HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

       DAILY REPORT #3027

PERIOD COVERED:  0000Z (UTC) 01/03/02 - 0000Z (UTC) 01/04/02

Daily Status Report as of 004/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

    1.1 Completed STIS/CCD 8901 (Dark Monitor-Part 1)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor 
the darks.  There was no anomalous activity.

    1.2 Completed Four Sets of STIS/CCD 9066 (Closing in on the Hydrogen 
Reionization Edge of the Universe)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used in parallel 
constrain the Hydrogen reionization edge in emission that marks the 
transition from a neutral to a fully ionized IGM at a predicted 
redshifts.  The proposal completed uneventfully.

    1.3 Completed Five Sets of STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 8914 (Sensitivity Monitor C10)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was 
used to monitor the sensitivity of each CCD grating mode to detect any 
change due to contamination or other causes.  The STIS focus is also 
monitored in an imaging mode.  There was no anomalous activity.

    1.4 Completed WF/PC-2 9118 (Tracing the Cosmic Expansion to z>1 with 
Type Ia Supernovae)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to observe type Ia supernovae in order to 
provide evidence for an accelerating universe.  The case for cosmic 
acceleration rests almost entirely on the observation that the observed SN 
Ia at z~0.5 are 0.25 magnitudes fainter than expected for a 
non-accelerating Universe.  It is proposed to follow five SN Ia in the 
range 0.95<z<1.2 using the 850LP filter.  When combined with a ground-based 
J-band follow-up campaign, the proposers can expect to measure the mean 
luminosity distance of the sample at z~ 1.05 to better than 5.  At these 
redshifts, the effect of Omega_Lambda has all but vanished and the Universe 
was decelerating due to its known matter content.  Because any simple 
systematic error will deviate substantially from the non-monotonic effect 
of a Omega_Lambda > 0 cosmology, this experiment is a powerful and 
straightforward way to assess the reliability of the SN Ia 
measurements.  In addition, if SN Ia are reliable standard candles, the 
proposed observations will significantly increase the precision with which 
Omega_Lambda and Omega_M are measured.  There was no reported anomalous 
activity.

    1.5 Completed Seven Sets of WF/PC-2 8940 (Cycle 10 Earth Flats)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to monitor flatfield stability by obtaining 
sequences of Earth streak flats to construct high quality flat fields for 
the WF/PC-2 filter set.  These flat fields will allow mapping of the OTA 
illumination pattern and will be used in conjunction with previous internal 
and external flats to generate new pipeline superflats.  The proposal 
completed without incident.

    1.6 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD 9285 (POMS Test Proposal: STIS 
Non-scripted Parallel Proposal Continuation III)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make low 
galactic latitude, non-scripted parallel observations as part of a POMS 
test proposal.  The observations were completed as planned, and no 
anomalies were reported.

    1.7 Completed STIS/CCD 8903 (Bias Monitor - Part 1)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor 
the bias in the 1x1, 1x2, 2x1, and 2x2 bin settings at gain=1, and 1x1 at 
gain = 4 to build up high-S/N superbiases and track the evolution of hot 
columns.  There were no problems.

    1.8 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 9318 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII 
Parallel Archive Proposal Continuation)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to perform the generic target version of the 
WFPC2 Archival Pure Parallel program.  The program was used to take 
parallel images of random areas of the sky, following the recommendations 
of the Parallels Working Group.  There were no reported problems.

    1.9 Completed WF/PC-2 8942 (Cycle 10 Intflat Sweeps and Linearity Test)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to monitor the pixel-to-pixel flatfield 
response and provide a linearity check.  These intflat sequences are done 
once during the year and the images will provide a backup database in the 
event of complete failure of the visflat lamp as well as allow monitoring 
of the gain ratios.  There were no reported problems.

    1.10 Completed FGS/1 9230 (Parallaxes of Magnetic CVs)

        Fine Guidance Sensor #1 was used to perform trigonometric 
parallaxes of cataclysmic variable {CVs} that are needed to obtain reliable 
information on luminosities, accretion rates, and on radii and masses of 
the stellar components.  All observations completed without incident.

    1.11 Completed WF/PC-2 9157 (Fundamental Properties Of L-Type Dwarfs In 
Binaries)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to characterize the physical properties of 
eight L-dwarfs in four binary systems.  The goal is to obtain astrometric, 
photometric and spectroscopic measurements of each component that will 
yield basic information on atmospheric and dynamical properties.  The 
proposal completed nominally.

    1.12 Completed WF/PC-2 9173 (The Pattern of Heavy Element Abundances in 
a Damped LyAlpha Galaxy)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to observe the quasar PKS 1127-143.  X-ray 
absorption associated with an intervening 21-cm and damped LyAlpha absorber 
at z=0.312 in its spectrum has been detected with Chandra.  The advantage 
of the X- ray measurement is that the derived metallicity is insensitive to 
ionization, inclusion of an atom in a molecule, or depletion onto 
grains.  The X-ray absorption is mostly due to oxygen, and the abundance 
agrees with the oxygen abundance of 16-40 lines in a galaxy at the redshift 
of the absorber.  The STIS spectrum will allow measurement of  Zn II, an 
undepleted iron peak element.  Comparison of the oxygen group measured in 
the X-rays with the iron peak nuclei measured will reveal whether the 
absorber has a Pop II, halo-type abundance pattern or a Pop I, disk-like 
abundance pattern.  The proposal completed with no reported anomalous activity.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

    2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
       Scheduled Acquisitions:  5
    Successful:  5

  Scheduled Re-acquisitions:  9
    Successful:  9

    2.2 FHST Updates:
    Scheduled: 12
    Successful: 12

    2.3 Operations Notes:

        Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR-1 EDAC error counter was cleared twice.

        Per an operations request quick updates were made at 003/2139Z to 
the operational database for various ARUBA items.

        SA transmitter #1 was turned on and off for the interval 003/2344Z 
- 004/0001Z as directed by ROP IC-2.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

        Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.

/CAW