From: "Jacques van Oene" Newsgroups: sci.space.news Subject: HST Daily Report #3379 Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2003 16:23:48 +0200 Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory - Pasadena CA Approved: sci-space-news@zagami.jpl.nasa.gov Message-ID: <006301c32e92$be637d80$d1cd5dd5@chello.nl> charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Trace: nntp1.jpl.nasa.gov 1055168453 11339 137.78.16.91 (9 Jun 2003 14:20:53 GMT) X-Complaints-To: news@newsfeed.jpl.nasa.gov NNTP-Posting-Date: 9 Jun 2003 14:20:53 GMT X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2615.200 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2615.200 Originator: daemon@zagami.jpl.nasa.gov Xref: newsread2.funet.fi sci.space.news:13743 HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE DAILY REPORT # 3379 PERIOD COVERED: DOYs 157-159 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED ACS 9472 A Snapshot Survey for Gravitational Lenses among z >= 4.0 Quasars Over the last few years, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey has revolutionized the study of high-redshift quasars by discovering over 200 objects with redshift greater than 4.0, more than doubling the number known in this redshift interval. The sample includes eight of the ten highest redshift quasars known. We propose a snapshot imaging survey of a well-defined sample of 250 z > 4.0 quasars in order to find objects which are gravitationally lensed. Lensing models including magnification bias predict that at least 4% of quasars in a flux-limited sample at z > 4 will be multiply lensed. Therefore this survey should find of order 10 lensed quasars at high redshift; only one gravitationally lensed quasar is currently known at z > 4. This survey will provide by far the best sample to date of high-redshift gravitational lenses. The observed fraction of lenses can put strong constraints on cosmological models, in particular on the cosmological constant Lambda. In addition, magnification bias can significantly bias estimates of the luminosity function of quasars and the evolution thereof; this work will constrain how important an effect this is, and thereby give us a better understanding of the evolution of quasars and black holes at early epochs, as well as constrain models for black hole formation. ACS 9482 ACS Pure Parallel Lyman-Alpha Emission Survey {APPLES} Ly-alpha line emission is an efficient tool for identifying young galaxies at high redshift, because it is strong in galaxies with young stars and little or no dust --- properties expected in galaxies undergoing their first burst of star- formation. Slitless spectroscopy with the ACS Wide-Field Camera and G800L grism allows an unmatched search efficiency for such objects over the uninterrupted range 4 <~ z <~ 7. We propose the ACS Pure Parallel Ly-alpha Emission Survey {``APPLES''}, to exploit this unique HST capability and so obtain the largest and most uniform sample of high redshift Ly-alpha emitters yet. Parallel observations will allow this survey to be conducted with minimal impact on HST resources, and we will place reduced images and extracted spectra in the public domain within three months of observation. We aim to find ~ 1000 Ly-alpha emitters, 5 times the biggest current sample of Ly-alpha emitters. This unprecedented sample will provide robust statistics on the populations and evolution of Ly-alpha emitters between redshifts 4--7; a robust measurement of the reionization redshift completely independent of the Gunn-Peterson trough; spatial clustering information for Ly-alpha emitters which would let us probe their bias function and hence halo mass as a function of redshift; many galaxies at redshift exceeding 6; and lower redshift serendipitous discoveries. ACS 9400 ARE THERE YOUNG GALAXIES IN THE LOCAL UNIVERSE: THE AGE OF THE BLUE COMPACT DWARF GALAXY I ZW 18 The question of whether there exists young galaxies in the local universe is important for cosmology. Cold Dark matter models predict that low-mass galaxies could still be forming at the present epoch. In the hierarchical model of galaxy formation, large galaxies result from the merging of smaller structures. These primordial building-block galaxies are too faint and small to be studied at high redshifts, while we stand a much better chance of understanding them if we can find some local examples. One of the best candidates for being a young nearby galaxy forming stars for the first time at the present epoch, is the blue compact dwarf {BCD} galaxy I Zw 18 because of its extremely low heavy element content {2% that of the Sun}. We propose to obtain deep $V$ and $I$ ACS images of I Zw 18. Our goal is to detect or put limits on the red giant branch {RGB} stellar population in this galaxy. If RGB stars are not detected, then we can set an upper limit for the age of I Zw 18 to be less than 1 Gyr. If they are detected, I Zw 18 is not young, and the RGB tip can be used to derive its distance and set limits on the metallicity of the pregalactic gas. ACS 9674 CCD Daily Monitor This