January 1999 • Volume 16, Number 1

SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE INSTITUTE Highlights of this Issue: • Hubble Heritage Project — page 19 • Starburst99 Synthesis Models — page 21 • The Last Days of NICMOS Newsletter — page 32

The PLANET Project: study of unseen lenses, stars and extra-solar planets through microlensing Kailash C. Sahu, STScI [email protected] he idea of microlensing is not The microlensing survey programs Cycle 8 new. More than half a century have an ‘Alert’ capability that has T ago, Einstein wrote a small opened the possibility of carrying out paper in Science where he did ‘a little independent follow-up study of the Who got time on HST to do what ... calculation’ at the request of R.W. microlensing events while the events Mandal, and showed that if a star are in progress. Now, at any given time How the selection process works ... happens to pass very close to another during the months when the Galactic star in the line of sight, then the Bulge is up in the sky, there are background star will be lensed. typically 10 or more microlensing A new RPS2 for Cycle 8 ... However, he also dismissed the idea as events in progress, so it is possible to only a theoretical exercise and even plan and dedicate some telescope A new Phase II ... remarked that there was ‘no hope of time to carry out such follow up observing such a phenomenon directly’ studies of the microlensing events. since the probability of observing is Approved less than one in a million. Science with microlensing Times have changed. The technolo- monitoring programs gies have been put to use to beat the Traditionally, microlensing events Programs enormous odds. The herculean are thought to be symmetric, non- experiments designed in late 80s to repeatable and achromatic — which is page 10 look for microlensing events — by true only for point source, point lens monitoring millions of stars towards cases. While most microlensing light the Magellanic Clouds and the curves can indeed be approximated in Galactic Bulge — have borne fruit. that way, the departure from such an After the first detection of a approximation can provide very useful microlensing event in 1993, information on the source and lens microlensing events have been characteristics. The number of detected at a prodigious rate by the additional and interesting science microlensing survey programs programs that can be done by studying MACHO, OGLE, EROS, and DUO, such finer structures in the light curve NGST SCIENCE and there has been a steady and is large. For example, frequent increasing interest in the study of monitoring of a caustic crossing AT STScI microlensing phenomena. By now, caused by a binary lens can potentially 8page more than 200 microlensing events provide information on the location of 25 have been detected towards the the lens. Monitoring of high-amplifica- Galactic Bulge, and more than tion events where the lens passes a dozen microlensing events across the face of the source can be have been detected towards the used as an effective high-angular- Magellanic Clouds. continued page 22 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

DIRECTOR’S PERSPECTIVE

Steven Beckwith

ou can buy a Sony Walkman for $35. It cost more than $100 fifteen years ago, when the dollar’s worth was 50% greater. The cost of computers has come down drastically at the same time that computing power has increased exponentially. Y Long-distance telephone calls are much cheaper; so too are mobile phones. Many commodities have come down in price, with oil being the most remarkable. Gasoline costs less now in constant dollars than at any time since the 1920s. Across the wide spectrum of manufactured goods, services, and commodities, you pay less to get better quality today than you did only a decade ago. The business sector has enormously increased its productivity. Telescopes are cheaper to build too, and the new ones are much better than those we built even 15 years ago. They have faster focal ratios, so they are shorter and lighter. We understand the importance of thermal control to reduce dome seeing. Computers allow us to use alt-az drives, reducing the cost of mountings, while simultaneously increasing their strength. Computer-controlled mirror support systems let us use segmented (Keck) or thin-meniscus (VLT, Gemini) primary mirrors; in principle, these systems are scalable to apertures of enormous size: MAXAT (50m) and OWL (100m). We expect to build the NGST for a phase C/D cost of $500 million; a large part of the savings is that NGST will weigh 3700 kg, whereas HST weighs 11,000 kg, and cost tends to scale with weight for spacecraft. We have constructed more sophisticated instrumenta- tion and automated systems to point, track, and record data without requiring heroics from the observers. The big telescopes have become more expensive to operate. Keck has an on-site staff of more than 60 people. A similar number of people work on instrumentation for the telescope. The VLT will need to maintain four telescopes and will require an even larger staff. The Space Telescope Science Institute has a staff of 470 people, almost all of whom work full time to maintain the data flow from the Hubble Space Telescope. There are yet more people employed by Goddard Space Flight Center and in industry to service the telescope. Only 20% of the HST budget goes to STScI operations (~40 M$/ year). Grants and fellowships are another ~28 M$/year. The rest, of order 180 M$/year, is for new instrumentation, servicing, and flight operations. Gone are the days when a professor with a couple of ambitious graduate students and a technician could build state-of-the-art equipment to explore the heavens, at least not for the biggest telescopes. There are gains, of course. The information content of a single observation is generally much higher than it used to be, in some cases by orders of magnitude, so the cost per bit of data has not risen as dramatically as operating expenses. Large CCD detectors deliver enormous amounts of high-quality data, although we should temper our enthusiasm by noting that photographic plates in the 1920s provided more raw bits of information than today’s CCDs. The principle gain is high quantum efficiency needed for the faintest objects, that are naturally the most interesting. Similarly, HST delivers images with such superb resolution that it has changed the nature of what we expect. Quite a bit of modern astronomy now requires this resolution and its correspondingly high price. HST set the bar higher both in quality and cost of data. I think it is a good time to examine these costs and see if we can reduce them without sacrificing those services necessary to do great science. We provide many services at STScI, some of which we can almost certainly do more cost effectively than anyone else; calibrating the standard instrument modes, for example, and archiving the data. Others may be less expensive and just as effective if done by the users. Novel uses of the telescope or observations with rarely-used configurations may be more success- ful if the expertise is vested in the community. Soon there will be redundant capability on HST whose incremental support cost will be high, but whose incremental scientific value is, at the very least, debatable. Productivity gains in industry normally come at the cost of up-front capital investment for new equipment and training. When spread across millions of units, robotic welding equipment to manufacture automobiles or satellites to handle phone calls will greatly reduce costs in the long run, even if they are more expensive to implement at first. We can achieve similar productivity continued page 3

Editorial Because of STScI’s role in the Next Generation Space Telescope, this and future issues of the Newsletter are being sent to infrared astronomers as well as to the HST community. We hope you find the Newsletter useful and encourage your responses on its content (see the back page). You may, of course, ask to not receive this publication if you wish.

