Notice: Due to the conversion of some ACS WFC or HRC
observations into
WFPC2, or NICMOS observations after the loss of ACS CCD
science
capability in January, there may be an occasional discrepancy between
a
proposal's listed (and correct) instrument usage and the abstract
that
follows it.
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World
Class Science
DAILY REPORT # 4465
PERIOD COVERED: UT October 10, 2007 (DOY 283)
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
WFPC2 10920
High-Resolution Imaging of Nearby Lyman Break Galaxy
Analogs in the
GALEX All-Sky Survey
We have used the ultraviolet all-sky imaging survey
currently being
conducted by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer {GALEX} to
identify for the
first time a rare population of low- redshift starbursts
with properties
remarkably similar to high-redshift Lyman Break Galaxies.
These compact
UV luminous galaxies {UVLGs} resemble Lyman Break Galaxies in
terms of
size, UV luminosity, star-formation rate, surface brightness,
mass,
metallicity, kinematics, dust content, and color. They
have
characteristic ``ages'' {stellar mass/SFR} of only a few hundred
Myr.
This population of galaxies is thus worthy of study in its own right
and
as a sample of local analogs of Lyman Break Galaxies. We propose
to
image a sample of the 9 nearest and brightest compact UVLGs in
the
near-ultraviolet, near-infrared, and H-alpha using ACS. With
these
images we will 1} characterize their structure and morphology, 2}
look
for signs of interactions and mergers, 3} investigate the
distribution
and propogation of star formation over varying time scales, and
4}
quantify the stellar populations and star formation history, in order
to
determine whether a previous generation of stars formed long before
the
current burst. These data will perfectly complement our
existing
Spitzer, GALEX, and SDSS data, and will provide important
information on
star- formation in the present-day universe as well as shed
light on the
earliest major episodes of star formation in high-redshift
galaxies.
FGS 11228
Extrasolar Planet XO-2b
We propose observations of the newly discovered
extrasolar planet XO-2b
and its twin star XO-2. When combined with the
transit light curve, the
FGS-derived parallax will constrain the stellar mass
of the host star
XO-2. From the high signal-to-noise near-IR time series
resulting from
NICMOS grism spectroscopy, we will refine the system
parameters, in
particular radii of the star and planet. From the same data,
we will
search for evidence of water vapor in the atmosphere via
transmission
spectroscopy. Differential observations with NICMOS in the
spectroscopic
mode will be used to search for the small spectral changes that
occur
during planetary transits resulting from absorption of stellar light
as
it passes through the planetary atmosphere. Water is an
important
constituent, the detection of which would provide information on
Oxygen,
and it has a convenient strong band well- positioned for NICMOS.
NIC1 11057
Cycle 15 NICMOS dark current, shading profile, and read
noise monitoring
program
The purpose of this proposal is to monitor the dark
current, read noise,
and shading profile for all three NICMOS detectors
throughout the
duration of Cycle 15. This proposal is a slightly modified
version of
proposal 10380 of cycle 13 and 9993 of cycle12 and is the same as
Cycle
14. that we cut down some exposure time to make the observation
fit
within 24 orbits.
NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 8793
NICMOS Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 4
A new procedure proposed to alleviate the CR-persistence
problem of
NICMOS. Dark frames will be obtained immediately upon exiting the
SAA
contour 23, and every time a NICMOS exposure is scheduled within
50
minutes of coming out of the SAA. The darks will be obtained in
parallel
in all three NICMOS Cameras. The POST-SAA darks will be non-
standard
reference files available to users with a USEAFTER date/time mark.
The
keyword 'USEAFTER=date/time' will also be added to the header of
each
POST-SAA DARK frame. The keyword must be populated with the time,
in
addition to the date, because HST crosses the SAA ~8 times per day
so
each POST-SAA DARK will need to have the appropriate time specified,
for
users to identify the ones they need. Both the raw and processed
images
will be archived as POST-SAA DARKSs. Generally we expect that all
NICMOS
science/calibration observations started within 50 minutes of leaving
an
SAA will need such maps to remove the CR persistence from the
science
images. Each observation will need its own CRMAP, as different
SAA
passages leave different imprints on the NICMOS detectors.
