HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

   DAILY REPORT #2832

PERIOD COVERED:  0000Z (UTC) 03/19/01 - 0000Z (UTC) 03/20/01

Daily Status Report as of 079/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

    1.1 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 8827 (Cycle 9 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 proposal completed nominally.

    1.2 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8864 (CCD Dark Monitor-Part 2)

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

    1.3 Completed WF/PC-2 8824 (Decontaminations and Associated 
Observations Pt. 3/4)

        The WF/PC-2 was used for the monthly 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.  There were 
no reported problems.

    1.4 Completed Six Sets of STIS/CCD 9248 (Probing the Large Scale 
Structure: Cosmic Shear Observations)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure 
the distortion of light bundles from distant galaxies that probe the 
statistical properties of the intervening inhomogeneous {dark} matter 
distribution.  Its tidal gravitational field distorts the observable image 
shapes thereby causing a coherent ellipticity pattern {Cosmic Shear}.  The 
observations completed nominally.

    1.5 Completed WF/PC-2 8583 (Imaging Snapshots of Asteroids)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain images of the fifty largest main 
belt asteroids that have favorable apparitions during cycle 9.  The images 
will be searched for companion bodies, as well as mineralogical variegation 
on the resolved main bodies.  There were no reported problems.

    1.6 Completed WF/PC-2 8581 (A Search For Low-Mass Companions To 
Ultracool Dwarfs)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to search for very low-mass {VLM} companions 
to a complete sample of 120 late-M and L dwarfs, drawn mainly from the 
2MASS and SDSS surveys.  The primary goal is to determine the multiplicity 
of M < 0.1 M_odot dwarfs.  In particular, we aim to identify binary systems 
suitable for long-term astrometric monitoring and mass measurement, and 
systems with cool, sub-1000K companions.  The proposal completed with no 
reported problems.

    1.7 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8817 (Cycle 9 INTFLAT Sweeps and 
Linearity Test)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain INTFLAT observations in order to 
monitor the pixel to pixel flatfield response and provide a linearity 
check.  The INTFLAT sequences, to be done once during the year, are similar 
to those from the Cycle 8 program 8448.  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.  The sweep is a complete set of 
internal flats, cycling through both shutter blades and both gains.  The 
linearity test consists of a series of INTFLATs in F555W, in each gain and 
each shutter.  There was no anomalous activity.

    1.8 Completed WF/PC-2 8720 (Masses and Multiplicity of Nearby Free- 
floating Methane and L Dwarfs)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to observe 50 very-low-mass objects in the 
solar neighborhood with spectral types of L0 and later {including several 
dwarfs with Methane absorption bands in their atmospheres}.  These objects 
will be observed in two filter bands with the aim to identify close 
companions, measure their colors, and to obtain first epoch data of the 
newly discovered binaries.  The observations completed nominally.

    1.9 Completed WF/PC-2 8683 (Imaging Of Brightest Cluster Galaxies: The 
High End Of The Black Hole Mass Distribution)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to make kinematic black hole detections in 
galaxies to decide whether they indicate that the mass correlates with both 
optical luminosity and radio power.  The observation completed with no 
reported problems.

    1.10 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 8865 (Bias Monitor-Part 2)

        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 anomalous activity.

    1.11 Completed WF/PC-2 8599 (A Census of Nuclear Star Clusters in 
Late-Type Spiral Galaxies)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to conduct an I-band snapshot survey of a 
well-defined sample of nearby, face-on spiral galaxies of type Scd or 
later.  The proposal completed nominally.

    1.12 Completed STIS/CCD 8687 (Elliptical Galaxies With Nuclear Disks of 
Stars: Black Hole Search and Stellar Populations)

        The Space telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe 
galaxies NGC 3706 {E3} and NGC 4486A {E2} to search for supermassive black 
holes {BHs}.  NGC 3706 contains a bright, edge-on nuclear disk of 
stars.  Therefore we can measure the BH mass mbh as easily as in a galaxy 
with a gas disk but without uncertainty about whether the motions are 
affected by non-gravitational forces.  NGC 4486A, like NGC 4486B, is a 
dwarf elliptical companion of NGC 4486 {M s87} with signs of an unusually 
massive BH.  The observations completed and no anomalous activity occurred.

    1.13 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8815 (Cycle 9 Earth Flats)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to monitor flatfield stability.  This proposal 
obtains 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 nominally.