2 January 1999

The HST Proposal Selection Process Mike Shara, STScI [email protected]

ext month I’ll step down as some ideas that you might find proposal for his or her panel and sent Head of the STScI Science useful when you write your next those with potential technical problems N Programs Selection Office HST proposal. to an Instrument Scientist for a (SPSO) after overseeing proposal technical review. A “swap meet” was Cycles 5, 6, and 8. The Panels and How the Proposal Selection held by SPSO and the PSSs to make TACs I’ve had the privilege of Process Works sure proposals ended up in the most working with have allocated about The proposal selection process has appropriate panel. We worked hard to 10,000 HST orbits, equivalent to not changed drastically in recent years, ensure that all proposals in a given roughly a billion dollars (when you though details have been different in area ended up in the same panel and amortize the HST mission cost over 20 different cycles. As an illustration I’ll that the assigned panel had the years). Their hard work, and that of the describe here the process as it was just appropriate expertise to judge SPSO staff, is directed at selecting the applied to Cycle 8 proposals. those proposals. very best proposals received each year. First, we asked STScI staff scientists Proposals were assigned to Panelist The oversubscription rate is to help by acting as Panel Support reviewers on the basis of the proposal typically four- or five to one, with Scientists (PSSs). One senior and one title and keywords, and the panelists’ 1000+ proposals each year, so it’s junior STScI staffer were assigned to fields of expertise. Stringent conflict- inevitable that some very good each panel. The PSSs acted solely to of-interest rules were in place to proposals are declined each cycle. I’d provide knowledgeable help for the prevent PIs, co-Is, same-institution like to share with you some details of work of the individual TAC panels, colleagues, former supervisors and how the process works, what the and were not voting members. direct competitors from judging each Panels and TAC look for in supporting Immediately after the proposal other’s proposals. We asked TAC the truly outstanding proposals, and deadline the senior PSS read each continued page 4

Cheap Ops from page 2

gains by investing in software to handle routine tasks now being done by people, and we do it all the time. The STScI staff has decreased by 14% since 1993, when it peaked. Our data rate has more than doubled, and a smaller staff provides more services for more complex instruments than in the past. We are implementing new software to automate the grant awards, handle our accounting systems, and translate scheduling information for the telescope from people-oriented language to machine code. All of these investments cost money, principally by using STScI software engineers to write and debug new code. It makes sense for some areas, but would be wasteful for others, where the number of “units,” observation blocks, special instrument modes, or user inquiries is small. Our support of NGST will make possible more of these productivity gains by spreading the infrastructure costs over two projects. NASA sets our budget assuming no change in the level of support for science instruments, and no change in the number of services we provide. The agency wants to do everything it can to insure the continued great flow of data from HST. But we will do ourselves a service by becoming more efficient before we face budget cutbacks: They are inevitable. And we are looking forward to the era of the NGST with the important assumption that we can operate it for about 30% of the cost of operating Hubble. We are working now to meet this goal; it will depend on some discipline in mission design, but it should be doable. In the meantime, it is useful to ask if we can reduce the costs of running HST. If we can make gains in our HST productivity, it bodes well for the future of space astronomy. This effort will start at STScI and involve the users through community dialogue. The users committee, STUC, should play a major role in helping make the tradeoffs between essential and non-essential services. Some of the changes will be transparent to the user, resulting from internal improvements in the way we carry out tasks. Some will involve changes in the way the users work and what they expect from STScI. I do not see much waste in our current system. We scientists should demonstrate that we can increase productivity just as industry does. It may get the attention of our supporters if we who use astronomical facilities for research can increase our overall output without more input. Food for thought.

Steven Beckwith Baltimore, December 22, 1998

3 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Proposal Selection Process Mike Shara to Leave STScI from page 3 panelists to provide preliminary grades s the accompanying article on proposal selection notes, Mike and comments before the panels met. Shara will soon leave STScI to go to the American Museum of Panelists came to STScI for intense A Natural History. The profiles of Institute scientists that have two-day meetings. The panels appeared in the Newsletter have mostly been of people recently promoted reviewed and graded proposals on the to tenure, which has meant I have missed more senior staff members. Mike first day, with a more reflective has been at the Space Telescope Science Institute since its earliest days, overview the second day. This and I wanted to make sure readers knew a little about him. overview was aimed at achieving Mike is one of the Institute’s many Canadians (you can still hear it a scientific balance and breadth, little in words like “about”). Despite the long and cold winters of Montreal, consistent with panel orbit allocations. where he was born and raised, he took early to observing the heavens with Snap and AR proposals were judged a small refractor. He knew he wanted after GO orbits were assigned. to be an astronomer when he was Each panel was allocated a number eight years old, and pursued that goal. of HST orbits that was based mostly on His parents (an accountant and proposal pressure. The total number of bookkeeper) encouraged his interest orbits assigned by the panels was about in science, as did an uncle who was two-thirds of the available spacecraft involved with pharmaceutical research orbits, with TAC assigning the rest. A for a time. Some old books of a significant pool of “matching incen- cousin, including some 1940s tive” orbits for larger proposals was astronomy textbooks, also helped fuel made available to the panels this year his interest. He got his BSc in physics for the first time. from the University of Toronto in This helped panels with modest initial 1971, then spent an additional year orbit allocations award time to one or there to finish a Masters degree with more larger proposals. Further details Maurice Clement. on this will be available in the Cycle 9 A desire to explore his Jewish Call for Proposals. Mike Shara background and a sense of adventure The final product of each panel was led Mike to go to graduate school at a rank-ordered list of proposals. After Tel Aviv University. He and his wife arrived in Israel just before the Yom each panel exhausted its available Kippur war began, but stayed on to finish his degree in 1977. He worked orbits it assembled a list of the best with Giora Shaviv on hydrodynamic simulations of stellar collisions remaining proposals which were involving white dwarfs. Offshoots from this have been prominent in most forwarded to the TAC for consider- of his subsequent research. For instance, the simulations showed that such ation. The TAC was charged with collisions — which are likely to occur in globular cluster cores — lead to addressing the overall scientific quality the white dwarf being coated with hydrogen after the collision event. This and interdisciplinary balance of the leads to a nova-like phenomenon after the main sequence star (the target of Cycle 8 program. This was done by the collision) get destroyed. having the 20 TAC members consider Mike returned to Montreal after his PhD to take up a National Research and vote on the Large proposals, Council (of Canada) post-doctoral fellowship at the University of the scientifically risky proposals, and Montreal. This led to collaborations with Rene Racine and Tony Moffat the best proposals not assigned time that also were critical in his career. Despite his youthful observational by the panels. interest, Mike’s professional background was entirely in theory, but Rene The 16 Panel chairs and 4 TAC (re)introduced Mike to observational astronomy. Tony got Mike involved members-at-large were asked to be with Wolf-Rayet stars. advocates for the entire field of Mike spent 1980 to 1982 as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Arizona astronomy. In their initial presenta- State University, then he came to STScI in 1982. His younger brother is tions, each panel chair’s goal was to also a scientist (a chemical engineer), and his wife, Honey, runs a small educate the TAC on the key scientific business supplying medical equipment. When he can, Mike gets away for themes in the sub-field, on the special scuba diving, and is well known here for his competitive squash racquet. role of HST, and on the overall quality The Institute will miss Mike, but the move to New York works well for level of proposals in the panel. For that him. The position at AMNH offers more time for research, his wife markets reason, panel chairs limited their sub- equipment via the web, and their two children are in New York. We wish area advocacy to their initial presenta- them all well. — The Editor continued page 5 4 January 1999