program consists of basic tests to monitor, the read noise, the development of hot pixels and test for any source of noise in ACS CCD detectors. This programme will be executed once a day for the entire lifetime of ACS. ACS 9480 Cosmic Shear With ACS Pure Parallels Small distortions in the shapes of background galaxies by foreground mass provide a powerful method of directly measuring the amount and distribution of dark matter. Several groups have recently detected this weak lensing by large-scale structure, also called cosmic shear. The high resolution and sensitivity of HST/ACS provide a unique opportunity to measure cosmic shear accurately on small scales. Using 260 parallel orbits in Sloan textiti {F775W} we will measure for the first time: beginlistosetlength sep0cm setlengthemsep0cm setlength opsep0cm em the cosmic shear variance on scales <0.7 arcmin, em the skewness of the shear distribution, and em the magnification effect. endlist Our measurements will determine the amplitude of the mass power spectrum sigma_8Omega_m^0.5, with signal-to-noise {s/n} ~ 20, and the mass density Omega_m with s/n=4. They will be done at small angular scales where non-linear effects dominate the power spectrum, providing a test of the gravitational instability paradigm for structure formation. Measurements on these scales are not possible from the ground, because of the systematic effects induced by PSF smearing from seeing. Having many independent lines of sight reduces the uncertainty due to cosmic variance, making parallel observations ideal. ACS 9714 Hubble Heritage Observations of the Sombrero Galaxy The Hubble Heritage Team will observe the entire Sombrero Galaxy {M104, NGC 4594} with a 6-point ACS mosaic. A color composite image will be released to the public via the Heritage website and an STScI photo release. ACS 9462 Systemic and Internal Proper Motions of the Magellanic Clouds from Astrometry with ACS We request first epoch observations with ACS of Magellanic Cloud fields centered on background quasars. Second epoch observations will be requested ~ 5 years later to allow the measurement of the systemic and internal proper motions of the Clouds with error <~0.05 mas/year. These motions are of fundamental importance. The systemic motions of the LMC and SMC probe the gravitational potential of the dark halo. The internal proper motion due to rotation can be exploited to yield a rotational parallax distance to the LMC; the first time that this will be done for any galaxy. This is particularly important for the LMC because of its crucial role in the extragalctic distance ladder. Previous measurements of the proper motion of the LMC yield a systemic component ranging from 1.4 mas/year to 3.4 mas/year {differing by several times the quoted errors}, with no useful determination of the internal motions. The main problem with measurements of the proper motion of the LMC has been the lack of a sample of background quasars to use as reference frame. We have recently been able to identify a sample of 54 quasars behind the Magellanic Clouds from their variability characteristics in the MACHO database. With this sample and the advent of ACS an accurate proper motion measurement has become possible for the very first time. ACS 9401 The ACS Virgo Cluster Survey We propose the most comprehensive imaging survey to date of low-redshift, early-type galaxies. Our goal is to exploit the exceptional imaging capabilities of the ACS by acquiring deep images --- in the SDSS g^ and z^ bandpasses --- for 163 E, S0, dE, dE, N and dS0 galaxies in Virgo, the nearest rich cluster. This extraordinary dataset would likely constitute one of the principal legacies of HST, and would have widespread applications for many diverse areas of astrophysics. Our immediate scientific objectives are threefold: {1} measure metallicities, ages and radii for the many thousands of globular clusters {GCs} in these galaxies, and use this information to derive the protogalactic mass spectrum of each galaxy; {2} measure the central luminosity and color profile of each galaxy, and use this information to carry out a completely independent test of the merging hierarchy inferred from the GCs, with the aid of N-body codes that simulate the merger of galaxies containing massive black holes; and {3} calibrate the z^ -band SBF method, measure Virgo's 3-D structure, and carry out the definitive study of the GC luminosity function's precision as a standard candle. Our proposed Virgo Cluster Survey will yield a database of unprecedented depth, precision and uniformity, and will enable us to study the record of galaxy and cluster formation in a level of detail which will never be possible with more distant systems. ACS/HRC 9391 High-Resolution Imaging of Pluto's Surface We will collect a series of observations with the ACS/HRC from which we will derive a two-color global map of Pluto's surface. We will image Pluto at F435W and F555W, wavelengths that have been extensively studied from the ground over the past 50 years. The maps will provide albedos with accurate