NIC2 11143
NICMOS imaging of submillimeter galaxies with CO and PAH
redshifts
We propose to obtain F110W and F160W imaging of 10 z~2.4
submillimeter
galaxies {SMGs} whose optical redshifts have been confirmed by
the
detection of millimeter CO and/or mid-infrared PAH emission. With
the
4000A break falling within/between the two imaging filters, we will
be
able to study these sources' spatially resolved stellar
populations
{modulo extinction} in the rest-frame optical. SMGs' large
luminosities
appear to be due largely to merger-triggered starbursts;
high-resolution
NICMOS imaging will help us understand the stellar masses,
mass ratios,
and other properties of the merger progenitors, valuable
information in
the effort to model the mass assembly history of the universe.
WFPC2 11039
Polarizers Closeout
Observations of standard stars and a highly polarized
reflection nebula
are made as a final calibration for the WFPC2 polarizers.
VISFLATS are
also obtained.
WFPC2 11103
A Snapshot Survey of The Most Massive Clusters of
Galaxies
We propose the continuation of our highly successful
SNAPshot survey of
a sample of 125 very X-ray luminous clusters in the
redshift range
0.3-0.7. As demonstrated by the 25 snapshots obtained so far
in Cycle14
and Cycle15 these systems frequently exhibit strong
gravitational
lensing as well as spectacular examples of violent galaxy
interactions.
The proposed observations will provide important constraints on
the
cluster mass distributions, the physical nature of galaxy-galaxy
and
galaxy-gas interactions in cluster cores, and a set of optically
bright,
lensed galaxies for further 8-10m spectroscopy. All of our
primary
science goals require only the detection and characterization
of
high-surface-brightness features and are thus achievable even at
the
reduced sensitivity of WFPC2. Because of their high redshift and
thus
compact angular scale our target clusters are less adversely affected
by
the smaller field of view of WFPC2 than more nearby
systems.
Acknowledging the broad community interest in this sample we waive
our
data rights for these observations. Due to a clerical error at STScI
our
approved Cycle15 SNAP program was barred from execution for 3 months
and
only 6 observations have been performed to date - reinstating this
SNAP
at Cycle16 priority is of paramount importance to reach
meaningful
statistics.
WFPC2 11178
Probing Solar System History with Orbits, Masses, and
Colors of
Transneptunian Binaries
The recent discovery of numerous transneptunian binaries
{TNBs} opens a
window into dynamical conditions in the protoplanetary disk
where they
formed as well as the history of subsequent events which sculpted
the
outer Solar System and emplaced them onto their present day
heliocentric
orbits. To date, at least 47 TNBs have been discovered, but only
about a
dozen have had their mutual orbits and separate colors
determined,
frustrating their use to investigate numerous important
scientific
questions. The current shortage of data especially cripples
scientific
investigations requiring statistical comparisons among the
ensemble
characteristics. We propose to obtain sufficient astrometry
and
photometry of 23 TNBs to compute their mutual orbits and system
masses
and to determine separate primary and secondary colors, roughly
tripling
the sample for which this information is known, as well as extending
it
to include systems of two near-equal size bodies. To make the
most
efficient possible use of HST, we will use a Monte Carlo technique
to
optimally schedule our observations.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are
preliminary reports
of potential non-nominal performance that will be
investigated.)
HSTARS:
11019 - GSAcq(2,1,2) Failed to RGA Hold (Gyro
Control)
Upon acquisition of signal (AOS) at 283/16:00:07, the
GSAcq(2,1,2)
scheduled at 283/15:48:45 - 15:56:49 had failed to RGA
Hold due to a
Search Radius Limit Exceeded Error on FGS-2. 486 Status
Buffer (ESB)
Dump completed at 283/16:04:00 showed one 486 ESB "a05"
(FGS Coarse
Track failed-Search Radius Limit Exceeded) was received at
283/15:53:53.
Additional ESB 1805(x6)(T2G_MOVING_TARGET_DETECTED) was
received.
Pre-acquisition OBAD1 attitude correction value not available
due to
LOS. Pre-acq OBAD2 had (RSS) value of 14.58 arcseconds.
Post-acq
OBAD/MAP had (RSS) value of 165.35 arcseconds.
COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)
COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL
FGS
GSacq
10
09
FGS REacq
05
05
OBAD with Maneuver
30
30
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)