Proposal Selection Process from page 4 tions. Chairs were asked to respond about the technical feasibility of a ether with less than 100% probability honestly to questions about strengths proposal is usually fatal to that of receipt before the deadline? and weaknesses of proposals. proposal; the onus is on the proposer! On a personal note, it’s been a The TAC then proceeded to Fourth, panels look very hard at genuine privilege and pleasure to do “rounds” for proposals in various what you’ve done with your past this job. The technical and scientific categories. A special round for the allocations of HST time. Requesting support I’ve consistently received from largest proposals was held, which more time when you haven’t published the SPSO staff, PRESTO division carefully considered the recommenda- observations from two or more cycles office and STScI colleagues has been tion from panels about these Large ago regularly leads to rebukes and outstanding. The encouragement and proposals. Rounds for all remaining proposal downgrading by panels. moral support from the Director’s competing proposals (including the Timely publication in refereed journals Office has been equally invaluable. “risky” class) followed. In these is regarded by panels as a strong plus. I’ll be moving permanently to the rounds, each panel chair presented one Fifth, proposers who request exactly American Museum of Natural History proposal, and the TAC then voted. the number of orbits that they really and Hayden Planetarium in Manhattan Typically 4 to 6 proposals were need, regardless of the “Small,” next summer, leaving SPSO in Meg accepted per round. At appropriate “Medium,” or “Large” orbit bound- Urry’s experienced hands. Cycle 9 will moments, TAC discussed and aries, tend to do best. Panels and TAC bring on the Advanced Camera, a compared the general quality of the have an uncanny sense of orbit resurrected NICMOS and, I’m certain, remaining proposals, and then inflation and punish it. They also well over 1000 strong proposals for an proceeded to further rounds until all recognize a truly great, exciting extraordinary telescope. available time was allocated. Both proposal right away and support it with TAC and the panelists have supplied little regard for orbit cost. STScI with detailed critiques of our Finally, edit your proposals carefully procedures so that we can further and have a colleague read them for improve our selection process in clarity. Missing references, mislabelled future cycles. figures, garbled sentences and proposals exceeding the page limit Observations and Suggestions rapidly sour panelists trying to absorb At least half of all proposals that are up to 100 competing proposals. rejected have violated one or more of the following simple rules: Final Thoughts First, the best proposals can be If your proposal was turned down, understood in their entirety by a first- should you reapply? Panelists rarely year graduate student. In other words, serve more than once every three or a clear and succinct statement of the four years. Because successive panels broad science background is essential. are composed of completely different Convincing the Panel that the proposed members, it’s probably worth observations will significantly advance resubmitting a proposal which ranked our understanding of a class of objects in the top half but failed to get time or physical process is no less crucial. (but heed the referees’ advice first!). Narrowly-focused proposals or those On the other hand, proposals in the proposing only modest increments of bottom half usually had flaws serious knowledge rarely succeed. enough that the proposer will have to HST Recent Release: Turtle In Space Second, tell the panel why HST is strengthen them significantly to have essential to the success of your any realistic chance of success in the NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has shown us that the proposal. If it can be done from the next round. shrouds of gas surrounding planetary nebulae come in a variety of strange shapes, from an "hourglass" to a ground, even with difficulty, your Finally, consider submitting your "butterfly" to a "stingray." With this image of NGC 6210, proposal will not receive time. proposal a few days ahead of the the Hubble telescope has added another bizarre form to Third, signal-to-noise calculations deadline. Please. The internet didn’t the rogues’ gallery of planetary nebulae: a turtle must be thoroughly documented. melt down on September 11, as your swallowing a seashell. Vague descriptions force STScI proposals came flooding in, despite the Credits: Robert Rubin and Christopher Ortiz technical personnel to do Exposure fact that Ken Starr’s report was (NASA Ames Research Center), Patrick Harrington Time Calculations in support of panels, competing for bandwidth. But did you and Nancy Jo Lame (University of Maryland), and they may have to guess at really need the adrenaline rush of Reginald Dufour (Rice University), and NASA proposers’ intentions. Significant doubt watching your proposal vanish into the http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/1998/36/index.html 5 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Panels

TAC Chair Cool Stars Steve Strom, University Of Massachusetts Douglas K. Duncan, University Of Chicago CYCLE (Panel Chair) George F. Benedict, U. Of Texas-Austin, McDonald TAC At-Large Members Observatory Joe Burns, Cornell University Nancy S. Brickhouse, Center For Astrophysics Alexander Brown, University Of Colorado CASA 8 Ray Carlberg, University Of Toronto Geoffrey C. Clayton, Louisiana State University Francoise Combes, Observatorie De Paris-Meudon Constantine P. Deliyannis, Indiana University Dave Meyer, Northwestern University Iain Neil Reid, Caltech Jim Pringle, University Of Cambridge Institute Of Astromony Raffaele Gratton, (ESA), Osservatorio Astronomico Di Padova

AGN Hosts And Environment Clusters, Lensing, and Cosmology Patrick J. McCarthy, Carnegie Observatories Wendy L. Freedman, Carnegie Observatories (Panel Chair) (Panel Chair) Joanne Baker, U. Of California Berkeley Warrick Couch, University Of New South Wales Kenneth C. Chambers, U. Of Hawaii, Institute For Astronomy Philippe Fischer, University Of Michigan David De Young, KPNO/NOAO Lori M. Lubin, Caltech Richard W. Pogge, Ohio State University Hans Boehringer, (ESA), MPI Für Extraterrestrische Physik Susan M. Simkin, Michigan State University Edward A. Ajhar, KPNO/NOAO S. Adam, University Of California Ronald O. Marzke, Carnegie Observatories Catherine Boisson, (ESA), Observatorie De Paris-Meudon Brian P. Schmidt, Mount Stromlo & Siding Spring Obs. The Australian National University David N. Spergel, Princeton University AGN Physics Yannick Mellier, (ESA), Observatoire Midi Pyrenees P. D. Barthel, Kapteyn Astronomical Institute (Panel Chair) Distant Galaxies Gerald N. Cecil, KPNO/NOAO Martin C. Gaskell, University Of Nebraska David C. Koo, University Of California, Lick Observatory Hagai Netzer, Tel Aviv University (Panel Chair) Christopher Reynolds, University Of Colorado, JILA Stephane Courteau, Dominion Astrophyiscal Observatory Paul S. Smith, KPNO/NOAO Erica Ellingson, University Of Colorado, CASA Thomas Boller, (ESA), MPI Für Extraterrestrische Physik Michael A. Pahre, Center For Astrophysics David Schade, Dominion Astrophyiscal Observatory Jeffrey A. Willick, Stanford University Binary Stars Emanuele Giallongo, (ESA), Osservatorio Astronomico Di Roma Edward M. Sion, Villanova University (Panel Chair)

Douglas R. Gies, Georgia State University Field Stellar Populations Carole Haswell, University Of Sussex Coel Hellier, Keele University Donna Weistrop, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas David W. Latham, Center For Astrophysics (Panel Chair) Ronald Webbink, University Of Illinois Timothy C. Beers, Michigan State University Hilmar W. Duerbeck, (ESA), Westpfalische Wilhelms-Universität Eva Grebel, University Of California Lick Observatory Kem Cook, Lawrence Livermore National Lab., U. Of California Andrew C. Layden, Bowling Green State University Michael Rich, Columbia University Bengt Edvardsson, (ESA), Uppsala Astronomical Observatory

