HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

   DAILY REPORT #2925

PERIOD COVERED:  0000Z (UTC) 07/30/01 - 0000Z (UTC) 07/31/01

Daily Status Report as of 212/0000Z

1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:

    1.1 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.

    1.2 Completed Four 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 Ten Sets of STIS/CCD 8808 (POMS Test Proposal: STIS 
Non-Scripted Parallel Proposal Continuation III)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make 
non-scripted, parallel observations as part of a POMS test proposal.  The 
observations completed with no anomalous activity.

    1.4 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 9057 (Host Galaxies of Obscured QSOs 
Identified by 2MASS)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a snapshot survey of red QSOs 
discovered in The Two Micron All Sky Survey {2MASS} to investigate the 
detailed properties of their host galaxies.  This large, possibly dominant, 
population of QSOs in the local universe has been previously overlooked 
because reddening by {intrinsic} obscuration along our line of sight causes 
their colors to be too red for identification by traditional "UV- excess" 
techniques.  Their near-IR colors are similar to PG- type {UV-excess} QSOs, 
but it is far from certain whether they are indeed from the same parent 
population or represent a completely new class of QSO.  There were no 
reported problems.

    1.5 Completed WF/PC-2 9227 (Observations of Astrophysically Important 
Visual Binaries)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to perform observations of three visual binary 
stars that will ultimately yield fundamental astrophysical results, once 
their orbits and masses are determined.  The targets are the following: {1} 
Procyon {P=41 yr}, for which our first WF/PC-2 images yielded an extremely 
accurate angular separation of the bright F star and its very faint 
white-dwarf companion.  Combined with ground-based astrometry of the bright 
star, our observation significantly revised downward the derived masses, 
and brought Procyon A into excellent agreement with theoretical 
evolutionary tracks for the first time.  The mass of Procyon B, however, 
implies a completely unexpected chemical composition for the white dwarf, 
and now poses a sharp evolutionary puzzle.  With the continued monitoring 
proposed here, we will obtain masses to an accuracy of better than one 
percent, providing a test bed for theories of Sun-like stars and white 
dwarfs. {2} G 107-70, a close double white dwarf {P=19 yr} that promises to 
add two accurate masses to the tiny handful of white-dwarf masses that are 
directly known from dynamical measurements. {3} Mu Cas {P=21 yr}, a famous 
metal-deficient G dwarf for which accurate masses will lead to the stars' 
helium contents, with cosmological implications.  No problems were 
encountered for these observations.

    1.6 Completed 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.

    1.7 Completed WF/PC-2 9160 (Disks and Envelopes of Nearby Nebulous 
Young Stellar Objects: A Snapshot Survey)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a snapshot survey of nearby 
nebulous young stellar objects to study the detailed morphology of the 
their disks and envelopes and probe the effect of inclination on the 
infrared spectral energy distribution of disk/envelope systems.  The 
proposal completed as planned.

    1.8 Completed WF/PC-2 9267 (Supernova Search)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to search for high-redshift supernovae in 
GO-observed fields, taking advantage of good first-epoch observations and 
of the scheduling opportunities available because STIS is not currently 
observing.  No anomalous activity was reported.

    1.9 Completed WF/PC-2 9042 (An Archive To Detect The Progenitors Of 
Massive, Core-Collapse Supernovae)

         The WF/PC-s was used to search for supernovae which have massive 
star progenitors.  The already extensive HST archive and high-resolution 
ground-based images of galaxies within ~20 Mpc enables us to resolve and 
quantify their individual bright stellar content.  As massive, evolved 
stars are the most luminous single objects in a galaxy, the progenitors of 
core-collapse supernovae should be directly detectable on pre-explosion 
images.  One Type II progenitor has been observed this year, and the 
investigators have proposed a short, companion WFPC2 proposal to confirm 
this candidate and identify a second.  The observations completed nominally.

    1.10 Completed Four Sets of WF/PC-2 8828 (Cycle 9 Supplemental Darks pt3/3)

        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 with no reported problems.

    1.11 Completed FGS/1 9097 (The Mass-Luminosity Relationship for High 
Mass Stars: Resolving the `Mass Discrepancy' with HST)

        Fine Guidance Sensor #1 was used to investigate the mass-luminosity 
relation for very low mass stars.  This relationship is well determined for 
intermediate-mass stars.  The observations completed with no reported problems.

    1.12 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.

    1.13 Completed FGS/1 9169 (An Interferometric Harvest of Double 
Degenerates)

        Fine Guidance Sensor #1R was used to observe the white dwarf mass 
and age distributions that hold clues to the star formation history of our 
Galaxy and the age of the disk.  No problems were reported.

    1.14 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 9053 (The Late Evolution of Low-Mass Stars: 
a Deep UV Color-Magnitude Diagram of M32)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to 
construct a deep far-UV color-magnitude diagram of the hot stellar 
population in the center of M32 {NGC221}.  The previous Cycle 7 near-UV 
STIS observations of the M32 core resolved 8000 stars in a single 
bandpass.  While these observations provided no color information, they 
nonetheless showed conclusively that hot horizontal branch {HB} stars exist 
in M32.  Moreover, the near-UV luminosity function showed a surprising lack 
of post-asymptotic giant branch {post-AGB} stars, indicating that they 
evolve much more rapidly than expected from canonical theory.  Obtaining 
color information is the vital next step in extending this analysis.  There 
were no reported problems.

    1.15 Completed WF/PC-2 8059 (POMS Test Proposal: Targeted Parallel 
Archive Proposal)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to observe the parallel opportunities 
available in the neighborhood of bright galaxies are treated in a slightly 
different way from the normal pure parallels.  Local Group galaxies offer 
the opportunity for a closer look at young stellar 
populations.  Narrow-band images in F656N can be used both to identify 
young stars via their emission lines, and to map the gas distribution in 
star-forming regions.  The observations completed nominally.

    1.16 Completed WF/PC-2 9249 (POMS Test Proposal: WFII Backup Parallel 
Archive Proposal II)

        The WF/PC-2 was used to execute a POMS test proposal designed to 
simulate scientific plans.  The proposal completed with no reported problems.

    1.17 Completed STIS/MA2 8780 (Secular Changes in the Jet of M87)

        The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to continue 
the ongoing investigation of the M87 jet that had previously used the 
FOC.  The investigators will compare FOC and WFPC2 images to track secular 
changes and motions in the jet and nucleus.  The observations completed 
nominally.

    1.18 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.

2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

    2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
       Scheduled Acquisitions:  7
Successful:  7

  Scheduled Re-acquisitions:  4
Successful:  4

    2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 27
Successful: 26

        The roll delay update at 211/081052Z failed due to tracker 
#2.  HSTAR 8288 was written.

    2.3 Operations Notes:

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

        Per ROP DF-18A, 486 engineering status buffer limits were adjusted 
three times.

        The ephemeris tables were uplinked at 212/0006Z, per ROP DF-07A.

        The STIS MCE-2 was reset at 212/012035Z while the low voltage was 
on and while outside any SAA interval.  Per HSTAR 8290, this produced a 
STIS status buffer message indicating that parameters did match their 
expected values.  The STIS flight software error counter was reset at 
212/0142Z as directed by ROP NS-12.  MAMA-2 will be recovered by normal 
SMSM commanding at 213/1955Z.

3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:

        Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.

/CAW