error determinations down to 52 degrees South latitude. These observations will provide a second epoch of HST mapping of the active surface of Pluto as it continues to recede from the Sun and will provide an important context for other detailed studies of Pluto. ACS/HRC 9379 Near Ultraviolet Imaging of Seyfert Galaxies: Understanding the Starburst-AGN Connection We propose a near-UV snapshot survey of 101 Seyfert galaxies using ACS/HRC and the filter F330W, a configuration which is optimal to detect faint star forming regions around their nuclei. These images will complement optical and near-IR images available in the HST archive, thus providing a panchromatic atlas of the inner regions of active galaxies, which we will use to study the starburst-AGN connection. The main goals of this proposal are: {1} Determine the frequency of circumnuclear starbursts in Seyferts, down to levels which cannot be observed from the ground; {2} characterize the observational {fluxes, colors, structure, sizes} and intrinsic {luminosities, masses, ages, global star-formation rate} properties of these clusters; {3} derive the luminosity functions of young star clusters around the nucleus of Seyferts and compare these results with those from normal and starburst galaxies to determine their survival rate close to the AGN; {4} address questions about the relation between AGNs and starbursts, like the possible connection between the masses and luminosities of black holes and starbursts, and the implications for the evolution of the black holes and their host galaxy bulges. By adding UV images to the existing optical and near-IR ones, this project will create an extremely valuable database for astronomers with a broad range of scientific interests, from the properties of the AGN to the properties of their host galaxies. FGS 9348 The Distances to AM CVn stars We propose to determine the parallaxes and proper motions of the five brightest of the seven known AM CVn systems using the HST Fine Guidance Sensors. AM CVn systems are binaries where mass is transferred from a completely hydrogen-deficient, degenerate mass donor to a white dwarf primary through a helium accretion disk. A better understanding of these systems is crucial for a number of reasons:, to study the late stages of binary evolution, to study the effect of chemical composition on the physics of accretion discs; , o to estimate their contribution to the Supernovae Ia rate and , to estimate their contribution to the gravitational radiation background. All these studies rely critically on a determination of the distances to the currently known systems. With brightnesses in the range 13 3.8 targets the following four questions will be studied: {1} Are HzRGs massive central-cluster galaxies formed through hierarchical assembly of Lyman break galaxies? Detailed brightness distributions colors and morphologies of HzRG clumps will be measured and compared with those of Lyman break galaxies. {2} Are HzRGs located in dense {proto-} clusters and if so what are the properties of the associated large-scale structures? Lyman alpha excesses, colors and morphologies of objects in field will be used to search for companion galaxies of HzRGs. {3} What are the origin and fate of giant gas halos associated with HzRGs and what role do they play in the formation of massive galaxies? The morphologies and locations of Ly-alpha clumps will be compared with those of continuum clumps. {4} Is nuclear activity a source of star formation in the early Universe? The properties of continuum and Ly-alpha clumps along will be compared in relation to the radio jet. NICMOS 9485 Completing A Near-Infrared Search for Very Low Mass Companions to Stars within 10 pc of the Sun Most stars are fainter and less massive than the Sun. Nevertheless, our knowledge of very low mass {VLM} red dwarfs and their brown dwarf cousins is quite limited. Unknown are the true luminosity function {LF}, multiplicity fraction, mass function, and mass-luminosity relation for red and brown dwarfs, though they dominate the Galaxy in both numbers and total mass. The best way to constrain these relations is a search for faint companions to nearby stars. Such a search has several advantages over field surveys, including greater sensitivity to VLM objects and the availability of precise parallaxes from which luminosities and masses can be derived. We propose to complete our four-filter NICMOS snapshot search for companions to stars within 10 pc. With a 10 sigma detection limit of M_J ~ 20 at 10 pc, we can detect companions between 10 and 100 AU that are at least 9 mag fainter than the empirical end of the main sequence and at least 6.5 mag fainter than the brown dwarf Gl 229B. When completed, our search will be the largest, most sensitive, volume-limited search for VLM companions ever undertaken. Our four-filter search will permit unambiguous identification of VLM-companion candidates for follow-up observation. Together with IR speckle and deep imaging surveys, our program will firmly establish the LF for VLM companions at