6 January 1999

Panels

Galaxy Populations And Interactions Solar System Robert W. O’Connell, University Of Virginia Paul D. Feldman, The Johns Hopkins University (Panel Chair) (Panel Chair) CYCLE Darren L. Depoy, Ohio State University Jane Fox, Wright State University, SUNY At Stony Brook Michael Gregg, Lawrence Livermore National Lab. Richard G. French, Wellesley College Carl J. Grillmair, SIRTF Science Center Will Grundy, Lowell Observatory Inger Jorgensen, Gemini 8-M Telescopes Project Erich Karkoschka, University Of Arizona Chris Mihos, Case Western Reserve Univ. Steven W. Lee, University Of Colorado, LASP 8 Curtis Struck, Iowa State University Harold F. Levison, Southwest Research Institute Brigitte Rocca-Volmerange, (ESA), Institut D'astrophysique Pierre Drossart, (ESA), Observatoire De Meudon De Paris CNRS

Stellar Ejecta Galaxy Structure And Dynamics Bo Reipurth, University Of Colorado Debra M. Elmegreen, Vassar College (Panel Chair) (Panel Chair) Michael F. Bode, Liverpool John Mores University Gregory D. Bothun, University Of Oregon You-Hua Chu, University Of Illinois Marcella Carollo, The Johns Hopkins University Sun Kwok, University Of Calgary John J. Dubinski, University Of Toronto, CITA John C. Raymond, Center For Astrophysics Karl Gebhardt, University Of California Lick Observatory Raghvendra Sahai, Jet Propulsion Lab. Michael Loewenstein, NASA/GSFC, University of Maryland Lifan Wang, University Of Texas At Austin K. H. Kuijken, (ESA), Kapteyn Astronomical Institute Peter Lundqvist, (ESA), Stockholm Observatory Mark Whittle, Univ. Of Virginia

Stellar Populations In Clusters Hot Stars William E. Harris, McMaster University James W. Liebert, University Of Arizona, Steward (Panel Chair) (Panel Chair) Brian C. Chaboyer, U. Of Arizona, Steward Observatory Laurent Drissen, Université Laval Adrienne Cool, San Francisco State Univ. Jean Dupuis, University Of California At Berkeley Randy L. Phelps, California State University Andrew King, University Of Leicester Carlton Pryor, Rutgers University Mordecai-Mark Mac Low, Max Planck Institute For Astronomy F.W.M. Verbunt, University Of Utrecht, Sterrekundig Instituut Linda Smith, University College London Peter Linde (ESA), Lund Observatory Kim Venn, Macalester College Saeqa Dil Vrtilek, Center For Astrophysics Joachim Puls, (ESA), Universitaetssternwarte Muenchen Young Stars and Circumstellar Material Michal Simon, SUNY At Stony Brook (Panel Chair) Interstellar and Intergalactic Matter Michael J. Barlow, (ESA), University College London Mary A. Barsony, University Of California, Riverside, (Panel Chair) Harvey Mudd College Adam Frank, University Of Rochester Steven R. Federman, University Of Toledo Carol Anne Grady, STIS Group, NOAO/GSFC Donald R. Garnett, University Of Arizona Steward Observatory Lynne Hillenbrand, Caltech Katherine Roth, University Of Hawaii Institute For Astronomy Mark J. McCaughrean, (ESA), Astrophysikalisches Robert H. Rubin, NASA/Ames Research Center Institut Potsdam Blair D. Savage, University Of Wisconsin T. P. Ray, (ESA), Dublin Institute For Advanced Studies Giovanno Vladilo, (ESA), Osservatorio Astronomico Di Trieste

Quasar Absorption Lines Chris David Impey, University Of Arizona, Steward Observatory (Panel Chair)

Neal Katz, University Of Massachusetts Kirk T. Korista, Western Michigan University Howard Yee, University Of Toronto Sandra Savaglio, Space Telescope Science Institute Patrick Boisse, (ESA), Departement De Physique De Lens David Bowen, (ESA), Royal Observatory Edinburgh 7 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Proposals by Country: Cycle 8 Panels Country Submitted Approved Abbreviation Panel Australia 12 1 AGHN AGN Host Austria 1 0 AGHP AGN Physics CYCLE Belgium 1 0 BIN Binary Stars Brazil 4 0 CLUS Clusters, Lensing and Cosmology Canada 19 7 CS Cool Stars Chile 4 1 DG Distant Galaxies China 2 0 FSP Field Stellar Populations Denmark 4 0 GPI Galaxy Populations and Interactions 8 France 37 14 GSD Galaxy Structure and Dynamics Germany 52 10 HS Hot Stars Greece 1 0 ISM ISM India 2 0 QAL QAL Israel 8 1 SS Solar System Italy 25 4 SE Stellar Ejecta Japan 3 0 SPC Stellar Populations in Clusters Korea 3 0 YS Young Stars Netherlands 18 8 Norway 1 0 South Africa 1 0 Spain 8 2 Requested vs Allocated Orbits by Orbit Bin Sweden 14 1 250 Switzerland 3 0 United Kingdom 70 28 Requested proposals United States 760 218 200 Approved proposals

US PIs by State: Country Submitted Approved 150 AL ------8 2 AZ ------56 18 CA ------128 33 100 CO ------45 15

CT ------11 2 Number of proposals DC ------9 2 50 DE ------4 0 FL ------2 1 GA ------2 1 HI ------8 2 0 IA ------4 0 1Ð5 6Ð10 11Ð15 16Ð20 21Ð25 26Ð30 31Ð35 36Ð40 41Ð45 46Ð50 51Ð120 IL ------17 6 Orbit size IN ------7 1 KY ------4 2 LA ------7 1 MA ------49 13 Cycles 1Ð8 Oversubscription MD ------190 61 1400 25000 MI ------16 5 MN ------7 5 GO props submitted NC ------3 0 1200 GO props approved NE ------2 0 Orbs/hrs requested 20000 NH ------4 2 Orbs/hrs approved 1000 NJ ------10 1 NM ------7 2 15000 NV ------4 0 800 NY ------31 6 OH ------10 4 600 OK ------2 1 10000

OR ------3 1 Number of orbits PA ------34 6 Number of GO proposals 400 SC ------1 0 TN ------1 0 5000 TX ------27 6 200 VA ------10 4 VT ------1 1 WA ------17 5 0 0 WI ------19 9 Cycle 1 Cycle 2 Cycle 3 Cycle 4 Cycle 5 Cycle 6 Cycle 7 Cycle 7N Cycle 8

8 January 1999

Summary of Cycle 8 Results

Requested Accepted % Accepted ESA Accepted ESA % Total Proposals

GO 880 231 26% 62 27% CYCLE

SNAP 64 23 36% 9 39%

AR 109 41 38% — —

Total 1,053 295 28% 71 27% Primary Orbits 8 14,005 3,314 24% 814 25% AR Funding $6,457,494 $2,232,523 35% — —

Accepted % Total Oribits % Total GO Proposals by SI*

FGS 94%863%

STIS / CCD 53 21% 570 17%

STIS / MAMA 99 40% 1,349 41%**

WFPC2 86 35% 1,309 39%

* The proposal numbers presented in the Science Instrument chart reflect multiple SI usage (either for coordinated parallels or Multi-SI Prime). ** ~ Maximum supportable value

Proposal Statistics by Panel

AGNH AGNP BIN CLUS CS DG FSP GPI GSD HS ISM QAL SE SPC SS YS TOTAL Proposals Received

