13355( 3) - 28-Aug-2013 21:27:42 - [ 1] HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVING PROGRAM 13355 Version: 3 Check-in Time: 28-Aug-2013 21:27:42 STScI Edit Number: 0 Title Uncovering the Nature of the Evolving Remnant Star of a Recent Stellar Merger ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Type Cycle GO 21 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Investigators Contact? PI: Mr. Bruce McCollum Catholic University of America Y CoI: Dr. Seppo J. Laine California Institute of Technology N CoI: Dr. Frederick C. Bruhweiler Catholic University of America N CoI: Mr. Lee Rottler Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute N (PARI) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Abstract The 2008 nova of V1309 Sco has been determined to have resulted from a stellar merger between a K giant and a late-type dwarf. This is the first stellar merger ever to be observed during and soon after the event. Mergers are thought to be a significant influence in the evolution of both open and globular clusters as well as the centers of spiral galaxies, but mergers remain a poorly-understood phenomenon because there has been no opportunity before now to study one in progress. No spectra in visible light have been published of the remnant star of V1309 Sco except for a few spectra obtained several months after the merger. Those spectra showed that the merger remnant had many strong emission lines, some of which were anomalous, and that the remnant was evolving dramatically in spectral type. It is important to continue to study the remnant spectroscopically because the merger process and its aftermath are poorly understood. The exact nature of the star which the remnant will become is not known or even theoretically predicted. Visible-light spectra will let us determine the current apparent spectral type. N-body merger models, as well as infrared observations we have obtained after the event, suggest that considerable mass was lost during the merger. Visible-light spectra will help us to learn how much mass was lost, and will help us look for possible identifying clues which could be used to determine whether other novae might have resulted from mergers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Observations Description ------------------------ We wish to obtain four exposures (not counting cr-splits) of the same star. We have allocated one visit per orbit. We are going to an offset star about 2.5 arcminutes distant before going to the target because the target is not the brightest object in the peakup field. Real Time Justification ----------------------- Calibration Justification ------------------------- 13355( 3) - 28-Aug-2013 21:27:42 - [ 2] Additional Comments ------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13355( 3) - 28-Aug-2013 21:27:42 - [ 3] TARGET LIST Fixed Targets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tar| Target | Target | Target |Coord | Radial | Flux data No | Name | Description | Position |Eqnx | Vel. | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 NOVA-SCO-200 STAR, M III-I RA-OFF=-0.504S, DEC-OFF=+25.81", J2000 V = 19 8 FROM 3 Comments: The coordinates of this object were obtained from WCF3 images taken in 2012. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 S8DQ078415 STAR, UNDESIGNATED RA=17H57M33.4340S +/- 0.2", J2000 V = 16.2108 DEC=-30D43'35.90" +/- 0.2" Reference Frame: ICRS Comments: This object was generated by the targetselector and retrieved from the GSC 2.3 database. Epoch of Position RA proper motion (seconds of time/yr) DEC Proper Motion (arcsec/yr) Annual Parallax (arcsec) 2012.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13355( 3) - 28-Aug-2013 21:27:42 - [ 4] Visit: 01 Visit Requirements: On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exp | Target | Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Num | Name | Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| (Total) | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 S8DQ078415 STIS/CCD ACQ F28X50LP MIRROR 1 0.2 S (0.2 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 NOVA-SCO-20 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X2 G750L 7751 CR-SPLIT=3 1 1000 S 08 see below (2333.6 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 CCDFLAT STIS/CCD ACCUM 0.3X0.09 G750L 7751 2 DEF (0 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sub Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target | Exp |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Cent.|Primary |Secondary |Iteration |CR-SPLIT |Orbit |Duration Name | Num |Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Wave.