10944( 1) - 04/03/06 11:03 - [ 1] HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVING PROGRAM 10944 Version: 1 Check-in Time: 03-Apr-2006 15:03:06 Title Dust Formation and Evolution in SN 1987A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Type Cycle Parallel Pointing Tolerance AR 15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Investigators Contact? PI: Prof. Geoffrey C. Clayton Louisiana State University and A & M College CoI: Dr. Ben E. Sugerman Space Telescope Science Institute N CoI: Dr. Stephen S. Lawrence Hofstra University N CoI: Dr. Karl D. Gordon University of Arizona N CoI: Dr. Michael J. Wolff Space Science Institute N CoI: Dr. Douglas L. Welch McMaster University N CoI: Dr. Margaret Meixner Space Telescope Science Institute N ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Abstract SN 1987A is, by far, the best observed SN in history. The HST spectra and images of SN 1987A comprise a unique dataset which follows the development of a Type II SN, continuously for a longer period of time, and follows the ejecta to a later time than any other SN. In particular, these data can be used to help better understand the formation and evolution of dust in SN ejecta. The dust formation can be seen in the development of asymmetric blueshifted emission line profiles and is caused by dust forming, and preferentially extinguishing redshifted emission from the far side of the expanding ejecta. Galaxies at high redshift, less than 1 Gyr after their formation, have been observed to contain abundant amounts of dust In these early galaxies, dust production may fall completely to the Type II SNe. The study of dust formation in SN 1987A may be a Rosetta Stone for SNe in high redshift galaxies. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------