HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE DAILY REPORT #2188 PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 08/14/98 - 0000Z (UTC) 08/17/98 Daily Status Report as of 229/0000Z 1.0 ACTIVITIES SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED: 1.1 Completed Seven Sets of WF/PC-2 7712 (WF/PC-2 Cycle 7 Supplemental Darks pt2/3) The WF/PC-2 was used to make a series of Cycle 7 supplemental calibration darks. This dark calibration program obtains 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 Five Sets of STIS/CCD 7948 (CCD Dark and Bias Monitor -- Cont. to Dec. 98) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to measure CCD dark current and bias rates for the two supported amplifier settings {GAIN=1 and GAIN=4} in order to gather data for making superdarks and superbiases. The data will be used to track the growth of hot pixels on the CCD in general and within the various target acquisition apertures specifically. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.3 Completed Thirteen Sets of STIS/CCD 8062 (POMS Test Proposal: STIS Non-Scripted Parallel Proposal Continuation) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make high galactic latitude observations take in parallel with the prime science observations. The observations were completed as planned, and no problems were reported. 1.4 Completed NIC/2 7244 (Imaging of the Neptune Ring) The Near Infrared Camera (Camera Two) was used to make images of the planet Neptune's rings. The arcs in the Neptune ring have not been seen since Voyager 2 imaged them in 1989. NICMOS images made within a methane band, which suppress the scattered light from Neptune, may reveal the ring arcs, the brightest components of the Neptune ring system. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.5 Completed NIC/1/2/3 7837 (The Changeover From H to He Rich Mass Loss in PN) The Near Infrared Camera (Cameras One, Two and Three) was used to make observations of the bright planetary nebula NGC-6567. This planetary nebula has helium rich stellar atmospheres and helium poor nebulae. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.6 Completed NIC/1/2 7856 (Jets, Cones and the Alignment Effect in High-Z Radio Galaxies) The Near Infrared Camera (Cameras One and Two) was used to make observations of the radio galaxy 3C368. Two distinct physical mechanisms -- anisotropic quasar illumination and jet-cloud interactions -- are required to explain the general properties of high-z {z > 0.5} radio galaxies. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.7 Completed Six Sets of WF/PC-2 7909 (POMS Test Proposal: WF II Parallel Archive Proposal) The WF/PC-2 was used to make parallel observations as part of the POMS test proposal. This test proposal is designed to simulate scientific plans. The observations were completed as planned, and no problems were reported. 1.8 Completed NIC/2 7226 (Search for Massive Jupiters) The Near Infrared Camera (Camera Two) was used to make a corographic search for massive planets around the nearby, young main sequence star HD209253. Because of the extreme youth of this object, any low-mass brown dwarf and planetary companions will still be in a higher luminosity phase and thus easily detectable. A dark calibration image was also taken. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.9 Completed WF/PC-2 6726 (PC Astrometry of the Brown Dwarf Candidate PPL-15). The WF/PC-2 was used to make deep, far red astrometric observations of the field around the brown dwarf candidate PPL-15. Based of its radial velocity, the target is thought to be a member of the Pleiades star cluster. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.10 Completed NIC/2 7894 (Completing A Near-Infrared Search for Very Low Mass Companions to Stars within 10 pc) The Near Infrared Camera (Camera Two) was used to make observations searching for the very low mass (VLM) companions to the stars HD102365, FL- Aqr and HD39587. This search will be the largest, most sensitive, volume-limited search for VLM companions ever undertaken. The observations were completed as planned, and no anomalies were reported. 1.11 Completed NIC/1/2/3 7952 (Are Free-Floating Brown Dwarfs Single?) The Near Infrared Camera (Cameras One, Two and Three) was used to make observations of the brown dwarf star Kelu1. Very recently the first two free-floating brown dwarfs have been discovered. High resolution Keck spectroscopy has confirmed strong lithium lines in both of them. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.12 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8061 (POMS Test Proposal: WF-II Backup Parallel Archive Proposal) This is a POMS test proposal designed to simulate scientific plans. The proposal was executed as planned, and no anomalies were reported. 1.13 Completed STIS/CCD 8064 (POMS Test Proposal: STIS Non-Scripted Parallel Proposal - Backup) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to conduct a non-scripted parallel POMS test. The observations were completed as scheduled, and no problems were reported. 1.14 Completed NIC/1/2/3 7846 (IR Imaging of the AGN Accretion Disk In Centaurus A) The Near Infrared Camera (Cameras One, Two and Three) was used to make infrared imaging observations of the active galactic nucleus accretion disk on Centaurus-A (a.k.a., NGC-5128). The larger field of view will include Knot A, seen in X-ray and radio with significant substructure. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.15 Completed NIC/1/2/3 7875 (Searching for Old Stellar Populations in Candidate Proto-Spheroidals) The Near Infrared Camera (Cameras One, Two and Three) was used to make observations searching for old stellar populations in candidate proto-spheroid SA57-1501. We have compelling evidence from WF/PC-2 images that these galaxies have optical colors gradients. The near-infrared is necessary, however, to reveal color gradients large enough to separate young and old stellar populations. Only NICMOS imaging provides enough spatial resolution and depth to resolve these gradients. The observations were completed as planned, and no problems were reported. 1.16 Completed Two Sets of NIC/2 7835 (A Search for Superplanets Embedded in Beta Pic & Vega-like Circumstellar Disks) The Near Infrared Camera (Camera Two) was used to make observations of the circumstellar disk around star HD128167 in order to search for superplanets. The discovery of a circumstellar disk orbiting Beta Pictoris as well as the discovery of other similar IR-excess Vega-like systems have provided compelling evidence that our solar system, or at least many of the processes which are thought to have created it, may be far from unique. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.17 Completed WF/PC-2 6887 (A Photometric Search for Faint Companions to Nearby Stars) The WF/PC-2 was used to make photometric search observations of the nearby star HD201091 in order to look for possible companions. The technique involves use of the Planetary Camera with wide band pass filters to photometrically measure for the presence of resolved dark companions. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.18 Completed Three Sets of NIC/2/3 8063 (NICMOS Pure Parallel Sponge - Backup) The Near Infrared Camera (Cameras Two and Three) was used to make observations taken in parallel with the prime science observations. This proposal is PRE-the new FOM default. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.19 Completed NIC/1/2/3 7869 (The Morphology of Dense Gas in Seyferts , Obstruction and Fueling of AGNs) The Near Infrared Camera (Cameras One, Two and Three) was used to make observations of the Seyfert galaxy Mark6 to study the morphology of its dense gas. Near-Infrared color maps and images in H-2 emission will be used to trace hot and cold dense gas in this Seyfert galaxy. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.20 Completed STIS/CCD 7573 (Long Slit Spectroscopy of the Extended Emission-Line Regions in Seyfert 2 Galaxies) The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to make long slit spectrographic observations of the extended emission line regions in the Seyfert class 2 galaxy NGC-1068. This is to obtain the wide range of spatially-resolved UV and visible emission lines needed to determine density gradients in the narrow-line region {NLR}, determine the intrinsic reddening in the NLR, study the kinematics of the NLR, and verify the existence of a hidden broad line region and luminous continuum source. A wavelength calibration image was also taken. The observations were completed as planned, and no anomalies were reported. 1.21 Completed Four Sets of NIC/2 7233 (Dust Disks Around Main Sequence Stars) The Near Infrared Camera (Camera Two) was used to make observations of the dust disk around main sequence star HR4796. The observations were made with the coronagraph to minimize the effects of glare from the bright central star. A dark calibration image was also taken. The observations were completed as scheduled, and no anomalies were reported. 