Daily Report #4394

Notice: For the foreseeable future, the daily reports may contain apparent
discrepancies between some proposal descriptions and the listed instrument
usage. This is due to the conversion of previously approved ACS WFC or HRC
observations into WFPC2, or NICMOS observations subsequent to the loss of
ACS CCD science capability in late January.


HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE - Continuing to collect World Class Science

DAILY REPORT # 4394

PERIOD COVERED: UT June 28, 2007 (DOY 179)

OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED

FGS 11214

HST/FGS Astrometric Search for Young Planets Around Beta Pic and AU Mic

Beta Pic and AU Mic are two nearby Vega-type debris disk stars. Both of
these disk systems have been spatially resolved in exquisite detail,
predominantly via the ACS coronagraph and WFPC-2 cameras onboard HST. These
images exhibit a wealth of morphological features which provide compelling
indirect evidence that these systems likely harbor short-period planetary
body{ies}. We propose to use the superlative astrometric capabilities of
HST/FGS to directly detect these planets, hence provide the first direct
planet detection in a Vega-type system whose disk has been imaged at high
spatial resolution.

NIC1/NIC2/NIC3 8794

NICMOS Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 5

A new procedure proposed to alleviate the CR-persistence problem of NICMOS.
Dark frames will be obtained immediately upon exiting the SAA contour 23,
and every time a NICMOS exposure is scheduled within 50 minutes of coming
out of the SAA. The darks will be obtained in parallel in all three NICMOS
Cameras. The POST-SAA darks will be non- standard reference files available
to users with a USEAFTER date/time mark. The keyword 'USEAFTER=date/time'
will also be added to the header of each POST-SAA DARK frame. The keyword
must be populated with the time, in addition to the date, because HST
crosses the SAA ~8 times per day so each POST-SAA DARK will need to have the
appropriate time specified, for users to identify the ones they need. Both
the raw and processed images will be archived as POST-SAA DARKSs. Generally
we expect that all NICMOS science/calibration observations started within 50
minutes of leaving an SAA will need such maps to remove the CR persistence
from the science images. Each observation will need its own CRMAP, as
different SAA passages leave different imprints on the NICMOS detectors.

NIC3 11062

NICMOS non-linearity tests

This program incorporates a number of tests to analyse the count rate
dependent non- linearity seen in NICMOS spectro-photometric observations. We
will observe a field with stars of a range in luminosity in NGC3603 with
NICMOS in NIC1: F090M, F110W, F140W, F160W NIC2: F110W, F160W, F187W, F205W,
and F222M NIC3: F110W, F150W, F160W, F175W, and F222M. We will repeat the
observations with flatfield lamp on, creating artificially high count-rates,
allowing tests of NICMOS linearity as function of count rate. We first take
exposures with the lamp off, then exposures with the lamp on, and repeat at
the end with lamp off. Finally, we continue with taking darks during
occultation. We will furthermore observe spectro-photometric standard P041C
using the G096, G141, and G206 grisms in NIC3, and repeat the lamp
off/on/off test to artificially create a high background.

WFPC2 10818

Very Young Globular Clusters in M31 ?

We propose to use HST's unique high spatial resolution imaging capabilities
to conclusively confirm or refute the presence of alleged very young
globular clusters in M31. Such young globular clusters with ages 3 Gyr are
not present in our galaxy, and, if real, would lead to a striking difference
in the age distribution of the GCs between M31 and the Millky Way. If the
apparent presence of very young globular clusters in M31 is confirmed
through our proposed ACS imaging {now WFPC2 imaging} with HST, this would
suggest major differences in the history of assembly of the two galaxies,
with probable substantial late accretion into M31 which did not occur in our
own galaxy.

WFPC2 11025

WFPC2 Cycle 15 CTE Monitor

Monitor CTE changes during Cycle 15. Test for chip-to-chip differences in
CTE.

FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:

Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports of
potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.)

HSTARS: (None)

COMPLETED OPS REQUEST: (None)

SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL

FGS GSacq 9 9
FGS REacq 1 1
OBAD with Maneuver 18 18

COMPLETED OPS NOTES: (None)

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: (None)