18089( 3) - 19-Aug-2025 19:53:06 - [ 1] HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVING PROGRAM 18089 Version: 3 Check-in Time: 19-Aug-2025 19:53:06 STScI Edit Number: 0 Title Uncovering the optical emission in the brightest X-ray Jet ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Type Cycle GO 33 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Investigators Contact? PI: Dr. Eileen T Meyer University of Maryland Baltimore County Y CoI: Prof. Eric S. Perlman Florida Institute of Technology N CoI: Dr. Giulia Migliori INAF - Istituto di Radioastronomia N CoI: Dr. Aneta Siemiginowska Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical N Observatory CoI: Dr. Markos Georganopoulos University of Maryland Baltimore County N CoI: Dr. Onic I. Shuvo University of Maryland Baltimore County N ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Abstract Despite the fact that jets from actively accreting super-massive black holes were first understood to exist over 40 years ago, we are still in ignorance about many primary aspects of these systems -- including how jets are launched from the black hole itself, to their particle makeup and even the nature of the emission mechanism at high energies. The exquisite spatial resolution of Chandra lead to the discovery that these jets continue to accelerate particles to multi-TeV energies very far from the central black hole, as evidenced by unexpectedly strong X-ray emission on these scales, which remains poorly understood. While Chandra has discovered over 200 X-ray emitting kpc-scale jets, most lack corresponding HST observations, needed to characterize fully the SED and identify the radiation mechanism(s) operating in jets on larger scales. This proposal requests multi-band (IR, optical, UV) observations of the X-ray brightest jet so far discovered, RGB J1512+020A. Hosted by a powerful quasar, tentative ground-based detection of the brightest component in the jet suggests that the radio, optical, and X-rays each belong to a distinct emission component, a signature which has been reported previously in the very low-power jet in M84. These 'optical anomalies' have major implications for our understanding of both jet physics and the impact of jets on their environment. Until the unknown optical and X-ray emission mechanisms are clearly identified, it is impossible to properly measure or account for the impact of jets on their environment. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Observations Description ------------------------ This is a proposal for multi-band continuum imaging of the jet of quasar RGB J1512+020A, which hosts the brightest resolved X-ray emitting jet at low redshift. The goal of this program is to provide a very well-measured and spatially resolved SED of the jet as it extends out of the galaxy, as currently the (apparent) multiple spectral components in the radio, optical, and X-ray are not well-understood. We already have multi-band imaging at matching resolution with radio telescopes (e.g. VLA) and ALMA, and this program also included a joint Chandra request. The quasar core is expected to be very bright based on ground-based imaging, so roll constraints have been requested to ensure that PSF spikes do not over-run the fainter jet features which extend 18089( 3) - 19-Aug-2025 19:53:06 - [ 2] 20-30" from the central source. At the redshift of this source it is likely that some host galaxy emission will be visible even with the bright quasar, so the requested observing time reflects that needed to reach a relatively high S/N on the individual jet features. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 18089( 3) - 19-Aug-2025 19:53:06 - [ 3] TARGET LIST Fixed Targets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tar| Target | Target | Target |Coord | Radial | Flux data No | Name | Description | Position |Eqnx | Vel. | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 RGB-J1512+02 GALAXY, JET, QUASAR RA=15H12M15.7418S, J2000 V = 18.31 0A DEC=+02D03'16.98" Reference Frame: Other: SIMBAD Extended: YES Comments: This object was generated by the targetselector and retrieved from the SIMBAD database. Epoch of Position RA proper motion (seconds of time/yr) DEC Proper Motion (arcsec/yr) Annual Parallax (arcsec) 2015.5 0 0 0.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 18089( 3) - 19-Aug-2025 19:53:06 - [ 4] Patterns ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pattern_Number: 3 Primary_Pattern Secondary_Pattern Pattern_Type WFC3-UVIS-DITHER-LINE-3PT Pattern_Purpose DITHER Number_Of_Points 3 Point_Spacing 0.135 Line_Spacing Coordinate_Frame POS-TARG Pattern_Orient 46.84 Angle_Between_Sides Center_Pattern NO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pattern_Number: 4 Primary_Pattern Secondary_Pattern Pattern_Type WFC3-UVIS-DITHER-BOX Pattern_Purpose DITHER Number_Of_Points 4 Point_Spacing 0.173 Line_Spacing 0.112 Coordinate_Frame POS-TARG Pattern_Orient 23.884 Angle_Between_Sides 81.785 Center_Pattern NO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 18089( 3) - 19-Aug-2025 19:53:06 - [ 5] Visit: 01 (IR) Visit Requirements: ORIENT 330D TO 8 D; ORIENT 67D TO 104 D; ORIENT 156D TO 188 D; ORIENT 241D TO 271 D 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 RGB-J1512+0 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR F105W NSAMP=8, SAMP-SEQ=SPARS50 1 DEF POS TARG 0, 0 20A CUM (352.935 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 RGB-J1512+0 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR F105W NSAMP=8, SAMP-SEQ=SPARS50 1 DEF POS TARG 0.0858, 1.083 20A CUM (352.935 