GO 39 63 47 63 73 25 55 62 38 85 61 44 86 42 51 46 880

SNAP 565614568214630264

AR 7441062875714453122109 Proposals Accepted

GO 11 17 16 16 15 8 9 16 13 18 17 12 22 14 15 12 231

SNAP 122212112110420123

AR 322238223030226141 Primary Orbits Requested

606 874 567 1401 1450 755 1104 925 630 1000 926 970 1061 489 619 628 14005 Panel Fraction of Total Accepted

5% 7% 5% 9% 13% 7% 5% 5% 6% 7% 5% 6% 8% 4% 4% 4% — Primary Orbits Accepted

163 219 173 306 429 232 170 151 183 228 152 211 278 136 136 147 3314 Fraction of Orbits Accepted/Requested

27% 25% 31% 22% 30% 31% 15% 16% 29% 23% 16% 22% 26% 28% 22% 23% 24% ESA PIs Accepted

646532234746834471 ESA Primary Orbits Accepted

107 24 42 95 42 12 54 22 63 50 33 127 57 22 29 35 814 Fraction of ESA Orbits Accepted

66% 11% 24% 31% 10% 5% 32% 15% 34% 22% 22% 60% 21% 16% 21% 24% 25%

9 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Approved Observing Programs for Cycle 8 y The Key?

z ursts Or AGN The Big Blue Bump ption Line Regions yfert Galaxies With Slitless Spectroscop yfert Galaxies y Agns To Lyman Break Galaxies Lyman To parts At Low rom The First Survey rom yfert Galaxies <0.5 Radio-Quiet PG Quasars

aint Radio Sources z or High-Redshift Quasars yfert Galaxies - Are Radio Jets GN Targets owerful Radio Sources owerful A Test Case Test A e Elliptical Galaxies y Of UV/X-Ray Absorption In The Seyfert 1 Galaxy NGC 4051 The Seyfert Absorptiony Of UV/X-Ray In y In QSO Broad Absor w-Line Seyfert 1 Galaxy w-Line Seyfert Radio-Quiet Quasars The Binary Nucleus Of Abell 35

z yfert Galaxies A New Window On The Physics Of Jets The Physics On Window A New The Narrow-Line Region In Se The Narrow-Line Possible Precursurs To Subdwarf B Stars Subdwarf To Precursurs Possible The M87 Jet United States Snapshots Of 3CR Radio Source Counter Ultraviolet United States Accretion Disks And Dust In Activ GermanyThe NLR In A Complete Sample Of Imaging United StatesUnited States In Hercules A? Winds And Bubbles Jets STIS Imaging Of Far-UV United States Of Millijansky Radio Sources F HST Observations United States UV Imaging Of Optical Jets: United StatesUnited States Of Extended OI 5007 Å Emission In Se Survey UV Spectroscopic Snapshots Of FUSE A United StatesUnited States Radio Galaxies Of Powerful The Evolution On Constraints A Direct Probe Of S180: TON The SED For Determination Of United States Cluster The Hyades Binaries In Post-Common-Envelope Two a United States Optical Nuclear Hotspot In NGC 1068 otsdam Germany Of High-Redshift Se Evolution ersity United StatesThe Hosts Of High- Comparing Sparks Science Institute Telescope Space LacyLehnertMileySanders Of Oxford University Leiden Sterrewacht Leiden Sterrewacht Of Hawaii University United Kingdom Netherlands United States Netherlands The Nature Of Radio-Optical Alignments In F The Host Galaxies Of P Of The Evolution Galaxies - Superstarb Infrared Ultraluminous Warm The Nuclei Of The Early Universe Galaxies In The Most Massive Morphology Of HasingerHeckman Institut P Astrophysikalisches The Johns Hopkins Univ AntonucciBestFilippenko — Santa Barbar Of California University — Berkeley Of California University Leiden Sterrewacht United States The Bulge Properties And Fueling Mechanisms Of Nearb Netherlands Of Redshift One Radio Galaxies Alignment And Evolution ImpeyJaffeKinney Of Arizona University Leiden Observatory Science Institute Telescope Space United States Netherlands Lensed Quasar Hosts At High Redshift The Quasar 3C 48 The Dynamics Of Mapping BrandtCharlesCrenshawFalcke State University The Pennsylvania University Oxford Of America Catholic University Fuer Radioastronomie Max-Planck-Institut United States United States Coordinated STIS/AXAF Spectroscop The Kinematics Of Probing United Kingdom Binary? Or Black-Hole Mini-AGN Of M33-X8: UV Spectroscopy Baum Science Institute Telescope Space Biretta Science Institute Telescope Space Baum Science Institute Telescope Space StocktonWhite Astronomy Institute For Science Institute Telescope Space AravBakerBaldwin And Planetary Physics Institute Of Geophysics Berkeley Of California University Interamerican ObservatoryTololo Cerro United States United StatesThe Radio Galaxy 3C 294 Nucleus In The Active The Location Of Chile Deep STIS Observations Of BALQSO PG 0946+301 United States Absorption In Radio-Loud Quasars And Obscuration In Luminous Quasars: High Abundances WhittleWhittleVirginia Of University Virginia Of University United States United States Line Region Gas Of Narrow Jet Acceleration Wings On NLR Line Profiles The Origin Of Blue JunkkarinenKeenan — San Diego Of California University KinneyKrissMundell Of Belfast University Queen’s Science Institute Telescope Space Science Institute Telescope Space Of Maryland University United States And Geometr Chemical Abundances United Kingdom II Emission Lines As A Chronometer F Fe United States Line Regions In Se The Narrow Powering Turner Goddard Space Flight Center Peterson Ohio State University United States Mapping Of A Narro Reverberation O’BrienO’Dea Of Leicester University Science Institute Telescope Space United Kingdom PDS 456: A Radio-Quiet Analogue Of 3C 273 BondCharles Science Institute Telescope Space Drew Of Oxford University College Imperial United Kingdom In M15 Binary AC211 Cluster Low Mass X-Ray The Globular Of Structure And Evolution United Kingdom High Resolution UV Imaging Of AGN Hosts And Environment AGN Physics Binary Stars BurleighChaboyer Of Leicester University Dartmouth College United Kingdom United StatesWhite Dwarfs Degenerates Among DAO Double Anomalously Blue Giants:

10 January 1999

Approved Observing Programs for Cycle 8 arallels ular Clusters vey <7.5 With Deep STIS/CCD P <7.5