separations of 1-1000 AU and the multiplicity fraction of all stars within 10 pc. NICMOS 9386 Infrared Photometry of a Statistically Significant Sample of KBOs While the discovery rate of Kuiper Belt objects is accelerating, the physical study of this new region of the solar system has been slowed by a lack of basic astrophysical data. Photometric observations of the majority of the more than 400 known KBOs and Centaurs are rudimentary and incomplete, particularly in the infrared. The multicolor optical-infrared photometry that exists for a small subset of KBOs often shows significant discrepancies between observations by different observers. Their intrinsic faintness puts them at the practical limits of ground-based systems. In July 2001 we began what will be the largest uniform sample of optical photometry of KBOs with a WFPC2 SNAPSHOT program that will perform accurate photometry at V, R, and I on a sample of up to 150 targets. We seek to greatly enhance the value of this survey by obtaining J and H photometry on the same sample using NICMOS. Combined optical and infrared broad band photometry is a far more powerful tool for physical studies than is either alone. Our sample includes objects that will be observed at thermal infrared wavelengths by SIRTF and will be used with those data to derive the first accurate diameters, albedos, and surface properties for a large sample of KBOs. NICMOS 9423 NICMOS Observations of Transient Infrared Jets in the Galactic Microquasar GRS1915+105 We propose to use HST/NICMOS to make Target of Opportunity observations of the galactic microquasar GRS1915+105. This source possesses transient radio jets which exhibit apparent superluminal motions, and resolved infrared emission from these jets has been observed in GRS1915+105 {Sams, Eckart, and Sunyaev, 1996; Eikenberry and Fazio, 1996}. Because the jet ejection events are correlated with X-ray outbursts, we will use observations of X-ray flares with the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer to trigger the HST observations. We will then monitor GRS1915+105 periodically with NICMOS, obtaining relative astrometry, photometry, polarimetry, and grism spectroscopy of the jets and the parent object. These observations will allow us to greatly increase our understanding of the jets' radiative mechanisms and physical conditions, and their evolution with time. We require the capabilities of HST and NICMOS due to the small angular separations between the jets and the parent object {increasing from ~ 0.1 to ~ 0.8 arcsec over the span of the TOO observations} and the high reddening towards GRS1915+105 {A_V ~ 30 mag}. NICMOS 8791 NICMOS Post-SAA calibration - CR Persistence Part 2 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. NICMOS 9360 Paschen-alpha Imaging of a SIRTF-Selected Nearby Galaxy Sample We propose to carry out a NICMOS snapshot survey in the Paschen-alpha {PAlpha} emission line and H-band of the sample of galaxies being observed at 3.5 -- 160 microns as part of SIRTF Nearby Galaxies Survey {SINGS} and a related guaranteed time survey of starburst galaxies. The PAlpha images, accessible only from HST, will be combined with groundbased HAlpha imaging to measure the extinction in the star-forming centers of these galaxies, and obtain robust, extinction- corrected maps of the massive star formation rate {SFR}. The PAlpha data by themselves will provide reliable `extinction- free' SFRs, and a cross-calibration of the {dust--affected} HAlpha-- and UV--based SFRs. The PAlpha--based SFR measurements will extend the SFR-vs.-gas density law {Schmidt--law} to surface densities at least 30 times higher than what is accessible using HAlpha--based SFR measurements alone, bridging the gap between normal galaxies and IR--luminous starbursts. Furthermore, the combination of the HST PAlpha images with the SIRTF images and spectra, as well as ancillary ground--based UBVRIJHK images and GALEX UV images being obtained as part of the SINGS project, will provide a definitive study of the radiative transfer of starlight and dust heating in star--forming galaxies. The processed NICMOS images will be incorporated into the public SINGS Legacy Data Archive, to enable scores of follow-up studies by the astronomical community at large. NICMOS 9644 Polarimetric Calibration One HST standard unpolarized point source is observed to determine the instrumental polarization for each of the three polarizers on NIC1 {POL0S, POL120S and POL240S} and NIC2 {POL0L, POL120L, POL240L}. Also, the polarization fraction and position angle of polarization are measured for a standard polarized point source to determine their absolute accuracy in each polarizer and each camera. Polarimetric observations of CRL2688 {The Egg Nebula} will be performed to evaluate the calibration across the imaging field in both cameras. These observations are required after the installation of the NCS. NICMOS 9375 The Host Galaxies of Time Delay Lenses: , An Independent Route to the Hubble Constant Because of its importance in setting the distance scale, the