HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE DAILY REPORT #1964 PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 09/16/97 - 0000Z (UTC) 09/17/97 Daily Status Report as of 260/0000Z 1.0 ACTIVITIES SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED: 1.1 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 7621 (WF/PC-2 Cycle 7 Supplemental Darks PT1/3) The WF/PC-2 was used to make supplemental dark calibration images. This set of calibrations is intended to obtain three dark frames every day to provide data for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.2 Completed FGS 7487 (Orbits of Pre-Main Sequence Binaries) The Fine Guidance Sensors were used to make astrometric observations of the pre-main-sequence, variable, binary star DF-Tau in order to determine its orbital elements. This is important because there are still no low mass young stars with reliably known masses. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.3 Completed Two Sets of NIC/1/2/3 7729 (NICMOS Short One Orbit Parallel) The Near Infrared Camera (Cameras One, Two, and Three) was used to obtain "JHK" imaging of sky regions while another instrument was prime. These observations were part of the short NICMOS one-orbit parallel program. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.4 Completed Four Sets of NIC/2 7330 (The Fueling of Active Nucleii: A NICMOS Snapshot Survey) The Near Infrared Camera (Camera Two) was used to probe the dark matter distribution of NGC-7096, NGC-7582, NGC-7743 and NGC-7496, far from their centers, by observing intervening absorption from the MgII doublet (lambda 2800) in the spectrum of one background QSO located in a geometrically optimal position. HST observations are required because this feature is in a wavelength range not accessible from the ground, and the QSO magnitudes and expected strength of absorption make IUE observations unfeasible. The proposal completed as expected with no anomalies. 1.5 Completed Three Sets of FGS 7800 (FGS/FGS Alignment Check) The FGSs were used to make observations of reference stars within cluster NGC-5617 as part of FGS to FGS alignment check. This is a three-orbit test and it is designed to acquire the minimum amount of data needed to verify the FGS/FGS Alignment Calibration. FGS-1R is used as the astrometer and a different guide star pair {in FGS-2 and FGS-3} is used for each orbit. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.6 Completed Three Sets of WF/PC-2 7623 (WF/PC-2 Cycle 7 Internal Flats) The WF/PC-2 was used to make a set of internal Cycle 7 calibration flats which are designed to monitor the pixel to pixel flat field response and the visflat lamp degradation, as well as detect any possible changes due to contamination. These calibration observations were completed as planned, and no problems were reported. 1.7 Completed Five Sets of WF/PC-2 7620 (WF/PC-2 CYCLE 7 Standard Darks) The WF/PC-2 was used to make a series of Cycle 7 standard dark calibration images. This calibration program obtains 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. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.8 Completed Three Sets of NIC/1/2/3 7412 (An HST/NICMOS Search for Young Brown Dwarfs and Giant Planets) The Near Infrared Camera (Cameras One, Two and Three) was used to make observations of stars RXJ16056-2, RXJ15419-3 and RJX16070-2, taken in parallel with the prime science observations to be part of a survey to look for large planets and/or small brown dwarf stars which are in orbit around T-Tauri class stars. At an age of 2 to 20 million years these low-mass companions will be considerably brighter than more evolved brown dwarfs or giant planets orbiting main-sequence stars, and hence will be much easier to detect. The observations were completed as planned, and no anomalies were noted. 1.9 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 7635 (STIS CCD Hot Pixel Annealing) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to test the hot pixel annealing procedure. This process is assessed by measuring the dark current behavior before and after annealing and by searching for any window contamination effects. The observations were completed as planned, and no problems were reported. 1.10 Completed Two sets of NIC/2 7420 (A Near-Infrared Search for Very Low Mass Companions to Stars Within 10 Parsecs of the Sun) The Near Infrared Camera (Camera Two) was used to make searching observations for very low mass companions to variable stars LHS3255 and CD-45D5378. These stars are known to be within 10 parsecs of the Sun. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.11 Completed FGS 7493 (Calibrating the Mass-Luminosity Relation at the End of the Main Sequence) The FGSs were used to make observations of star G250-29 in order to make calibration observations of the mass-luninocity relation at the end of the main sequence. The study utilizes HST-FGS and infrared speckle imaging to calibrate the mass-luminosity relation for stars less massive than 0.2 Msun, with special emphasis on objects near the stellar/brown dwarf border. The observations were completed as scheduled, and no prblems were noted. 1.12 Completed NIC/2 7331 (Near-IR Properties of the Bulges of Spiral Galaxies) The Near Infrared Camera (Camera Two) was used to make infrared observations of the bulge in spiral galaxy NGC-2344. Near-IR data at HST resolution are essential for correcting for the effect of dust and will enable us to derive robust nuclear properties for the sample. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.13 Completed WF/PC-2 6431 (Determination of the Extragalactric Distance Scale) The WF/PC-2 was used to make observations of the galaxy NGC-1425 to be used in measuring the periods of Cepheid variable stars within this galaxy. This will allow for a more accurate estimate of the distances to these galaxies through the period-luminosity relation for the Cepheid stars. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.14 Completed Two Sets of NIC/1/2/3 7726 (NICMOS One Orbit Parallel) The Near Infrared Camera (Cameras One, Two and Three) was used to make one orbit parallel calibration observations. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.15 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 7625 (WF/PC-2 Cycle 7 Earth Flats) The WF/PC-2 was used to make a series of Earth flat calibration images. 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 observations were completed as planned, and no anomalies were reported. 1.16 Completed Two Sets of STIS/CCD 7782 (STIS Non-Scripted Parallel Archive Proposal - Half Orbit) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used for a non-scripted parallel archive proposal (one-half orbit). The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.17 Completed STIS/CCD 7659 (Daily Darks to Update Acquisition Bad Pixel Table) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make dark calibration images in order to update the acquisition bad pixel table. Daily hot pixel lists can also be used for science data analysis. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.18 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1/MA2 7673 (STIS MAMA Sensitivity and Focus Monitor) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD/MA1/MA2) was used to make observations of standard star GRW+70D582 in order to perform a MAMA sensitivity and focus monitoring program. This is to monitor sensitivity of each MAMA grating mode to detect any change due to contamination or other causes. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.19 Completed WF/PC-2 7786 (Pure Parallel Archive Survey - Continuation) The WF/PC-2 was used to make observations as part of an archival survey program in which the images were taken in parallel with the prime science observations. These WF/PC-2 parallel observations were obtained in the ultraviolet in a search for interesting objects. The observations were completed as planned, and no problems were reported. 1.20 Completed STIS/MA2 7604 (Cycle 7 MAMA Dark Measurements) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA2) was used to make MAMA dark measurements. These darks will be used in later image reductions and also trended over the instrument's life time as an indicator of the detector's degradation or damage. The observations were completed as scheduled, and no problems were reported. 1.21 Completed STIS/CCD 7125 (CCD Coronographic Imaging of the Disk of Beta Pictoris) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make high resolution coronographic imaging of the inner section of the edge-on disk surrounding the star HD39060 (a.k.a., Beta Pictoris). The observations were completed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY: 2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions: Scheduled Acquisitions : 14 Successful : 14 Scheduled Reacquisitions : 5 Successful : 5 2.2 FHST Updates: Scheduled : 20 Successful : 20 2.3 Operations Notes: The SSR interrupt log was dumped at 259/1732Z. The proposal described in 1.21 is an Early Release Observation. 3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS: Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations. /DMH