S T A N / W F P C 2 - Number 20, October 1996

CONTENTS:

• WFPC2 NEWS:
• Secondary Mirror Movement Scheduled for October 30
• DATA ANALYST POSITION AVAILABLE AT STScI
• PROGRAM COORDINATOR POSITION AVAILABLE AT STScI
• RECENT PREPRINTS
• APPENDIX: WFPC2 CONTACTS

Secondary Mirror Movement Scheduled for October 30:

by Stefano Casertano

The next semi-annual focus adjustment of the Optical Telescope Assembly (OTA) is planned for October 30 (day 304) around 17 hours UT. The OTA secondary will be moved outwards by 5.0 micron, to compensate for the continuing desorption in the OTA metering truss. This will result in an average focus position about +2.5 micron from nominal, compared to the current position of -2.5 micron derived from trending data. A compensating movement of the COSTAR DOB will be carried out at the same time.

Since the shape of the PSF in the PC changes slightly with the secondary mirror movement, observers requiring very accurate PSF, for example to identify faint sources near bright point sources in the PC, should avoid combining observations before and after the secondary mirror movement. The encircled energy distribution of the PSF, and thus aperture photometry, is a weak quadratic function of focus position, and will not be affected significantly by the secondary mirror movement: the expected variation in 1 pixel radius aperture photometry in the PC is less than 1 percent. However, the continuing drift in focus position can affect aperture photometry in small (1 pixel radius) apertures in the PC at the level of a few percent; an ISR describing the effect of focus change on photometry using different size apertures will be released within the next month.

There is no plan for another movement of the secondary mirror until the servicing mission next February.

Data Analyst Position Available at STScI:

The Space Telescope Science Institute anticipates an opening for a Data Analyst. Data Analysts in the Science Support Division help General Observers and Archive Researchers analyze HST data, work with Instrument Scientists in calibrating the HST instruments, and work with STScI staff on grant-supported research projects. These research projects span a range of size scales from comets and planets to the large scale structure of the universe and a range of wavelengths from radio to X-ray astronomy. Applicants should possess a B.S. degree in astronomy or physics, or equivalent; experience with astronomical research; familiarity with scientific computing; expertise in data analysis; knowledge of IRAF, IDL or other software packages for astronomical data analysis; and programming ability. Additional mathematical, statistical, and computer skills are desirable. Candidates should have the ability to work with a minimum of direction, enjoy research and possess skills to develop excellent working relationships. Candidates should send a letter with current curriculum vitae and the names of three references to:

Human Resources Manager
Space Telescope Science Institute
3700 San Martin Dr.
Baltimore, MD 21218

Women and minorities are strongly urged to apply. AAE/EOE.

Program Coordinator Position Available at STScI:

The Space Telescope Science Institute anticipates an opening for a Program Coordinator in the Project to Re-Engineer Space Telescope Observing. Program Coordinators work, in conjunction with Contact Scientists, with successful HST proposers helping them design observation programs at the forefront of astronomy. Upon receiving the accepted program, the Program Coordinators are in charge of implementing the program to fly on the Space Telescope for execution.

The successful candidate would be a very motivated individual, with excellent communication and organizational skills, able to work with minimum supervision. A BA or MA in physics or astronomy and experience with spacecraft operations or proposal implementation is very desirable.

Candidates should send a letter with current curriculum vitae and the names of three references to:

Human Resources Manager
Space Telescope Science Institute
3700 San Martin Dr.
Baltimore, MD 21218

Women and minorities are strongly urged to apply. AAE/EOE.

RECENT PREPRINTS:

We draw your attention to these papers, based on WF/PC and WFPC2 data, that will appear in the next few months. This list includes all preprints received by the STScI Library not yet published in the journals. Please remember to include our Library in your preprint distribution list.

FOMALONT, E.B.; KELLERMANN, K.I.; RICHARDS, E.A.;
WINDHORST, R.A.; PARTRIDGE, R.B.  "Radio emission from
objects in the Hubble Deep Field"  ApJ accepted.

DEUTSCH, E.W.; ANDERSON, S.F.; MARGON, B.; DOWNES, A.  "A
uv-excess optical candidate for the luminous globular
cluster X-ray source in NGC 1851"  ApJ accepted.

KELLERMANN, K.I.; FOMALONT, E.B.; RICHARDS, E.A.;
WINDHORST, R.A.; PARTRIDGE, R.B.  "A VLA survey of the
Hubble Deep Field"  HST and the High Redshift Universe.

MINNITI, D.; MEYLAN, G.; PRYOR, C.; PHINNEY, E.S.; SAMS,
B.; TINNEY, C.G.  "An unusual brightening of the eclipsing
binary star AKO 9 in the globular cluster 47 Tucanae
observed with HST"  ApJ accepted.

SCHWEIZER, F.; MILLER, B.W.; WHITMORE, B.C.; FALL, S.M.
"Hubble Space Telescope observations of candidate young
globular clusters and stellar associations in the recent
merger remnant NGC 3921"  AJ 11-96.

APPENDIX: WFPC2 Contacts:

Any questions about the scheduling of your observations should be addressed to your Program Coordinator. Post-Observation questions can be addressed to your Contact Scientist. If you do not know who these persons are, you can find the information on the WWW at http://www.stsci.edu/public/propinfo.html.

Analysis, STSDAS or any other questions can also be addressed to help@stsci.edu.

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