time scale and in estimating cosmological parameters from the CMB, astronomy needs an estimate of the Hubble constant independent of the local distance scale and its systematic problems. This can be achieved using gravitational lenses with time delay measurements given enough constraints on the gravitational potential of the lens. We will use deep NICMOS observations of the lensed quasar host galaxies in 7 gravitational lenses with time delay measurements to obtain the necessary constraints, determine the dark matter distribution and estimate H_0. Analysis of the existing images and the well-developed theory for analyzing Einstein ring images of host galaxies suggest the new data will break the familiar degeneracies between lens mass distributions and the Hubble constant. We also request 30 ksec Chandra ACIS images for each of the 2 systems lacking them {B1608+656 and B1600+434} to measure the mass in nearby or surrounding groups and clusters. NICMOS 9484 The NICMOS Parallel Observing Program We propose to manage the default set of pure parallels with NICMOS. Our experience with both our GO NICMOS parallel program and the public parallel NICMOS programs in cycle 7 prepared us to make optimal use of the parallel opportunities. The NICMOS G141 grism remains the most powerful survey tool for HAlpha emission-line galaxies at cosmologically interesting redshifts. It is particularly well suited to addressing two key uncertainties regarding the global history of star formation: the peak rate of star formation in the relatively unexplored but critical 1<= z <= 2 epoch, and the amount of star formation missing from UV continuum-based estimates due to high extinction. Our proposed deep G141 exposures will increase the sample of known HAlpha emission- line objects at z ~ 1.3 by roughly an order of magnitude. We will also obtain a mix of F110W and F160W images along random sight-lines to examine the space density and morphologies of the reddest galaxies. The nature of the extremely red galaxies remains unclear and our program of imaging and grism spectroscopy provides unique information regarding both the incidence of obscured star bursts and the build up of stellar mass at intermediate redshifts. In addition to carrying out the parallel program we will populate a public database with calibrated spectra and images, and provide limited ground- based optical and near-IR data for the deepest parallel fields. SNAP/STIS 9434 A SNAPSHOT Survey of the Hot Interstellar Medium We propose to obtain SNAPSHOT STIS echelle observations of key tracers of hot interstellar gas {CIV, NV and SiIV} for selected FUSE Team OVI survey targets with known UV fluxes. By taking advantage of the SNAPSHOT observing mode we will efficiently obtain a large number of spectra suitable for the study of the highly ionized hot component of the interstellar medium {ISM}. Our goals are to explore the physical conditions in and distribution of such gas, as well as to explore the nature of the interfaces between the hot ISM and the other interstellar gas phases. Using inter--comparisons of the various ionic ratios for CIV, NV, OVI and SiIV, we will be able to discriminate between the various models for the production of the highly ionized gas in the Galactic ISM. The survey will also enable detailed studies of regions already known to contain hot gas through X-ray emission measurements {e.g., SNRs and radio loops}. The proposed SNAPSHOT observations will extend our previous Cycle 9 survey {which was compromised by the STIS side 1 failure}, and should roughly double the number of stars for which high quality STIS observations of the important hot gas tracers are available, enabling us to derive a truly global view of the hot ISM. STIS 9608 CCD Bias Monitor - Part 2 Monitor the bias in the 1x1, 1x2, 2x1, and 2x2 bin settings at gain=1, and 1x1 at gain = 4, to build up high-S/N superbiases and track the evolution of hot columns. STIS 9606 CCD Dark Monitor-Part 2 Monitor the darks for the STIS CCD. STIS 9633 STIS parallel archive proposal - Nearby Galaxies - Imaging and Spectroscopy Using parallel opportunities with STIS which were not allocated by the TAC, we propose to obtain deep STIS imagery with both the Clear {50CCD} and Long-Pass {F28X50LP} filters in order to make color-magnitude diagrams and luminosity functions for nearby galaxies. For local group galaxies, we also include G750L slitless spectroscopy to search for e.g., Carbon stars, late M giants and S-type stars. This survey will be useful to study the star formation histories, chemical evolution, and distances to these galaxies. These data will be placed immediately into the Hubble Data Archive. STIS 9708 STIS Pure Parallel Imaging Program: Cycle 11 This is the default archival pure parallel program for STIS during cycle 11. STIS 9331 Variable Interstellar Absorption toward HD 219188 --- Probing the Structure of an Interstellar Within the last 10 years, strong, narrow Na I absorption has appeared at v_SUN ~ -38 km s^-1 toward the halo star HD 219188; that absorption has continued to