z oor X-Ray Clusters At Z=0.2—0.3 oor X-Ray ies And Cepheids The Next Step The Next y Sources In M31 Glob Weak Lensing In The Z=1 Cluster Of 3C184 Lensing In Weak The Cool Half Of The H-R Diagram: A STIS Survey The H-R Diagram: The Cool Half Of w Clusters? void Of Hydrogen void The Universe At 5< The Universe Tools III Tools ormation rom The HST Survey Of BL Lac Objects The HST Survey rom Variables Type Ia Supernovae Type The Globular Cluster 47 Tucanae Cluster 47 The Globular parts To Highly Luminous X-Ra partsTo The Brown Dwarf Gl 229B Dwarf The Brown lying Stars In Interacting Wolf-Rayet Binaries Wolf-Rayet lying Stars In Interacting ursts In Soft X-Ray Transients ursts In Soft X-Ray y In The Soft Double-Pulsing Intermediate Polar V405 Aur IntermediateThe Soft Double-Pulsing Polar y In ate Redshift X-Ray Emitting Groups Of Galaxies ate Redshift X-Ray vey Of The Mass Distribution In X-Ray Luminous Clusters In X-Ray The Mass Distribution Of vey Thermonuclear Runaway On A White Dwarf In A Dwarf Nova In A Dwarf White Dwarf On A Thermonuclear Runaway In Cataclysmic White Dwarfs The Morphology-Density Relation And B: Part II Part B: 10 B/ 11 United States Cones And Under The Shock United StatesTuc In 47 Population Variable The Cataclysmic Census Of A Definitive France A Strong Lensing Sur United StatesThe Cold Medium In Cooling Flo The Nature Of What Is United States Lens Candidates F Of Gravitational Spectroscopy United StatesUnited Kingdom Cluster Luminosity Function As A Distance Indicator The Globular Lenses Gravitational JVAS/CLASS WFPC2 Observations Of Potential United States Moons And Orbit Of Weather United StatesThe Measure Of Planets In Taking Washington United States HST Imaging Of Moder y Observatories United StatesThe SBF And SNIa Distance Scales Reconciling y Observatories United States As Standard Candles: Ia Supernovae Type Calibration Of Nearby ing Observatories Australia And An Accelerating Universe Ia Supernovae Type Investigating le France Planet Of Gl 876 FGS AstrometryThe Extrasolar Of y United KingdomThe Host Galaxies Of High Redshift Imaging ysical Observatoryysical Observatory United States United StatesThe Mira AB Accreting System Binary Interaction In Pegasi AG The Symbiotic Nova Of Evolution ysical Observatory United States Lenses As Cosmological Of Gravitational A Survey Wade State University The Pennsylvania United States The UV Spectrum Of An Elliptical Accretion Disk De NaylorRobinsonSchneiderShara University Keele — AustinTexas Of University Of Arizona University Science Institute Telescope Space United States CI Cam Transient The X-Ray Of Spectroscopy Ultraviolet United States United KingdomThe Iron Curtain Solving Conundrum In HST Guide Stars - An FGS Serendipitous Sur Variability Duplicity And SionSzkody University Villanova Washington Of University United States United States A Global Picture Of Probing An Ancient MargonWashington Of University United States Census Of Counter An Ultraviolet KenyonKnigge Smithsonian Astroph Science Institute Telescope Space HellierKarovska University Keele Smithsonian Astroph United Kingdom The Accretion Geometr GehrzGiesHaswell Of Minnesota University Georgia State University Of Sussex University United States United States United Kingdom Scuti Contact Binary RY The Massive Of Circumstellar Environment The Complex The FUV Spectrum Of SS 433 Hole Accretion Outb Black Falco Smithsonian Astroph DavisEllisFranx Of California University Institute Of Astronom Leiden Observatory United States Field And Its Structure Flow The Nearby Local Cosmology: Netherlands Galaxy M/L Ratios BothunDavies Of Oregon University Of Durham University United States United Kingdom MOND Testing TF Calibration And Definitively The Improving NGC 2841: To The Distance WFPC2 Imaging Of P Environments: In Low-Density Galaxy Evolution Ajhar National Optical Astronom GreggHajianKneibMulchaey — Davis Of California University Observatory United States Naval The Carnegie Institution Of The Observatories Of Observatoire Midi-Pyrenees United States United States Bright Quasar Close Lensing Search Lens Candidate PKS 1445-161 The Gravitational O’Dea Science Institute Telescope Space PerlmutterSaha Laboratory Berkeley Lawrence National Optical Astronom United States At High Redshift Ia Supernovae Type From Cosmological Parameters SasselovScarpa Astrophysics Harvard-Center For Science Institute Telescope Space United States M31 And M33 Using Detached Eclipsing Binar To Direct Distances SchmidtWhitmore Stromlo & Siding Spr Mt. Science Institute Telescope Space WilkinsonWindhorst Of Manchester NRAL University State University Arizona United StatesThe Hydrogen Reionization Edge Of Searching For CowanDuncan Of Oklahoma University Of Chicago University United States United States In Halo Stars And Galactic Element F Abundances Detection Of Ayres Of Colorado University United States Origins Of Magnetic Activity In Structure And Evolution BennettBennettBurrows Of Colorado University Of Colorado University Science Institute Telescope Space United States United StatesWind Of 32 Cygni The Structured A Semi-Empirical Model Of Chromospheric Eclipse The Egress From VV Cephei: Clusters, Lensing And Cosmology Cool Stars ForveilleGilliland Observatoire De Grenob Science Institute Telescope Space

11 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Approved Observing Programs for Cycle 8 arf Galaxies al NICMOS Images V & VI V & rom NICMOS 7226/7227 =0.5

z w Activity Dwarfs =0.1 To =0.1 To The Two Most Local Blue Compact Dw Two The The Hubble Deep Field - NorthThe Hubble

rom Deep HST Images z adus <1

z <2

z =2.3-2.8: Analysis Of Archival WFPC2 Medium-Band Images Analysis Of Archival =2.3-2.8:

z airs From airs From rom Multi-Color WFPC2 Images rom Multi-Color The M81 Group Schulte The End Of The Main Sequence The End Of olution opulations w Surface Brightness Galaxy w Surface Versus Metallicity Versus ibution Function In The Giant Elliptical NGC 5128 ibution Function In arallel Fields: Building On The NICMOS Legacy Building On Fields: arallel The Near Infrared Using The NICMOS Grism Data Using The Near Infrared urst Populations y Galaxies The Stellar Content Of The Local Group <1.6 = 5.34 And Its Field The Chromospheres Of Lo

