HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT       #4691

PERIOD COVERED: 5am September 8 - 5am September 9, 2008 (DOY 252/0900z-253/0900z)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

NIC1/NIC2 11818

NICMOS Confirmation of an Extrasolar Panet Candidate Directly Detected

with ACS

With ACS/HRC coronagraphy, we have achieved the direct detection of a

planet candidate in F606W and F814W around a bright nearby star with a

debris belt. The planet candidate lies 18 astronomical units interior to

the dust belt and we detect counterclockwise orbital motion in

observations separated by 1.75 years. The candidate has mass no greater

than three Jupiter masses based on an analysis of its luminosity and the

dynamical argument that a significantly more massive object would

disrupt the dust belt. Using recent model predictions for 100-300 Myr

old planetary atmospheres, the planet candidate has a temperature of

~400 K and a mass 1.6 - 3.4 M_J. Variability at optical wavelengths

suggests additional sources of luminosity such as H-alpha emission or

the episodic accretion of cometary material. A key surprise is that the

planet candidate is NOT detected in Keck adaptive optics observations at

1.6 microns. Two model atmospheres predict a flux a few times greater

than our detection limit, though the model predictions disagree with

each other by a factor of five due to theoretical uncertainty in the

strength of CH4 vibrational bands. These models predict the strongest

emission centered on the F110W passband of NICMOS such that the F814W -

F110W color will be red. Here we propose follow-up NICMOS observations

to verify that the emission observed in F814W is due to the emergent

flux from passive cooling of the planet, as opposed to other

explanations, such as reflected light from a Saturn analog with a

circumplanetary debris disk that would produce a bluer F814W - F110W

color. Additional deep images in and and out of the 1.14 micron water

trough using NIC1 narrowband filters will test whether or not the

emission is produced from the passive cooling of a young massive planet.

NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 11820

NICMOS Post-SAA Calibration - CR Persistence Part 7

Internals for CR persistence

NIC2 11548

NICMOS Imaging of Protostars in the Orion A Cloud: The Role of

Environment in Star Formation

We propose NICMOS observations of a sample of 252 protostars identified

in the Orion A cloud with the Spitzer Space Telescope. These

observations will image the scattered light escaping the protostellar

envelopes, providing information on the shapes of outflow cavities, the

inclinations of the protostars, and the overall morphologies of the

envelopes. In addition, we ask for Spitzer time to obtain 55-95 micron

spectra of 75 of the protostars. Combining these new data with existing

3.6 to 70 micron photometry and forthcoming 5-40 micron spectra measured

with the Spitzer Space Telescope, we will determine the physical

properties of the protostars such as envelope density, luminosity,

infall rate, and outflow cavity opening angle. By examining how these

properties vary with stellar density (i.e. clusters vs groups vs

isolation) and the properties of the surrounding molecular cloud; we can

directly measure how the surrounding environment influences protostellar

evolution, and consequently, the formation of stars and planetary

systems. Ultimately, this data will guide the development of a theory of

protostellar evolution.

WFPC2 11113

Binaries in the Kuiper Belt: Probes of Solar System Formation and

Evolution

The discovery of binaries in the Kuiper Belt and related small body

populations is powering a revolutionary step forward in the study of

this remote region. Three quarters of the known binaries in the Kuiper

Belt have been discovered with HST, most by our snapshot surveys. The

statistics derived from this work are beginning to yield surprising and

unexpected results. We have found a strong concentration of binaries

among low-inclination Classicals, a possible size cutoff to binaries

among the Centaurs, an apparent preference for nearly equal mass

binaries, and a strong increase in the number of binaries at small

separations. We propose to continue this successful program in Cycle 16;

we expect to discover at least 13 new binary systems, targeted to

subgroups where these discoveries can have the greatest impact.

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 11218

Snapshot Survey for Planetary Nebulae in Globular Clusters of the Local

Group

Planetary nebulae {PNe} in globular clusters {GCs} raise a number of

interesting issues related to stellar and galactic evolution. The number

of PNe known in Milky Way GCs, 4, is surprisingly low if one assumes

that all stars pass through a PN stage. However, it is likely that the

remnants of stars now evolving in Galactic GCs leave the AGB so slowly

that any ejected nebula dissipates long before the star becomes hot

enough to ionize it. Thus there should not be ANY PNe in Milky Way

GCs--but there are four! It has been suggested that these PNe are the

result of mergers of binary stars within GCs, i.e., that they are

descendants of blue stragglers. The frequency of occurrence of PNe in

external galaxies poses more questions, because it shows a range of

almost an order of magnitude. I propose a Snapshot survey aimed at

discovering PNe in the GC systems of Local Group galaxies more distant

than the Magellanic Clouds. These clusters, some of which may be much

younger than their counterparts in the Milky Way, might contain many

more PNe than those of our own galaxy. I will use the standard technique

of emission-line and continuum imaging, which easily discloses PNe.

WFPC2 11291

Following Eta Carinae's Change of State

Eta Carinae is now known to be undergoing some unusually rapid changes

on a timescale of several years. They are probably essential for

modeling the star's long-term recovery from its Giant Eruption 160 years

ago -- the prototype "supernova impostor" event. Since high spatial

resolution is needed to isolate the central star, and the present state

will probably not recur in the future, it is important to obtain HST

data during the next two years. We propose a cost- effective set of ACS

observations with three goals: {1} to obtain a continuing record of the

star's rapid UV and visual brightening; {2} to lengthen the temporal

baseline of ACS images enough to settle an important question concerning

ejecta ages; and {3} to extend the record of morphological changes in

the inner ejecta past the midpoint of eta Car's 5.5-year cycle.

WFPC2 11302

WFPC2 CYCLE 16 Standard Darks - Part III

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 11793

WFPC2 Cycle 16 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.

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: (None)

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

                         SCHEDULED      SUCCESSFUL

FGS GSacq                 13                  13                                             

FGS REacq                 01                  01                               

OBAD with Maneuver  28                   28                                             

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)