being realized through
intensive X-ray observations of bright nearby neutron stars. However, the
natures of these important sources are not clear and to this end a simple
proper motion program is proposed as a means to obtain their ages and
potential association with star-forming regions. One of the sources is RX
J0720.4-3125 which has been argued to be an old magnetar — a highly
magnetized neutron star — and thanks to its high count rate is already a
choice object for X-ray missions. Magnetars, with their extreme magnetic
field strengths, are excellent laboratories for testing out some
expectation of QED. There were no reported problems.
1.6 Completed Four 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.
1.7 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.
1.8 Completed FGS/1 9168 (The Distances to AM CVn Stars)
Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) #1 was used to determine the parallaxes
and proper motions of the five brightest of the seven known AM CVn
systems. AM CVn systems are binaries where mass is transferred from a
completely hydrogen-deficient, degenerate mass donor to a white dwarf
primary through a helium accretion disk. A better understanding of these
systems is crucial for a number of reasons: (1) to study the late stages of
binary evolution, (2) to study the effect of chemical composition on the
physics of accretion discs, (3) to estimate their contribution to the
Supernovae Ia rate, and (4) to estimate their contribution to the
gravitational radiation background. All observations completed with no
reported problems.
1.9 Completed STIS/MA1 8920 (Cycle 10 MAMA Dark Measurements)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1) 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.
1.10 Completed STIS/CCD 9114 (SINS: The Supernova Intensive Study–
Cycle 10)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was 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.
1.11 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 9319 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII
Backup Parallel Archive Proposal II)
The WF/PC-2 was used to execute a POMS test proposal, designed to
simulate future scientific plans. The proposal completed without incident.
1.12 Completed STIS/CCD 8907 (Spectroscopic Flats C10)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to obtain
CCD flats in the spectrographic mode. There were no reported problems.
1.13 Completed STIS/CCD 9280 (X-Ray Imaging of GPS and CSS Quasars)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to conduct
a survey of GPS and CSS radio-loud quasars, by studying their arcsecond
structure in the X-rays, by searching for X-ray jets, and by searching for
signatures of intermittent AGN activity. The proposal completed nominally.
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
Scheduled Acquisitions: 8
Successful: 8
Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 6
Successful: 6
2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 26
Successful: 26
2.3 Operations Notes:
Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR-1 EDAC error counter was cleared at 044/2304Z.
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.
