HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

       DAILY REPORT #3044

PERIOD COVERED:  0000Z (UTC) 01/28/02 - 0000Z (UTC) 01/29/02

Daily Status Report as of 029/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

    1.1 Completed Five Sets of WF/PC-2 8937 (Cycle 9 Supplemental Darks pt2/3)

        The WF/PC-2 was used obtain three dark frames every day to provide 
data for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels.  No 
problems were encountered.

    1.2 Completed STIS/MA1 9063 (Optical Counterparts of Isolated Neutron 
Stars)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1) was used to test the 
understanding of both quantum chromodynamics {QCD} and quantum 
electrodynamics {QED}.  Specifically, the measurement of radii of neutron 
stars can test QCD at high density.  This is being realized through 
intensive X-ray observations of bright nearby neutron stars.  However, the 
natures of these important sources are not clear and to this end a simple 
proper motion program is proposed as a means to obtain their ages and 
potential association with star-forming regions.  One of the sources is RX 
J0720.4-3125 which has been argued to be an old magnetar --- a highly 
magnetized neutron star --- and thanks to its high count rate is already a 
choice object for X-ray missions.  Magnetars, with their extreme magnetic 
field strengths, are excellent laboratories for testing out some 
expectation of QED.  There were no reported problems.

    1.3 Completed Six Sets of WF/PC-2 8935 (Cycle 10 Standard Darks)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain 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.  The proposal completed with no reported problems.

    1.4 Completed STIS/CCD 9077 (Survey of the LMC Planetary Nebulae)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to perform 
a snapshot survey of all known LMC planetary nebulae {PNe} in order to 
study the co-evolution of the nebulae and their central stars, and to probe 
the chemical enrichment history of the LMC.  There were no reported problems.

    1.5 Completed STIS/MA2 9573 (NUV-MAMA Daily Dark Monitor)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to perform 
daily monitoring of the NUV MAMA detector dark noise in order to monitor 
the effects of thermal changes on the NUV dark rate.  No problems occurred.

    1.6 Completed STIS/CCD 9110 (A Search for Kuiper Belt Object Satellites)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to 
investigate whether the large number of collisions thought to have taken 
place in the primordial Kuiper belt suggest that many Kuiper belt objects 
{KBOs} could have suffered binary-forming collisions similar to that which 
formed the Pluto -- Charon binary.  Detection of such KBO satellites would 
allow measurement of  KBO masses, would help to understand the past 
collisional environment of the Kuiper belt, and would give a context to the 
otherwise unique-seeming formation of the Pluto -- Charon binary.  The 
proposal completed with no reported problems.

    1.7 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8901 (Dark Monitor-Part 1)

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

    1.8 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.

    1.9 Completed STIS/CCD 9068 (Accurate Determination of the BH Mass in 
Early-Type Disk Galaxies)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to map the 
ionized gas velocity field of three early-type disk galaxies, for which we 
will be able to derive high precision BH mass measurements.  The sample 
galaxies have been selected by means of ground-based high resolution 
spectroscopy among 37 observed objects, since it is recognized in their 
central regions the clear presence of a circumnuclear Keplerian disk of 
ionized disk suitable for dynamical modelling.  The proposal completed with 
no reported problems.

    1.10 Completed Seven 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.

    1.11 Completed WF/PC-2 9319 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII Backup Parallel 
Archive Proposal II)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to execute a POMS test proposal, designed to 
simulate future scientific plans.  The proposal completed without incident.

    1.12 Completed WF/PC-2 8939 (Cycle 10 Internal Monitor)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to calibrate the internal monitor, to be run 
weekly to monitor the health of the cameras.  No problems were encountered.

    1.13 Completed STIS/CCD 9100 (High-Velocity Collimated Outflows and 
Equatorial Toroids in Cool Stars: A Study of V Hydrae and PI^1 Gru)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe 
the two cool red giant stars V Hya and PI^1 Gru that show strong 
observational evidence for the presence of high-velocity collimated 
outflows and equatorial toroids, both of which have been postulated to play 
significant roles in the formation of bipolar planetary nebulae.  All 
observations completed as planned.

    1.14 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 8471 (D/H In Quasar Absorption Line Systems)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used to 
record the high Lyman series lines of two damped Lyman-alpha systems in the 
coverage of the near-UV band, where the interference from randomly situated 
Lyman-alpha forest lines is much lower than at visible wavelengths.  A 
secondary objective of this program is to observe various atomic lines 
shortward of Lyman-alpha in these systems {such as absorption from the O VI 
doublet arising from very hot gas}, and to register absorption features 
from the Lyman and Werner bands of molecular hydrogen if the molecular 
abundances are high enough to make them detectable.  The proposal completed 
with no reported problems.

    1.15 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8941 (Cycle 10 UV Earthflats)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to monitor flat field stability by obtaining 
sequences of earth streak flats to improve the quality of pipeline flat 
fields for the WFPC2 UV filter set.  The proposal had no problems.

    1.16 Completed Two Sets of STIS/MA2 8920 (Cycle 10 MAMA Dark Measurements)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to perform 
the routine monitoring of the MAMA detector dark noise, and is the primary 
means of checking on health of the MAMA detectors systems through frequent 
monitoring of the background count rate.  The proposal completed with no 
reported anomalous activity.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

    2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
            Scheduled Acquisitions:  4
    Successful:  4

       Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 11
    Successful: 11

    2.2 FHST Updates:
     Scheduled:  9
    Successful:  9

    2.3 Operations Notes:

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

        The ephemeris table was uplinked at 029/0119Z per ROP DF-07A.

        ESTR-2 was re-conditioned at 029/0535Z as directed by ROP RD-7A.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

        Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.

/CAW