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 # 4410
PERIOD COVERED: UT July 23, 2007 (DOY 204)
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
WFPC2 10787
Modes of Star Formation and Nuclear Activity in an Early
Universe
Laboratory
Nearby compact galaxy groups are uniquely suited to
exploring the
mechanisms of star formation amid repeated
and ongoing gravitational
encounters, conditions similar to those of
the high redshift universe.
These dense groups host a variety of modes of star
formation, and they
enable fresh insights into the role of
gas in galaxy evolution. With
Spitzer mid-IR observations in hand, we have begun to
obtain high
quality, multi-wavelength data for a
well-defined sample of 12 nearby
{<4500km/s} compact groups covering the full range of
evolutionary
stages. Here we propose to obtain
sensitive BVI images with the ACS/WFC,
deep enough to reach the turnover of
the globular cluster luminosity
function, and WFPC2 U-band and ACS
H-alpha images of Spitzer- identified
regions hosting the most recent star
formation. In total, we expect to
detect over 1000 young star clusters
forming inside and outside
galaxies, more than 4000 old globular
clusters in >40 giant galaxies
{including 16 early-type
galaxies}, over 20 tidal features,
approximately 15 AGNs,
and intragroup gas in most of the 12 groups.
Combining the proposed ACS images with Chandra
observations, UV GALEX
observations, ground-based H-alpha imaging,
and HI data, we will conduct
a detailed study of stellar
nurseries, dust, gas kinematics, and AGN.
WFPC2 11024
WFPC2 CYCLE 15 INTERNAL MONITOR
This calibration proposal is the Cycle 15 routine internal
monitor for
WFPC2, to be run weekly to monitor
the health of the cameras. A variety
of internal exposures are obtained
in order to provide a monitor of the
integrity of the CCD camera electronics
in both bays {both gain 7 and
gain 15 -- to test stability of
gains and bias levels}, a test for
quantum efficiency in the CCDs, and a monitor for possible buildup of
contaminants on the CCD windows. These also
provide raw data for
generating annual super-bias reference
files for the calibration
pipeline.
NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 8794
NICMOS Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 5
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 DARKs. 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 11157
NICMOS Imaging Survey of Dusty Debris Around
Nearby Stars Across the
Stellar Mass Spectrum
Association of planetary systems with dusty debris disks
is now quite
secure, and advances in our
understanding of planet formation and
evolution can be achieved by the
identification and characterization of
an ensemble of debris disks
orbiting a range of central stars with
different masses and ages. Imaging debris
disks in starlight scattered
by dust grains remains technically
challenging so that only about a
dozen systems have thus far been
imaged. A further advance in this field
needs an increased number of imaged
debris disks. However, the technical
challege of such observations, even with
the superb combination of HST
and NICMOS, requires the best
targets. Recent HST imaging investigations
of debris disks were
sample-limited not limited by the technology used.
We performed a search for debris disks from a IRAS/Hipparcos cross
correlation which involved an exhaustive
background contamination check
to weed out false excess stars.
Out of ~140 identified debris disks, we
selected 22 best targets in terms of dust
optical depth and disk angular
size. Our target sample represents
the best currently available target
set in terms of both disk
brightness and resolvability. For example, our
targets have higher dust optical depth,
in general, than newly
identified Spitzer disks. Also, our
targets cover a wider range of
central star ages and masses than
previous debris disk surveys. This
will help us to investigate
planetary system formation and evolution
across the stellar mass spectrum. The
technical feasibility of this
program in two-gyro mode guiding has
been proven with on-orbit
calibration and science observations during
HST cycles 13, 14, and 15.
NIC3 10996
NICMOS J-band Imaging of Strongly Lensing
Clusters
We propose to use deep imaging in the F110W {'J'} band
over a large area
to search for highly magnified
galaxies around massive lensing clusters.
WFPC2 11023
WFPC2 CYCLE 15 Standard Darks - part 1
This dark calibration program obtains dark frames every
week in order to
provide data for the ongoing
calibration of the CCD dark current rate,
and to monitor and characterize the
evolution of hot pixels. Over an
extended period these data will also
provide a monitor of radiation
damage to the CCDs.
WFPC2 11084
Probing the Least Luminous Galaxies in the Local Universe
We propose to obtain deep color-magnitude data of eight
new Local Group
galaxies which we recently discovered:
Andromeda XI, Andromeda XII, and
Andromeda XIII {satellites of M31}; Canes Venatici I, Canes Venatici II,
Hercules, and Leo IV {satellites of the Milky Way}; and
Leo T, a new
"free-floating" Local
Group dwarf spheroidal with evidence for recent
star formation and associated H I
gas. These represent the least
luminous galaxies known at *any* redshift, and are the only accessible
laboratories for studying this extreme
regime of galaxy formation. With
deep WFPC-2 F606W and F814W pointings at their centers, we will
determine whether these objects contain
single or multiple age stellar
populations, as well as whether these
objects display a range of
metallicities.
WFPC2 11314
Calibration of MARCI UV using WFPC2
Ultraviolet imaging is a major unique component of the
MARCI experiment
on MRO. Unfortunately the calibration
of the UV, especially of the 260
nm filter, on MARCI is uncertain
due to various unexpected problems
during laboratory calibration. Two
orbits of WFPC2 observations are
requested to properly calibrate the UV
using simultaneous MRO / HST
observations in a favorable geometry where
HST is "looking over the
shoulder" of MRO.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are
preliminary reports
of potential non-nominal
performance that will be investigated.)
HSTARS: (None)
COMPLETED OPS REQUEST:
Ops request #18115-0 USN_DON Engineering
Test Pass
was successfully executed. All test objectives were met.
Today's pass,
consisting of
a 32K PRT data flow, 32K real time telemetry and a 1M SSR
PDF O P/B,
was the third of three needed for station certification.
COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL
FGS GSacq 8 8
FGS REacq 6 6
OBAD with Maneuver
26 26
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS:
Following completion of yesterday's test pass using USN's Dongara,
Australia ground station, HST Operations
declared that station fully
certified for HST use in contingencies.
-Lynn
____________________________________________________________
Lynn F. Bassford
Hubble Space Telescope
CHAMP Mission Operations
Manager
Lockheed Martin Mission Services (LMMS)
NASA GSFC PH#: 301-286-2876
"The Hubble Space Telescope is the
astronomical observatory and key to unlocking the most cosmic mysteries of the
past, present and future." - 7/26/6