Hubble Space Telescope Status Report #2928 – 3 Aug 2001

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

DAILY REPORT #2928

PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 08/02/01 – 0000Z (UTC) 08/03/01

Daily Status Report as of 215/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

1.1 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.

1.2 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.

1.3 Completed Three 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. As described in HSTAR 8293 and yesterday’s report, the acquisition
for the third iteration of this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on
one FGS only, possibly affecting one observation. Otherwise, the proposal
completed with no other reported problems.

1.4 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.

1.5 Completed STIS/CCD 8925 (Coronagraphic PSFs)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform
additional high dynamic range, high spatial resolution coronagraphic
imaging of circumstellar nebulosity that has come of age with access to
HST’s stable point spread function and the coronagraphic
capabilities. Subtraction of a PSF calibration star has proven to be an
effective way of separating the PSF from the nebulosity of scientific
interest. As described in HSTAR 8293 and yesterday’s report, the
acquisition for this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS
only, possibly affecting five observations. Otherwise, the observations
completed nominally.

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

The WF/PC-s 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.

1.7 Completed Four Sets of STIS/CCD 8808 (POMS Test Proposal: STIS
Non-Scripted Parallel Proposal Continuation III)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make
non-scripted, parallel observations as part of a POMS test proposal. The
observations completed with no anomalous activity.

1.8 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 9053 (The Late Evolution of Low-Mass Stars:
a Deep UV Color-Magnitude Diagram of M32)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to
construct a deep far-UV color-magnitude diagram of the hot stellar
population in the center of M32 {NGC221}. The previous Cycle 7 near-UV
STIS observations of the M32 core resolved 8000 stars in a single
bandpass. While these observations provided no color information, they
nonetheless showed conclusively that hot horizontal branch {HB} stars exist
in M32. Moreover, the near-UV luminosity function showed a surprising lack
of post-asymptotic giant branch {post-AGB} stars, indicating that they
evolve much more rapidly than expected from canonical theory. Obtaining
color information is the vital next step in extending this analysis. There
were no reported problems.

1.9 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.

1.10 Completed WF/PC-2 8583 (Imaging Snapshots of Asteroids)

The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain images of the fifty largest main
belt asteroids that have favorable apparitions during cycle 9. The images
will be searched for companion bodies, as well as mineralogical variegation
on the resolved main bodies. There were no reported problems.

1.11 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8956 (Pre-SM Calibration)

The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used in
an exercise to prepare for the SMOV-3B program. Prior to SMOV3B, one
iteration of proposal 8960 {Jitter Test} for WD 2126+734 will be
performed. Also one iteration of 8961 {End of BEA Test} for each new flux
standard {WD 2126+734, WD 0320-539, WD 0710+741, and WD 0214+568} needed to
completely cover all possible Bright Earth Avoidance {BEA} dates will be
exercised. Finally, one extra standard is added {WD 1407-475} to fill the
gap around June when WD 0214+568 is too close to the Sun. This iteration
of the proposal completed with no reported problems.

1.12 Completed WF/PC-2 8598 (Snapshot Survey of Extended OIIl Lambda
5007Angstrom Emission in Seyfert Galaxies)

The WF/PC-2 was used for a snapshot survey of narrow band OIII
Lambda 5007Angstrom images for a well defined sample of 88 Seyfert galaxies
{29 Seyfert 1s and 59 Seyfert 2s}, 18 of which already have data in the
archive, selected from a mostly isotropic property, the 60Mum flux. These
data will be used: 1} to determine the origin of the misalignment between
the accretion disk axis and the host galaxy plane axis, which can be due to
mergers with other galaxies, or by the self induced radiation warping; 2}
to compare the size and shape of the Narrow Line Regions (NLR) of Seyfert
1s and Seyfert 2s, and to study the frequency of conically shaped NLR in
Seyfert galaxies, which are usually unresolved from ground-based
observations; and 3} estimate the importance of shocks to the ionization of
the NLR. The observations completed with no reported problems.

1.13 Completed WF/PC-2 8820 (Wavelength Stability of Narrow Band and
Linear Ramp Filters)

The WF/PC-2 was used to verify the mapping of wavelength as a
function of CCD position on linear ramp filters and to check for changes in
central wavelengths of the narrow band filters. The proposal completed
nominally.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:

Scheduled Acquisitions: 9

Successful: 9

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 5

Successful: 5

2.2 FHST Updates:

Scheduled: 31

Successful: 31

2.3 Operations Notes:

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

The 486 engineering status buffer limits were adjusted at 215/0539Z
per ROP DF-18A.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.