z z Interacting Starbursts At Interacting Starbursts urst Galaxies To Lyman Break Galaxies? Lyman To y Bursts And The Nature Of Their Hosts The Nature Of y Bursts And With The Pleiades: Resolving The Distance Discrepancy Resolving The Pleiades: With The Flaring Regions On AB Dor y Of Stellar Flares The Metallicity Distr rom Space: From The Sun To The Stars To The Sun From rom Space: y-Alpha Emitting Galaxies At United States Calibrating Stellar Models United States Star Formation In Galaxies At 0< United States Radio Galaxies: The Faintest United States Break Galaxies F Lyman Deep Fields: The Five United StatesUnited States Of Dwarf Elliptical Galaxies F The Evolution Constraints On The Source Of Gamma Ra United States UV Spectral Properties Of O And B Stars United States The Alpha-Element/Iron Ratio In Starb ersity France Survey The ISO Ultradeep HST Imaging Of The Dark Side Of Galaxy Formation: Probing Washington United StatesThe Deep NICMOS P STIS Imaging Of or Astrophysics United StatesThe Mass-Luminosity Relation At Calibrating y Observatories United States Stellar Seismology F vatory United States Spheroidal Companions And The M31 Dwarf Of The Horizontal Branches ersity United StatesThe Closest Large Lo In Stellar Populations ysical Observatory United States Acoustic Heating In A Search For SchneiderSnedenSoderblom Of Arizona University ValentiTexas Of University Science Institute Telescope Space National Optical Astronom United States United States And Giant Planets F Confirmation Dwarfs And Characterization Of Brown The Age And EarlyThe Galaxy History Of A Rosetta Star For CS 22892-052: Henry Harvard-Smithsonian Center F JordanKulkarniReidRobinson Of Oxford University SaarTechnology Institute Of California Of America Catholic University Technology Institute Of California Smithsonian Astroph United States United States United States United Kingdom Stars Around Nearby Dwarfs Brown Search For Binary A Search For L-Dwarfs The UV Spectrum Of Beta Gem? Is SIO Observed In Rapid UV Spectroscop WalterYork Of New State University United States The Spatial Location Of Gardner NASA - Goddard Space Flight Center LillyLowenthal Of Massachusetts University Toronto Department Of University Of Astronomy CanadaThe Hidden Phases Of Galaxy Ev Identifying Koo Observatory Of California Lick University United States Of Galaxies In NICMOS Structural Parameters Quantitative Elston Of Florida University United States The Morphological Of Field Galaxies At 1< Evolution ClementsDickinson Spatiale & Cardiff Univ Institut d’Astrophysique Science Institute Telescope Space Ferguson Science Institute Telescope Space Fruchter Science Institute Telescope Space MartinMcCarthyTechnology Institute Of California The Carnegie Institution Of Observatories Of United States Redshift Analogs Moderate PattonVictoria Of University Canada Of Dynamically Close Galaxy P Snapshot Survey RatnatungaSerjeantStern Carnegie Mellon University Imperial College London Berkeley Of California University United States United States United KingdomWFPC2 Galaxies The Morphology Of Faint Snapshots Of Sub-Mjy Starb WFPC2 Imaging Of A Galaxy At Waddington State University Arizona United States High Redshifts Using Archiv Galaxy MorphologyTo At Intermediate Rest-Frame Windhorst State University Arizona United States Locating Compact L Yan Carnegie Observatories United States Emission Line Galaxies In Search For IbataIbataKnezek European Southern Observatory European Southern Observatory The Johns Hopkins Univ SeitzerWakkerWalterbos Of Michigan University Wisconsin-Madison Of University State University Mexico New Germany GermanyThe Galactic Dark Matter Illuminating Proper Motions Of Galactic Halo P Accurate United States United States United States Intergalactic Stars In A Search For Emission-Line Stars In Nearb Massive Galaxies Of Probable Nearby A Snapshot Survey HarrisWaterloo Of University LeithererMateoSchulte-Ladbeck Of Pittsburgh University Science Institute Telescope Space Of Michigan University Canada United States The Stellar Halo And United States Of Galaxies — Mining The Evolution Intermediate-Age Spheroidal Galaxies In Dwarf Bruhweiler & Computational Sciences Astrophysics Institute For Distant Galaxies Field Stellar Populations Armandroff National Obser Kitt Peak

12 January 1999

Approved Observing Programs for Cycle 8 II. Kinematics II. Kinematics ace Of Spiral Galaxies ace Of Spiral e Coma Cluster To Spectral Calculations To al Galaxies urst Galaxy M83 (NGC5236) A White Dwarfs ly Type Galaxies ly Type al Galaxies als The Gas In The Antennae Galaxies The Gas In us A The Nearest Active Galaxy The Nearest Active us A The Edge-On Galaxy NGC4631 ly Type Galaxies ly Type ular Clusters Compared urst Relation In The Ultraluminous IR Galaxy NGC 6240: The Ultraluminous urst Relation In y Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies y Dwarf Three Giant Coma Ellipticals uctures And Star Formation In The Disk-Halo Interf In uctures And Star Formation The Core Of Maffei 1 The Nearest Normal Elliptical Galaxy Massive 1 The Core Of Maffei Understanding Wolf-Rayet Star Formation In Different Environments In Different Star Formation Wolf-Rayet Understanding k Holes In Seyfert Galaxies k Holes In Seyfert olution Of Extremely Hot D y Nebulae And The Properties Of Virgo’s Intracluster Stars Intracluster Virgo’s The Properties Of And y Nebulae United States Star Formation With Active Spectra Of Galaxies Ultraviolet United States Star Clusters And Young The Kinematics Of United StatesUnited States Super-Star-Cluster Youngest The The Metal-Rich Starb With Calibrating Star Formation United States Nuclear Structure & Merger—Starb United Kingdom Bulge Mass Relationship In Spir Versus Hole The Black United States Holes And Gas Disks In A Complete Sample Of Radio-Loud Ellipticals - II: Black United StatesUnited States WFPC2 Imaging Of Dust Str Hole Mass In Centaur The Black Measuring ItalyThe Distance Of PSR0833-45 (VELA) And PSR 0656+14 Gauge To HST Astrometry otsdam GermanyThe Local Universe Light In Dust And Ultraviolet ersity United States Properties Galaxies The Ultraviolet Of Ultra-Luminous Infrared ersity United States The Nature Of Dusty Nuclear Disks In Ear ersity United States The Ofpe/WN Stars In M33: CiardulloCorbinDriver State University The Pennsylvania GreggGrillmair Observatory Steward Harris Of St Andrews University Keel — Davis Of California University Science Center SIRTF Leitherer Mcmaster University Science Institute Telescope Space Of Alabama University United States Red Giants Planetar United States United States ScotlandTh The Origin Of Intracluster Light In Tidal Debris And Galaxy Interactions United States Protogalaxy? A Nearby 186: Pox Canada Dwarf Busting In Abell 868 Cluster Systems In Ear Of Globular The Evolution United States NGC 1409/10 The Galaxy Pair In Transfer Ongoing Mass Cluster Systems In Globular MillerPeterson Advances Leiden Observatory Astrophysical United States Netherlands Of Andromeda Glob Near-UV Spectra Brightness Galaxies Surface Clusters Of Low Globular MajewskiMaozMeurer Of AstronomyVirginia Dept. Of University University Tel-Aviv The Johns Hopkins Univ United States What Is 52W036?! Israel Spatial Structure Of Super Star Clusters In NGC 1569 WestWhitmore Science Institute Telescope Space University Saint Mary’s Canada Clusters In A1185 Intergalactic Globular A Search For Treyer Der MarelVan Science Institute Telescope Space Institut P Astrophysikalisches Calzetti Science Institute Telescope Space Calzetti Science Institute Telescope Space Axon Of Manchester University BaumBregmanButaCote Science Institute Telescope Space Of Michigan University EdgeFord Of Alabama University GiovanelliTechnology Institute Of California Kuijken Of Durham University Olszewski Cornell University The Johns Hopkins Univ Savage Institute Kapteyn Of Arizona Observatory U. Steward Wisconsin-Madison Of University United States United States United States The Properties Of Gaseous Halos Around Disk Galaxies United States The Origin Of cD Envelopes United Kingdom High Resolution Imaging Of United States Absolute Proper Motions Of Nearb Cluster Galaxies Selected Central Of X-Ray A Snapshot Survey Netherlands Ratio Of Spir The Mass-To-Light Of The Evolution Proper Motions Of Bulge Stars SchreierShlosmanSiegel Science Institute Telescope Space Smith Of Kentucky University TadhunterWangVirginia Of University Wilson Of Sheffield University Of Colorado University Northwestern University Of Maryland University United States United StatesThe Stellar Dynamics Of Nested Bars In NGC 5728 Testing United Kingdom United States United States A Hole In Cygnus The Black The Mass Of Spheroidal The Leo II Dwarf Proper Motion Of United States The Morphology Of Dust Lanes In Barred Spir Halpha Imaging Of WFPC2 Narrow-Band Masses And Spins Of Blac Barstow Of Leicester University United Kingdom The Composition And Ev Galaxy Populations And Interactions Galaxy Structure And Dynamics Hot Stars BarstowBianchiCaraveo Of Leicester University The Johns Hopkins Univ Istituto Di Fisica Cosmica Del CNR United Kingdom Resolving Sirius-Like Binaries

