HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE DAILY REPORT #2028 PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 12/19/97 - 0000Z (UTC) 12/22/97 Daily Status Report as of 356/0000Z 1.0 ACTIVITIES SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED: 1.1 Completed Eight 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 Three Sets of STIS/CCD 7802 (Daily Darks to Update Acquisition Bad Pixel Table) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make calibration observations to obtain daily darks to update the acquisition bad pixel table. These darks are intended to identify hot pixels for update to the acquisition on-board FSW hot 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. 1.3 Completed Four Sets of NIC/2 7213 (High Resolution Imaging of "Warm" Hyperluminous Infrared Galaxies) The Near Infrared Camera (Camera Two) was used to make high resolution infrared images of the "warm" hyperluminous galaxies MRK231, P14026+434, P09104+410, P20460+192 and P23060+050 in order to expand our knowledge of their complicated relationship with the QSO phenomenon. Near the beginning of the third iteration of this proposal, the loss of lock mentioned in 2.1 occurred. Then, during the fourth iteration, two acquisition failures occurred which are also described in 2.1, and the take data flag remained down for that iteration. Otherwise, the observations were executed as scheduled, and no further anomalies were noted. 1.4 Completed Sixteen 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 second acquisition failure mentioned in 2.1 affected the ninth iteration of this proposal. Otherwise, the observations were completed as planned, and no further problems were reported. 1.5 Completed STIS/CCD 7711 (STIS CCD G750L Fringing Flats.) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to investigate and monitor the STIS CCD flat-field fringing in the G750L grating at its nominal wavelength setting {7751A}. WAVECALs were also taken at the same gain and wavelength setting. Typical S/N = 100 for each integration, and gain = 4 on each. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.6 Completed WF/PC-2 6431 (Determination of the Extragalactric Distance Scale) The WF/PC-2 was used to make observations of the galaxy NGC-598 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. 1.7 Completed Six Sets of STIS/CC 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. 1.8 Completed Ten Sets of STIS/CCD 7783 (STIS Parallel Science) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make observations taken in parallel with the prime science. The observations were completed, and no problems were reported. 1.9 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 ESO240G12. 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. 1.10 Completed Three Sets of NIC/1/2 7458 (IR Surface Brightness Fluctuations of Fornax Cluster Galaxies) The Near Infrared Camera (Cameras One and Two) was used to make surface brightness observations of galaxies IC2006, NGC-1374, NGC-1373, NGC-1427, NGC-1387 and NGC-1380 which are located in the nearby Fornax Galactic Cluster. This work is important because NICMOS offers the potential for accurate IR SBF distances as far as ~15,000 km/s, but the current calibration is inadequate since it is based only on M31 and is only at K-band. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.11 Completed STIS/CCD/MA2 7512 (STIS Observations of Beta Pictoris) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA2) was used to make observations of the star Beta Pictoris. Since the discovery of its circumstellar disk of dust and gas 10 years ago, this star has been a unique laboratory for the study of extrasolar planetary systems. A wavelength calibration image was also taken. The observations were completed as planned, and no problems were reported. 1.12 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. 1.13 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. 1.14 Completed NIC/2 7325 (The Small Scale Structure of Protostellar Disks and Infall Envelopes) The Near Infrared Camera (Camera Two) was used to make images of the protostellar system IRAS04381 in order to study the small scale structure of the disk and infall envelope. HST has provided striking images of circumstellar disks towards young stars, as seen silhouetted in absorption against bright nebular backgrounds. The advent of the near-infrared NICMOS camera on HST brings subarcsecond imaging to even younger sources, protostars. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.15 Completed NIC/2 7418 (Imaging of Young Stellar Object Circumstellar Nebulosity) WF/PC-2 observations have shown that the young stellar objects IRAS04016 and DG-Tau in the nearby Taurus molecular clouds are seen only indirectly via scattered light. New NICMOS (Camera Two) images will be compared with the existing WFPC2 images and with model reflection nebulae to constrain the circumstellar density distributions. The dark absorption lanes already seen in these systems suggest that the NICMOS images will reveal edge-on disks similar to the HST results for HH 30, and thus allow direct observation of the disk geometry. The observations were completed with no reported anomalies 1.16 Completed NIC/1/2 7904 (NICMOS Absolute Photometry: Red Standards) The Near Infrared Camera (Cameras One and Two) was used to make observations of standard source BRI0021-CA in order to execute a red standard absolute photometry calibration. The throughput of NIC/1 and NIC/2 will also be measured using P330E and G191B2B. The observations were finished as planned, and no anomalies were reported. 1.17 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD/NIC/1/2 7307 (The Formation and Evolution of Rich Star Clusters in the LMC) The WF/PC-2, the Space Telescope Inaging Spectrograph (CCD), and the Near Infrared Camera (Cameras One and Two) were used to make observations of the rich star clusters NGC-2210, NGC-1831, and NGC-1868 which are located within the Large Magellanic Cloud in order to study their formation and evolution. These observations will help us understand the origin and evolution of rich star clusters in our own galaxy. The observations were complete as scheduled, and no anomalies were reported. 1.18 Completed 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 star LHS1846. This star is known to be within 10 parsecs of the Sun. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.19 Completed NIC/1/2/3 7452 (NICMOS Imaging of MuJy Radio Rources With R>= 29: The Birth of AGN in Pregalactic Objects at Z>=6-10?) The Near Infrared Camera (Cameras One, Two and Three) was used to make observations of the infrared counterpart of radio source HDF-VLA-36. The images will be made public and will be used to: {1} determine their kpc sizes and optical- IR colors; {2} find any obscured AGN, and see what causes the radio emission; {3} constrain their possible redshift range and the role of dust; and {4} find the sub-galactic fragments suitable for NICMOS-grism cycle 8 follow-up to determine their redshifts. The observations were completed as planned, and no porblems were reported. 1.20 Completed Four Sets of STIS/CCD 7781 (STIS Non-Scripted Parallel Archive Proposal - Full Orbit) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used for a non-scripted parallel archive proposal (one full orbit). The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.21 Completed NIC/1/2 7426 (NICMOS Imaging of Red Giants in M-32) The Near Infrared Camera (Cameras One and Twp) was used to make observations of red giant star in the galaxy M-32 (a.k.a., NGC-221). The data will solidly define the helium shell-burning asymptotic giant branch population for later interpretation as the theory of the AGB grows more mature. The observations were completed as planned, and no problems were reported. 1.22 Completed FOC/96 6808 (Capella: Separating the Giants) The Faint Object Camera (f/96) was used to make observations of the giant star Capella (a.k.a., HD34029). The bright giants in the Capella system form a test of the evolution of stellar magnetic activity: the primary star is a clump giant in the helium burning phase: the secondary star is a rapidly rotating star in the Hertzsprung Gap. The observations were completed as scheduled, with no anomalies. 1.23 WF/PC-2 6549 (Calibration of Nearby Type Ia Supernovae as Standard Candles: NGC 3627 and SN 1989B) The WF/PC-2 was used to make observations of the Type Ia supernova SN 1989B which is located in galaxy NGC-3627. The experiment is designed to determine the mean absolute magnitude M{max} of the B and V of SNe Ia, and how large the dispersion is about this mean. The observations were completed as planned, and no problems were reported. 2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY: 2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions: Scheduled Acquisitions : 16 Successful : 14 At 354/022731Z a one minute, eight second loss of lock occurred. The proposal described in 1.3 was affected. HSTAR 6276 was written. As documented in HSTAR 6274, there was a guide star acquisition failure at 354/050823Z due to a large roll error that affected the proposal described in 1.3. Then, at 354/060447Z, another acquisiton failure occurred, affecting proposals described in 1.3 and 1.4. This was also due to the large roll error. HSTAR 6275 was written. Subsequent to the acquisition failures mentioned above, an ARU/PRT was performed at 354/0714Z. There were no further problems with attitude. Scheduled Reacquisitions : 15 Successful : 15 2.2 FHST Updates: Scheduled : 49 Successful : 49 2.3 Operations Notes: The ground master image was updated at 355/0121Z The STIS MAMA2 reset at 355/085349Z, while the low voltage was on. HSTAR 6277 was written, and no science was affected. The logs were dumped at 355/1127Z per ROP NS-14, steps 1 through 5. The next high voltage on is scheduled at 356/150043Z when the SMS will recover the MAMA. 3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS: Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations. /DMH