HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class
Science
DAILY REPORT #4736
PERIOD COVERED: 5am November 12 - 5am November 13, 2008
(DOY
317/1000z-318/1000z)
OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED
FGS 11212/11901
Filling the Period Gap for Massive Binaries
The current census of binaries among the massive O-type
stars is
seriously incomplete for systems in the period range from
years to
millennia because the radial velocity variations are too
small and the
angular separations too close for easy detection. Here we
propose to
discover binaries in this observational gap through a
Faint Guidance
Sensor SNAP survey of relatively bright targets listed in
the Galactic O
Star Catalog. Our primary goal is to determine the binary
frequency
among those in the cluster/association, field, and runaway
groups. The
results will help us assess the role of binaries in
massive star
formation and in the processes that lead to the ejection
of massive
stars from their natal clusters. The program will also
lead to the
identification of new, close binaries that will be targets
of long term
spectroscopic and high angular resolution observations to
determine
their masses and distances. The results will also be
important for the
interpretation of the spectra of suspected and newly
identified binary
and multiple systems.
FGS 11942
Increasing the Accuracy of HST Astrometry with FGS1r
We propose to observe six exoplanetary system host stars
and two
planetary nebulae central stars with FGS1r. All objects
have been
previously observed under proposals GO-09233, -09969,
-10989, and
-11210. These observations will significantly extend the
time baseline,
permitting improvements in the determination of proper
motion. This
systematic motion must be removed to get at the
perturbation of
interest, either due to exoplanetary companions or the
orbital motion of
the Earth (parallax). In most cases the perturbation
orbits will also
improve. We improve either companion mass or PN parallax.
For one
target, GJ 876, theoretical dynamical modelers have
proposed an
inclination closer to 50 degrees, while FGS3 measurements
indicated an
inclination closer to 84 degrees. These new data, once
combined with our
older FGS3 data, will permit an independent remeasurement
of the
inclination of the outermost companion, and a
re-evaluation of widely
used dynamical algorithms.
WFPC2 11130
AGNs with Intermediate-mass Black Holes: Testing the Black
Hole-Bulge
Paradigm, Part II
The recent progress in the study of central black holes in
galactic
nuclei has led to a general consensus that supermassive
{10^6-10^9 solar
mass} black holes are closely connected with the formation
and
evolutionary history of large galaxies, especially their
bulge
component. Two outstanding issues, however, remain
unresolved. Can
central black holes form in the absence of a bulge? And
does the mass
function of central black holes extend below 10^6 solar
masses?
Intermediate-mass black holes {<10^6 solar masses}, if
they exist, may
offer important clues to the nature of the seeds of
supermassive black
holes. Using the SDSS, our group has successfully
uncovered a new
population of AGNs with intermediate-mass black holes that
reside in
low-luminosity galaxies. However, very little is known
about the
detailed morphologies or structural parameters of the host
galaxies
themselves, including the crucial question of whether they
have bulges
or not. Surprisingly, the majority of the targets of our
Cycle 14 pilot
program have structural properties similar to dwarf
elliptical galaxies.
The statistics from this initial study, however, are
really too sparse
to reach definitive conclusions on this important new
class of black
holes. We wish to extend this study to a larger sample, by
using the
Snapshot mode to obtain WFPC2 F814W images from a parent
sample of 175
AGNs with intermediate- mass black holes selected from our
final SDSS
search. We are particularly keen to determine whether the
hosts contain
bulges, and if so, how the fundamental plane properties of
the host
depend on the mass of their central black holes. We will
also
investigate the environment of this unique class of AGNs.
WFPC2 11796
WFPC2 Cycle 16 Decontaminations and Associated
Observations
This proposal is for the WFPC2 decons. Also included are
instrument
monitors tied to decons: photometric stability check,
focus monitor,
pre- and post-decon internals (bias, intflats, kspots,
& darks), UV
throughput check, VISFLAT sweep, and internal UV flat
check.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are
preliminary reports
of potential non-nominal performance that will be
investigated.)
HSTARS:
11572 - GSacq(2,0,2) failed
GSacq(2,0,2) at 317/15:47:33 failed to RGA control at 15:51:12 with
QF2STOPF and QSTOP flags set.
Observations affected: Astrometry, proposal #11212.
11573 - GSacq(2,0,2) Failed
GSacq(2,0,2) scheduled at 318/00:07:13z failed due to RGA control at
318/00:09:50 with QF2STOPF and QSTOP flags set.
Observation affected: Astrometry, Proposal #11901.
COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)
COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)
SCHEDULED
SUCCESSFUL
FGS GSacq
13
11
FGS REacq
00
00
OBAD with Maneuver
26
26
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)