HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

   DAILY REPORT #2610

PERIOD COVERED:  0000Z (UTC) 04/25/00 - 0000Z (UTC) 04/26/00

Daily Status Report as of 117/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

    1.1 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.

    1.2 Completed Three 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.

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

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor 
the darks.  The proposal completed nominally.

    1.4 Completed FGS 8527 (Near Term Stability)

        FGS-2R was used to determine the near term stability of the 
instrument.  The goals are twofold: {1} to establish the baseline Long Term 
Stability measurement for the new FGS and monitor changes in the relative 
plate scale and distortion since the SMOV MiniOFAD; and {2} to monitor 
changes in the transfer function over months.  The proposal completed 
nominally.

    1.5 Completed STIS/CCD 8803 (Focus Calibration Program)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor 
the HST focus.  The HST focus drifts slowly and perhaps undergoes slips of 
a few microns at random times.  This focus monitoring program can provide 
evidence of a likely problem with the focus, but does not provide 
sufficient data upon which to act in a short period of time.  This two 
orbit program obtains a large amount of high signal to noise focus data 
sufficient for accurately defining the HST focus.  The program completed 
nominally.

    1.6 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8241 (A Snapshot Survey of Interstellar 
Absorption Lines)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to 
make high resolution Echelle spectrographic observations of the standard 
ultraviolet star HD212791 as part of a snapshot survey of interstellar 
absorption lines.  A wavelength calibration image was also taken.  The 
observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.

    1.7 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8805 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII 
Parallel Archive Proposal Continuation)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a generic target version of the 
WFPC2 Archival Pure Parallel program.  The program will be used to take 
parallel images of random areas of the sky, following the recommendations 
of the Parallels Working.  The proposal completed with no reported problems.

    1.8 Completed STIS/MA1 8426 (Cycle 8 MAMA Dark Measurements)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1) 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.

    1.9 Completed STIS/CCD 8789 (Probing the Outskirts of an Extrasolar 
Planet: Photometry and Spectroscopy)

        The Space telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe 
HD 209458, the first extrasolar planet known to transit the disk of its 
parent star, providing unique probes of this system for moons, rings and 
atmospheric composition that are unlikely to be feasible with ground-based 
observations.  The proposal completed normally, with no reported problems.

    1.10 Completed WF/PC-2 8240 (Masses and Spins of Black Holes in Seyfert 
Galaxies)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to observe about 20 bright Seyfert 1 galaxies 
that are now known to have very broad {up to 100, 000 km s^-1} Fe KAlpha 
emission lines near 6.4 keV.  The observations completed nominally.

    1.11 Completed Three Sets of STIS/CCD 8549 (POMS Test Proposal: 
Non-Scripted Parallel Proposal Continuation I)

        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.

    1.12 Completed WF/PC-2 8234 (Calibrating Star Formation with the 
Metal-Rich Starburst Galaxy M83 {NGC5236})

        The WF/PC-2 was used to study the structure of the prime nearby 
example of a metal-rich, actively star- forming environment: the starburst 
located in the nuclear region of the spiral galaxy M83.  In M83 the PC 
gives 1 pc resolution so we can chart the detailed structure of this dusty 
but UV-bright system. For this purpose we will obtain broad-band images in 
the mid-UV, V, and I bands to locate and characterize stars, star clusters, 
and obscuring dust clouds, as well as HAlpha, HBeta, OIII, and SII narrow 
band images to diagnose conditions in the ionized ISM.  The observations 
completed nominally.

    1.13 Completed Two Sets of 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.

    1.14 Completed STIS/CCD 8796 (POMS Test Proposal: STIS Non-Scripted 
Parallel Proposal Continuation IV)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used in the 
parallel mode to make some low galactic latitude archive observations.  The 
observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.

    1.15 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.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

    2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
       Scheduled Acquisitions: 6
Successful: 6

  Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 9
Successful: 9

    2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 15
Successful: 15

    2.3 Operations Notes:

        Using ROP IC-1, the SSA-2R transmitter was turned on and off for 
three intervals.

        Per ROP IC-1, MA transmitter #1 was turned on and off once.

        The SSR EDAC error counter was cleared at 116/1320Z per ROP SR-1A.

        The Engineering Status Buffer was dumped and cleared at 116/1330Z 
as directed by ROP DF-18A.

        Real-time operations transferred to CCS string "B" at 116/1441Z for 
another test of CCS Release 3.2 commanding.  After the successful 
conclusion of the test, operations returned to the "A" string at 116/1456Z.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

        Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.

/CAW