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 RGB-J1512+0 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR F105W NSAMP=8, SAMP-SEQ=SPARS50 1 DEF POS TARG 0.497, 2.647 20A CUM (352.935 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 RGB-J1512+0 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR F160W NSAMP=12, SAMP-SEQ=SPARS25 1 DEF POS TARG 1, 1 20A CUM (277.938 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 RGB-J1512+0 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR F160W NSAMP=12, SAMP-SEQ=SPARS25 1 DEF POS TARG 1.704, 2.051 20A CUM (277.938 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6 RGB-J1512+0 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR F160W NSAMP=12, SAMP-SEQ=SPARS25 1 DEF POS TARG 2.409, 2.101 20A CUM (277.938 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7 RGB-J1512+0 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR F160W NSAMP=12, SAMP-SEQ=SPARS25 1 DEF POS TARG 3.352, 2.630 20A CUM (277.938 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ RGB-J1512+020A 1 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR F105W none none none none 1 N/A CUM RGB-J1512+020A 2 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR F105W none none none none 1 N/A CUM RGB-J1512+020A 3 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR F105W none none none none 1 N/A CUM RGB-J1512+020A 4 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR F160W none none none none 1 N/A CUM 18089( 3) - 19-Aug-2025 19:53:06 - [ 6] 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ RGB-J1512+020A 5 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR F160W none none none none 1 N/A CUM RGB-J1512+020A 6 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR F160W none none none none 1 N/A CUM RGB-J1512+020A 7 WFC3/IR MULTIAC IR F160W none none none none 1 N/A CUM 18089( 3) - 19-Aug-2025 19:53:06 - [ 7] Visit: 02 (Optical) Visit Requirements: ORIENT 335D TO 0 D; ORIENT 58D TO 90 D; ORIENT 155D TO 175 D; ORIENT 240D TO 265 D 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 RGB-J1512+0 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1K F814W FLASH=10 1 280 S PATTERN 4 1 20A S 1C-SUB (1120 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 RGB-J1512+0 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1K F606W FLASH=10 1 288 S (864 PATTERN 3 2 20A S 1C-SUB 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ RGB-J1512+020A 1 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1 F814W 1 none none none 1 N/A S K1C-SUB RGB-J1512+020A 1 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1 F814W 2 none none none 1 N/A S K1C-SUB RGB-J1512+020A 1 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1 F814W 3 none none none 1 N/A S K1C-SUB RGB-J1512+020A 1 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1 F814W 4 none none none 1 N/A S K1C-SUB RGB-J1512+020A 2 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1 F606W 1 none none none 1 N/A S K1C-SUB RGB-J1512+020A 2 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1 F606W 2 none none none 1 N/A S K1C-SUB RGB-J1512+020A 2 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1 F606W 3 none none none 1 N/A S K1C-SUB 18089( 3) - 19-Aug-2025 19:53:06 - [ 8] Visit: 03 (UV) Visit Requirements: ORIENT 335D TO 0 D; ORIENT 58D TO 90 D; ORIENT 155D TO 175 D; ORIENT 240D TO 265 D 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 RGB-J1512+0 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1K F300X FLASH=18 1 300 S PATTERN 4 1 20A S 1C-SUB (1200 S) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 RGB-J1512+0 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1K F475X FLASH=10 1 260 S (780 PATTERN 3 2 20A S 1C-SUB 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 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ RGB-J1512+020A 1 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1 F300X 1 none none none 1 N/A S K1C-SUB RGB-J1512+020A 1 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1 F300X 2 none none none 1 N/A S K1C-SUB RGB-J1512+020A 1 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1 F300X 3 none none none 1 N/A S K1C-SUB RGB-J1512+020A 1 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1 F300X 4 none none none 1 N/A S K1C-SUB RGB-J1512+020A 2 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1 F475X 1 none none none 1 N/A S K1C-SUB RGB-J1512+020A 2 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1 F475X 2 none none none 1 N/A S K1C-SUB RGB-J1512+020A 2 WFC3/UVI ACCUM UVIS2-M1 F475X 3 none none none 1 N/A S K1C-SUB 18089( 3) - 19-Aug-2025 19:53:06 - [ 9] Summary Form for Proposal 18089 Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apertures IR, UVIS2-M1K1C-SUB ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations WFC3/IR, WFC3/UVIS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes ACCUM, MULTIACCUM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters FLASH=10, FLASH=18, NSAMP=12, NSAMP=8, SAMP-SEQ=SPARS25, SAMP-SEQ=SPARS50 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements ORIENT 155D TO 175 D, ORIENT 156D TO 188 D, ORIENT 240D TO 265 D, ORIENT 241D TO 271 D, ORIENT 330D TO 8 D, ORIENT 335D TO 0 D, ORIENT 58D TO 90 D, ORIENT 67D TO 104 D, PATTERN 3 2, PATTERN 4 1, POS TARG 0, 0, POS TARG 0.0858, 1.083, POS TARG 0.497, 2.647, POS TARG 1, 1, POS TARG 1.704, 2.051, POS TARG 2.409, 2.101, POS TARG 3.352, 2.630 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements F105W, F160W, F300X, F475X, F606W, F814W ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names RGB-J1512+020A ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------