    1.14 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 9244 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII 
Parallel Archive Proposal Continuation)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a generic target version of the 
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 Group.  The observations completed with no anomalous 
activity.

    1.15 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8816 (Cycle 9 UV Earthflats)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain sequences of Earth streak flats to 
improve the quality of pipeline flat fields for the WFPC2 UV filter set and 
in order to monitor flat field stability.  There were no reported problems.

    1.16 Completed S/C 5582 (FOC/48 Monthly Activation (Camera Section 
Only): Cycle 4)

         This proposal was executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted.

    1.17 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8812 (Cycle 9 Internal Monitor)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain routine internal monitors for WFPC2 
in order to monitor the health of the cameras.  A variety of internal 
exposures are obtained in order to provide a monitor of the integrity of 
the CCD camera electronics in both bays {gain 7 and gain 15}, a test for 
quantum efficiency in the CCDs, and a monitor for possible buildup of 
contaminants on the CCD windows.  There were no reported problems.

    1.18 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 8857 (MAMA Sensitivity and Focus 
Monitor C9)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD, MA1 and MA2) was 
used to monitor the sensitivity of each MAMA grating mode to detect any 
change due to contamination or other causes.  There were no problems.

    1.19 Completed FOC/96 7923 (FOC F/96 Turn-on)

        The Faint Object Camera (f/96) was used to take an internal flat 
and a dark to ensure that the 30-day limit for the FOC is not 
exceeded.  The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies 
were noted.

    1.20 Completed STIS/MA1 8843 (Cycle 9 MAMA Dark Measurements)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1) was used to perform 
the routine monitoring of the MAMA detector dark noise.  The proposal 
completed nominally.

    1.21 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 8681 (Snapshot Survey of Variability of 
Narrow and Broad Associated Absorption Lines in Quasars)

        The Space telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used to 
investigate the variability in the strength of absorption lines in quasar 
spectra which is definitive proof that we are observing material that is 
physically associated with the quasars.  This proposal will conduct a STIS 
snapshot survey to provide second epoch observations of 37 quasars with 
narrow associated or broad absorption lines {NALs and BALs}, previously 
observed with the FOS.  At high redshift several intrinsic NALs and about 
two thirds of BALs are known to vary, often in accord with continuum 
variability.  The amplitudes increase and the timescales decrease with 
decreasing quasar luminosity.  The proposal completed nominally.

    1.22 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8606 (Determining the Nature of the 
Variable Absorption in AGN: Monitoring NGC 3783 with HST And Chandra)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to 
investigate Seyfert 1 galaxies, many of which show intrinsic UV absorption 
lines, characterized by high moderate widths, significant outflow 
velocities, and variability on time scales as small as days.  Seyferts with 
UV absorption also show variable X-ray ``warm absorbers'', characterized by 
O VII and O VIII absorption edges, which suggests a common 
origin.  Variability monitoring is the key to understanding the absorbers, 
by providing their radial locations, densities, and evolution in 
ionization, column density, velocity, and coverage of the inner active 
nucleus.  The proposal completed with no problems.

    1.23 Completed WF/PC-2 8698 (Identification of the Galaxy's Missing Mass)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to observe the nature of dark matter that is 
one of the key astrophysical questions of the day.  The existence of dark 
matter and its dynamical dominance in the outer parts of our Galaxy and 
spiral galaxies with flat rotation curves is well established.  The MACHO 
project has identified ~half of the Milky Way's dark matter with stellar 
objects of ~0.5 M_sun, probably white dwarfs.  But the location of the 
microlensing in the halo is disputed.  Several have detected two candidate 
halo white dwarfs of L/L_sun ~ 10^-5 in the Hubble Deep Field with 25 +/- 5 
mas/year proper motions.  The observations completed with no reported problems.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

    2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
       Scheduled Acquisitions: 10
Successful: 10

  Scheduled Re-acquisitions:  5
Successful:  5

    2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 26
Successful: 26

    2.3 Operations Notes:

        The Flight Operations Team transferred from the GSFC Mission 
Operations Room (MOR) to the STScI (SI) SIMOR at 078/1000Z, operating on 
CCS string "A".

        The SSR EDAC error counter was cleared twice per ROP SR-1A.

        The ephemeris table was uplinked at 079/0346Z, using ROP DF-07A.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

        Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.

/CAW