removed the orient. no guide stars otherwise ----- Attempting Submission 1 (Sun May 25 20:20:14 GMT 2008) ----- ----- Attempting Submission 2 (Wed Aug 13 15:43:09 GMT 2008) ----- ----- Attempting Submission 3 (Thu Aug 14 14:49:55 GMT 2008) ----- There is an error about CASM results on Visit 1, but Visit 1 has already executed. Visit 2, which has been revised, does not have errors so I am submitting the proposal. Assigned ID: 970 ----- Attempting Submission 1 (Mon May 19 00:35:20 GMT 2008) ----- APT is flagging an error because we are requesting observations between now and September 2008 in this DD proposal. We believe this is a known bug. HST Imaging of the Luminous Transient in NGC 300 A luminous optical transient discovered in the nearby (~2.2 Mpc) Sculptor Group spiral NGC 300 in May 2008 appears to be a new member of the V838 Monocerotis class of stars that expand in a few weeks to become red supergiants. Spectroscopic observations show that the NGC 300 OT is categorically not a classical nova, supernova, or luminous blue variable. At an absolute magntude of -12.5, it is by far the brightest star at present in NGC 300, but if it follows the pattern of V838 Mon and the similar object M31 RV, it will fade away rapidly in about 3 months. Before it fades, we propose to obtain WFPC2 images in order to locate the position of the object to within a few milliarcsec. This will allow us to identify the progenitor object, based on a superb set of pre-outburst ACS and WFPC2 images of NGC 300 available in the archive. We also propose a second observation in September 2008, in order to search for emergence of a light echo similar to the spectacular one that surrounds V838 Mon. If a light echo does appear, follow-up ACS polarimetry after SM4 offers the possibility of a direct geometric distance determination, allowing a fundamental calibration of the rich variety of standard candles that exist in NGC 300 (Cepheids, red-giant tip, planetary nebulae, etc.).
We will obtain WFPC2 images in B (F450W) and I (F814W) in early June 2008, for the purpose of identifying the progenitor of the NGC 300 optical transient (OT) in archival ACS images. At each of 3 dither positions, we will obtain short exposures in both filters that will not saturate the image of the OT (expected to be at about magnitude 14) and longer exposures at the same pointing that will show enough background stars for registration with the ACS images. We will also make the same set of observations (possibly with longer exposure times if the star has faded) in September 2008 to search for emergence of a light echo, similar to that seen around the Galactic star V838 Mon. COOL STARS 0 false 0.0 0.0 false false false false false SUPPORTED EXT-STAR CIRCUMSTELLAR MATTER IRREGULAR VARIABLE NGC300-OT J2000 00 00 0.0000 +00 00 0.00 J2000 WFPC2 Imaging No F555W WFPC2 Imaging No F814W WFPC2 Imaging No F439W 1212982571000 240.46009794058102 (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 11553 :visit-id "01" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20080624" :date "12-Aug-2008 20:09:40.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 0 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 1 :saa-model "26" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 537792 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 11553 :visit-id "01" :obset-id "01" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 11553 :visit-id "01" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 355 :si-vis-utilization 2760 :al-overhead-at-end 120 :internal-dur-at-end 0 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3159 :pcs-gap 0 ) true 1 0 The scheduling data was generated by CASM 17.2. CASM was run in Phase II mode. (Tic-Visit :proposal-id 11553 :visit-id "02" :proposal-version -1 :trans-version "20080624" :date "13-Aug-2008 11:38:18.0" :trans-errors '(:WARNINGS 0 :ERRORS 0 :HEALTH-AND-SAFETY 0 :FATAL-ERRORS 0 :CONTINUABLE-FATALS 0) :number-of-orbits 1 :saa-model "26" :si-bright-earth-limb-angle 20.0 :data-volume 358528 :tdrss-contact-duration 0 :coron NIL ) (Tic-Obset :proposal-id 11553 :visit-id "02" :obset-id "02" :pcs-mode "FGS" ) (Tic-Orbit :proposal-id 11553 :visit-id "02" :orbit-number 1 :pcs-time 355 :si-vis-utilization 2700 :al-overhead-at-end 180 :internal-dur-at-end 0 :dark-offset NIL :dark-utilization 0 :max-dark-utilization 1920 :low-sky "N" :pcs-visibility 3159 :pcs-gap 0 ) false 1 0