1.22 Completed NIC/1/2/3 7898 (Snapshot Survey of Proto-planetary Nebulae) The Near Infrared Camera (Cameras One, Two and Three) was used to make snapshot survey observations of the protoplanetary nebula AFGL4106. This is to help discern the structure of the nebulae and the evolutionary sequence that produces axially symmetric planetary nebulae. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.23 Completed NIC/1/2/3 7840 (Near-IR Imaging and Polarimetry of Bipolar Proto-Planetary Nebulae) The Near Infrared Camera (Cameras One, Two and Three) was used to make near-infrared observations of the bipolar proto-planetary nebula IRAS1715. The origin of the rich variety of morphologies observed in planetary nebulae {PN} is one of the major unsolved problems in stellar evolution. The observations were executed as scheduled, and no anomalies were noted. 1.24 Completed NIC/1/3 7419 (The Low Mass Stellar Luminosity Function in Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies) The Near Infrared Camera (Cameras One and Three) was used to study of the low mass stellar luminocity function in the dwarf galaxy NGC-7078. This class of dSph satellite galaxies of the Milky Way provide the nearest, and best studied, examples of dark-matter dominated systems. They have stellar velocity dispersions well in excess of those consistent with their mass being predominantly in a stellar mass function at all like that of the solar neighborhood, or of the Galactic globular clusters. The observations were completed as planned, and no problems were reported. 1.25 Completed NIC/2 7892 (Narrow-band Imaging of BAL QSOs) The Near Infrared Camera (Camera Two) was used to make narrow band observations of the BL-Lac (BAL) QSO Q2358+0216. The detection of extended emission-line gas structures in BAL QSOs would offer another means of investigating the BAL QSO phenomenon as well as establishing a new probe of material in galaxies at high redshift. The observations were completed as planned, and no problems were reported. 1.26 Completed NIC/2 7897 (Probing Planetary Formation Around Main-Sequence Stars: A Snapshot Survey) The Near Infrared Camera (Camera Two) was used to make snapshort survey images of the main sequence star HR6211 probing for planetary formation. The IR excess main-sequence stars host cool circumstellar dust disks, which are most likely replenished by the debris of unseen planetesimals. The observations were completed as scheduled, and no problems were noted. 2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY: 2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions: Scheduled Acquisitions : 29 Successful : 29 Scheduled Reacquisitions : 22 Successful : 22 2.2 FHST Updates: Scheduled : 55 Successful : 55 2.3 Operations Notes: PRS release 11.3/DB35.B testing continued, using AP1, into the weekend. No significant problems were reported. Consequently, at 227/1300Z, realtime operations transitioned to AP1, and at 227/2115Z PASSOPS made the transition. ESS changed their configuration at 229/0240Z. Using ROP SR-1, the SSR EDAC error counter was cleared six times. A DF-224 dump was collected on CCS string A at 226/1506Z. At 227/1612Z and at 2281837Z, DF-224 dumps were collected on both CCS strings (A and B). A full DF-224 dump was collected at 228/0238Z (CCS strings and A and B). Per HSTAR 6622, the STIS MCE-1 reset at at 228/090527Z while the high voltage was turned off. ROP NS-12 was executed at 228/0932Z to clear the STIS flight software error counter. The MAMA-1 will be recovered via the SMS at 229/2102Z, the time of the next MAMA-1 turn on. The ground master image was updated at 228/0321Z. Per HSTAR 6623, the STIS MCE-2 reset at at 228/235025Z while the high voltage was turned off. ROP NS-12 was executed at 229/0108Z to clear the STIS flight software error counter. The MAMA-2 will be recovered via the SMS at 229/1939Z, the time of the next MAMA-2 turn on. As described in HSTAR 6624, a NICMOS single bit error occurred at 229/031656Z. A NICMOS internal log memory dump was performed at 229/0434Z, and the limit was changed to three at 229/0437Z. A NICMOS suspend one word patch was successfully uplinked and verified at 229/1146Z. This patch changes the suspend sequence number from slot 8 to slot 25. The revised RTCS incorporates multiple TPG reset commanding and will stay in slot 25 until the next vehicle safemode, NSSC-1 flight sogtware instatllation, or SM-1. 3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS: Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations. /DMH