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)