strengthen, by a factor 2--3, over the past three years. The line of sight appears to be moving into/through a relatively cold, quiescent intermediate velocity {IV} cloud, due to the 13 mas/year proper motion of HD 219188. We propose to monitor the continuing changes in the IV absorption toward HD 219188 over the next three years with STIS echelle spectra --- making use of the rich diagnostics provided by the UV lines of various neutral and singly ionized species to determine abundances/depletions and physical conditions {temperature, density, ionization} as functions of depth within the cloud. In addition to providing a unique view of the detailed structure of an interstellar cloud, these data will yield constraints on grain scattering parameters {from the variation of ionization with depth} and on any dependence of depletion on local density. STIS/FUV 9412 The Physical Parameters of the Hottest, Most Luminous Stars as a Function of Metallicity We have obtained excellent, new ground-based blue optical and HAlpha spectra of a sample of very early-type stars in the Magellanic Clouds in order to measure their physical properties, for comparison with the extensive data that exists for higher-metallicity Galactic stars. Our aim is to understand how effective temperatures depend upon metallicity {necessary in determining IMFs}, and to explore the astrophysically interesting regime of stars of extreme temperatures, masses, and luminosities. In order to do this, we need to measure the stellar wind terminal velocities for our stars, necessary to constrain the stellar models. These can only be measured with STIS/FUV on HST. In addition, we will obtain higher spatial resolution data on the HAlpha line for stars for which nebular contamination is significant in our ground-based data. We also include several R136 stars with excellent STIS/CCD data but which lack UV line measures. These new HST data will provide important information about the strengths of stellar winds at extreme luminosities and the calibration of the Wind Momentum- Luminosity Relationship at lower metallicities. This proposal was highly rated in Cycle 9, but only 4 snapshots were obtained. We have completed the analysis of these plus additional data from the archives, but need spectra of the remaining objects if we are to answer the questions we pose. STIS/MA2 9474 Intriguing Transient Sources in M87 We have found a remarkable number of transient point sources in M87. Within the jet itself we have observed dramatic changes in less than a year. The point sources are seen well in the bluest regions of the spectrum, where we obtain high spatial resolution, are free from cosmic ray artifacts and obtain excellent discrimination against the underlying old, red galaxy. They display a variety of unusual properties: one is brighter than any in the catalogue of novae in M31; several are very close to the jet; another hints at rapid variability. We propose to investigate the population of transient sources in M87 and to probe the intrinsic jet variability on short timescales by taking images in the near UV. Do the sources show nova-type light curves? Is there a decline-rate/luminosity relation? If yes, may we use it for distance estimation, as in Galactic novae, and hence constrain the still very important Virgo distance. Are there very rapidly varying sources, flare stars or gravitational lenses? Is the variable stellar population related to the excess globular cluster frequency in M87? Is there a population of flickering objects in and around the jet, which may be responsive emission arising from their close proximity to a BL Lac nucleus {viewed down the jet axis}? Can we find variability in the jet itself indicative of light week length scales? WFPC2 9710 POMS Test Proposal: WFII backup parallel archive proposal This is a POMS test proposal designed to simulate scientific plans. WFPC2 9709 POMS Test Proposal: WFII parallel archive proposal This is the generic target version of the WFPC2 Archival Pure Parallel program. The program will be used to take parallel images of random areas of the sky, following the recommendations of the 2002 Parallels Working Group. WFPC2 9595 WFPC2 CYCLE 11 SUPPLEMENTAL DARKS pt3/3 This dark calibration program obtains 3 dark frames every day to provide data for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot pixels. FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY: Significant Spacecraft Anomalies: (The following are preliminary reports of potential non-nominal performance that will be investigated.) None COMPLETED OPS REQs: None OPS NOTES EXECUTED: 0900-1 COMMAND PROBLEM @ 157/1855z 1118-0 Resubmit: Battery 2 Capacity Test limits @ 157/1646z 0910-2 SI Console response to MCE Resets after FSW 4.8 is activated @ 158/0525z 0916-0 Tabulation of Slew Attitude Error (Miss-distance) @160/0444z SCHEDULED SUCCESSFUL FAILURE TIMES FGS GSacq 27 27 FGS REacq 22 22 FHST Update 51 51 LOSS of LOCK SIGNIFICANT EVENTS: None ---- Jacques :-) Editor: www.spacepatches.info ------------------------------------------------------