HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

   DAILY REPORT #2586

PERIOD COVERED:  0000Z (UTC) 03/22/00 - 0000Z (UTC) 03/23/00

Daily Status Report as of 083/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

    1.1 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8460 (Cycle 8 Supplemental Darks pt2/3)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain three dark frames every day to 
provide data for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot 
pixels.  The observations completed with no reported problems.

    1.2 Completed STIS/CCD 8439 (Bias Monitor-Part 2 C8)

        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.  The proposal completed with no reported problems.

    1.3 Completed WF/PC-2 8146 (A Search for Binary L-Dwarfs)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to search for close binaries amongst the 
sample of 37 low-temperature L dwarfs, identified primarily in the course 
of the DENIS and 2MASS near-infrared surveys.  The observations completed 
with no reported problems.

    1.4 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8156 (The Accretion Geometry in the Soft, 
Double-Pulsing Intermediate Polar V405 Aur)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to 
V405 Aur, an intermediate polar, which show several types of 
behavior.  Some show only hard bremsstrahlung X-ray spectra, while others 
show an additional soft black-body component.  Some show quasi- sinusoidal 
single-peaked pulses at the white dwarf spin period, others show 
double-peaked pulse profiles.  The proposers have suggested that both 
dichotomies are related to the area of the accretion footprint on the white 
dwarf, and hence to the process by which the magnetic field disrupts the 
accretion disk.  The observations completed and no anomalies were reported.

    1.5 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8090 (POMS Test Proposal: WF-II 
Parallel Archive Proposal Continuation)

        The WF/PC-2 was used in the parallel mode to make some low galactic 
latitude archive observations.  The program will be used to take parallel 
images of random areas of the sky.  The observations were executed as 
scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.

    1.6 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8459 (Decontaminations and 
Associated Observations Pt. 2/2)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to perform the monthly decons.  Also included 
are instrument monitors tied to decons: photometric stability check, focus 
monitor, pre- and post-decon internals {bias, intflats, kspots, & darks}, 
and UV throughput checks.  The observations were completed nominally.

    1.7 Completed WF/PC-2 8445 (WF/PC-2 Cycle 8 Earth Flats)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to make Cycle 8 Earth flat calibration 
observations.  This is to obtain sequences of earth streak flats to 
construct high quality flat fields for the WF/PC-2 filter set.  The 
observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.

    1.8 Completed STIS/CCD 8155 (Highly Collimated Strings in the Nebula 
Around Eta Carinae - A New Phenomenon)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe 
a set of highly collimated strings in the nebula around Eta Car in order to 
determine their physical nature and their relation to phenomenologically 
similar structures in nebulae around evolved low mass stars.  Yhe 
observations completed with no reported anomalies.

    1.9 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8437 (Dark Monitor-Part 2 C8)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor 
the darks.  As described in yesterday's report and HSTAR 7547, the 
acquisition for this proposal defaulted to fine lock backup on one FGS 
only, possibly affecting all observations taken.  Otherwise, the proposal 
completed nominally.

    1.10 Completed WF/PC-2 8214 (The Evolution of Globular Cluster Systems 
In Early-Type Galaxies)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to measure structural parameters {core radii 
and concentrations} of globular clusters in three early-type galaxies using 
deep, four-point dithered observations.  As described in yesterday's report 
and HSTAR 7547, the acquisition for this proposal defaulted to fine lock 
backup on one FGS only, possibly affecting all observations 
taken.  Otherwise, the observations completed nominally.

    1.11 Completed WF/PC-2 8183 (Morphology of the Most Massive Galaxies in 
the Early Universe)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to make observations of the massive radio 
galaxy MRC1017-22 in order to study its morphology.  High redshift radio 
galaxies are fundamentally important probes of galaxy and cluster 
formation.  The observations were completed as scheduled, and no anomalies 
were reported.

    1.12 Completed STIS/MA2 8426 (Cycle 8 MAMA Dark Measurements)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to make a 
routine Cycle-8 MAMA dark noise calibration measurement.  This proposal 
will provide the primary means of checking on the health of the MAMA 
detectors.  This is done through frequent monitoring of the background 
count rate.  The observations were completed as planned, and no problems 
were reported.

    1.13 Completed STIS/MA1 8316 (The Lyman-Alpha Absorption Cross-Section 
of Nearby Galaxies)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1) was used to study 
the Lyman-Alpha absorption cross-section of nearby galaxy ES438-G009.  The 
high resolution of the spectra will allow us to accurately determine the 
velocity of the gas, which can be compared to the systemic velocity of the 
galaxy, and to the velocity field determined from 21 cm H-I emission 
measurements, when available, enabling us to determine if or how the gas is 
kinematically tied to the galaxy.  A wavelength calibration image was also 
taken.  The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were 
noted.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

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

Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 10
Successful: 10

    2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 12
Successful: 12

    2.3 Operations Notes:

        There was a STIS EMC retry at 082/162106Z.  The STIS flight 
software error counter was reset at 082/1643Z per ROP NS-12.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

        Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.

/CAW