|Pattern Pos |Pattern Pos |Num |Num |Number | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ S8DQ078415 1 STIS/CCD ACQ F28X50LP MIRROR none none none none 1 N/A NOVA-SCO-2008 2 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X2 G750L 7751 none none none 1 1 889.0 S NOVA-SCO-2008 2 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X2 G750L 7751 none none none 2 1 722.3 S NOVA-SCO-2008 2 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X2 G750L 7751 none none none 3 1 722.3 S CCDFLAT 3 STIS/CCD ACCUM 0.3X0.09 G750L 7751 none none 1 none 1 N/A CCDFLAT 3 STIS/CCD ACCUM 0.3X0.09 G750L 7751 none none 2 none 1 N/A 13355( 3) - 28-Aug-2013 21:27:42 - [ 5] Visit: 02 Visit Requirements: On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exp | Target | Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Num | Name | Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| (Total) | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 S8DQ078415 STIS/CCD ACQ F28X50LP MIRROR 1 0.2 S (0.2 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 NOVA-SCO-20 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X2 G750L 7751 CR-SPLIT=3 1 1000 S 08 see below (2333.6 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 CCDFLAT STIS/CCD ACCUM 0.3X0.09 G750L 7751 2 DEF (0 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sub Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target | Exp |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Cent.|Primary |Secondary |Iteration |CR-SPLIT |Orbit |Duration Name | Num |Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Wave.|Pattern Pos |Pattern Pos |Num |Num |Number | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ S8DQ078415 1 STIS/CCD ACQ F28X50LP MIRROR none none none none 1 N/A NOVA-SCO-2008 2 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X2 G750L 7751 none none none 1 1 889.0 S NOVA-SCO-2008 2 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X2 G750L 7751 none none none 2 1 722.3 S NOVA-SCO-2008 2 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X2 G750L 7751 none none none 3 1 722.3 S CCDFLAT 3 STIS/CCD ACCUM 0.3X0.09 G750L 7751 none none 1 none 1 N/A CCDFLAT 3 STIS/CCD ACCUM 0.3X0.09 G750L 7751 none none 2 none 1 N/A 13355( 3) - 28-Aug-2013 21:27:42 - [ 6] Visit: 03 Visit Requirements: On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exp | Target | Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Num | Name | Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| (Total) | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 S8DQ078415 STIS/CCD ACQ F28X50LP MIRROR 1 0.2 S (0.2 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 NOVA-SCO-20 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X2 G750L 7751 CR-SPLIT=3 1 1000 S 08 see below (2333.6 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 CCDFLAT STIS/CCD ACCUM 0.3X0.09 G750L 7751 2 DEF (0 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sub Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target | Exp |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Cent.|Primary |Secondary |Iteration |CR-SPLIT |Orbit |Duration Name | Num |Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Wave.|Pattern Pos |Pattern Pos |Num |Num |Number | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ S8DQ078415 1 STIS/CCD ACQ F28X50LP MIRROR none none none none 1 N/A NOVA-SCO-2008 2 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X2 G750L 7751 none none none 1 1 889.0 S NOVA-SCO-2008 2 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X2 G750L 7751 none none none 2 1 722.3 S NOVA-SCO-2008 2 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X2 G750L 7751 none none none 3 1 722.3 S CCDFLAT 3 STIS/CCD ACCUM 0.3X0.09 G750L 7751 none none 1 none 1 N/A CCDFLAT 3 STIS/CCD ACCUM 0.3X0.09 G750L 7751 none none 2 none 1 N/A 13355( 3) - 28-Aug-2013 21:27:42 - [ 7] Visit: 04 Visit Requirements: On Hold Comments: Additional Comments: Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Exp | Target | Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | Special Num | Name | Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| (Total) | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 S8DQ078415 STIS/CCD ACQ F28X50LP MIRROR 1 0.2 S (0.2 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 NOVA-SCO-20 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X2 G750L 7751 CR-SPLIT=3 1 1000 S 08 see below (2333.6 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 CCDFLAT STIS/CCD ACCUM 0.3X0.09 G750L 7751 2 DEF (0 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sub Exposures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target | Exp |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Cent.|Primary |Secondary |Iteration |CR-SPLIT |Orbit |Duration Name | Num |Config | Mode | or FOV |Element |Wave.|Pattern Pos |Pattern Pos |Num |Num |Number | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ S8DQ078415 1 STIS/CCD ACQ F28X50LP MIRROR none none none none 1 N/A NOVA-SCO-2008 2 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X2 G750L 7751 none none none 1 1 889.0 S NOVA-SCO-2008 2 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X2 G750L 7751 none none none 2 1 722.3 S NOVA-SCO-2008 2 STIS/CCD ACCUM 52X2 G750L 7751 none none none 3 1 722.3 S CCDFLAT 3 STIS/CCD ACCUM 0.3X0.09 G750L 7751 none none 1 none 1 N/A CCDFLAT 3 STIS/CCD ACCUM 0.3X0.09 G750L 7751 none none 2 none 1 N/A 13355( 3) - 28-Aug-2013 21:27:42 - [ 8] Summary Form for Proposal 13355 Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apertures 0.3X0.09, 52X2, F28X50LP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations STIS/CCD ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACCUM, ACQ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters CR-SPLIT=3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements G750L, MIRROR ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names CCDFLAT, NOVA-SCO-2008, S8DQ078415 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------