13 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Approved Observing Programs for Cycle 8 y Of PG 1634+706 ies In The R136 Cluster ies In The Magellanic Clouds ormation y Sun-Like Star y Sun-Like ption Line System To Star Formation In The Early Universe In Star Formation To ~ 1

z e Spectroscopic Binar mal Radio Emission x C y Repeater 1900+14 y Galaxies y Of H II Regions In adus =1.2: High SNR Echelle Spectroscop =1.2: A Substantial Baryon Reservoir? z ption Lines The DBV GD358 ysics: The Thermal Equilibrium Of NGC 7009 The ysics: The ISM Of The Magellanic Clouds The ISM Of ains Using Ultraviolet Polarimetry And Spectroscopy Polarimetry ains Using Ultraviolet Wall Emission Around A Nearb Wall yond With Young Supernovae Young yond With A Novel Test Of Light Element F Test A Novel our Extremely Massiv urst Galaxies To And Beyond The Galactic Center And Beyond To vey II vey yman-Alpha Absorbers At The Dust-To-Gas Ratio In An Absor The Dust-To-Gas The Ultraviolet Spectra Of Hot Horizontal Branch Stars Branch Spectra Of Hot Horizontal The Ultraviolet y-Alpha Absorbers At Transport In The Low Redshift Intergalactic Medium In Transport part Of The Soft Gamma-Ra part Of /CO Ratio In The Large Magellanic Cloud /CO Ratio In 2 United StatesUnited Kingdom Masses And Rotation Rates The Origins Of Blue Stragglers: Discerning And Dynamics Abundances Ejecta Ring Nebulae Stars: Of Massive The Evolution Probing United States Systems And Stellar Jets In 30 Dor Trapezium France Galaxies Radiation From Continuum The Lyman United States Further Insights Into Interstellar Dust Gr United States How Opaque Are Spiral Galaxies? United StatesUnited States In NGC1705 The Starburst Outflow State Of The Physical In Plasma Astroph Fundamental Problems United StatesThe Galactic Halo And Be Probing France PKS1302-102. Toward Alpha Clouds Lyman ias SpainWind Momentum-Luminosity Relationship In Cyg OB2 The Calibration Of ersitaet Bochum Germany The H y Observatories United States Of Stellar Models Using F Tests y Observatories United States Low Column Density L ersity United States Binary Massive A Link Between Stars And Non-Ther ersity United StatesThe Local Group? Remnants Of Clouds: Velocity C IV High ysical Observatory United States Detecting Circumstellar Hydrogen ersity United StatesThe Small Magellanic Cloud Dust In The Starburst-Like Understanding Wallace The Johns Hopkins Univ Walborn Science Institute Telescope Space Smith KerkwijkVan Venn Of Utrecht University College London University Macalester College Netherlands Companion An Unexpected Binary The Massive Pulsar 2303+46: United StatesThe Magellanic Clouds: Boron In KwokLandsmanMasseyShara STX Raytheon Of Calgary University National Optical Astronom Science Institute Telescope Space WalterWinget Brook At Stony York Of New State University — AustinTexas Of Univeristy Canada United States United States Planetary Nebulae Young Deep Helium-Mixing And Stars Of Central Winds From Stellar The Spectral Energy Distribution Of A Neutron Star Photosphere United States A Unique Calibration Of Asteroseismology: KulkarniTechnology Institute Of California United States The Optical Counter DavidsonHerrero Of Minnesota University Instituto De Astrofisica Canar United StatesThe Central Star STIS Observations Of Eta Carinae: Heydari-Malayeri Observatoire De Paris FranceThe SMC As Clues Star Clusters In Massive Youngest The Deharveng d’Astronomie Spatiale Laboratoire FedermanGarnettToledo Of University Of Arizona University United States United States Conditions In Predominantly Atomic Interstellar Clouds Physical High Spatial Resolution UV/Optical Spectroscop GordonKochanekKunth Louisiana State Univ Lauroesch Astrophysics Harvard-Center For Northwestern University De Paris Institut d’Astrophysique United StatesWolffWood France Extinction Curves Of Distant Galaxies United States Space Science Institute Smithsonian Astroph Alpha Emission In Starb Lyman Survey Of Interstellar Absor A SNAPSHOT Keenan Of Belfast University Queen’s United Kingdom The Interstellar Medium Near Bomans Astronomisches Institut Univ Allen Science Institute Telescope Space Leitherer Science Institute Telescope Space Sembach The Johns Hopkins Univ ShopbellSonneborn Of Maryland University NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center United States In NGC 1569 The Starburst-ISM Interaction MeyerRubin Northwestern University NASA Ames Research Center United States Interstellar Clouds Translucent In The Oxygen Abundance StockeWakkerWelty — Boulder Of Colorado University Wisconsin-Madison Of University Of Chicago University United States United States The Extent Of Metal The Metallicity And Dust Content Of HVC Comple United States Conditions In And Physical Abundances Jannuzi National Optical Astronom Bowen Observatory Edinburgh Royal United Kingdom Absorption Cross-Section Of Nearb The Lyalpha Cohen — San Diego Of California University United States A Unique Measurement Of Impey Of Arizona University United States The Coherence Length Of L JenkinsLemoine Observatory Princeton University Departement Relativiste Et De Cosmologie d’Astrophysique United States Hot Gas Hidden In Galaxy Groups: Pervasive Interstellar And Intergalactic Matter Quasar Absorption Lines Moller European Southern Observatory Garching Germany STIS Deep DLA Imaging Sur

14 January 1999

Approved Observing Programs for Cycle 8 vey > 2.9 Quasars

z olution w Inhomogeneity The Homunculus The Ly Alpha Forest The Ly ation - M5 And NGC 3201 T Tauri Micro-Jets T Tauri ysics y Nebula BD+30 3639 y Nebula ption Towards 26 Bright Towards ption ning In Globular Clusters ning In Globular ing And Emission In y Nebulae - A WFPC2 Halpha Imaging Sur - A y Nebulae is In Eta Carinae The Large Magellanic Cloud inae - A New Phenomenon inae - A New = 1.15 DLA And Metals In Variability In BAL Systems) Variability

z The Orion Nebula A y Dynamics: WFPC2 Imaging Of OH231.8+4.2 y Dynamics: ular Clusters With Intergalactic He II Absor The Limit Of Hydrogen Bur vey Of The Symbiotic Stars Of vey y Nebulae And Circumstellar Arcs y Nebulae Young Stars: Forbidden Line Imaging Of Forbidden Stars: Young y Galaxies Through UV Absorption Spectroscopy yalpha Systems (And yalpha ace Brightness Planetary Nebulae ucture Of Cas A’s Metal-Rich Ejecta ucture Of Cas A’s vironments Of The Cool Hypergiants vironments Of y Nebualae: A STIS Study y Nebualae: Two Fields In The Globular Cluster 47 Tucanae Cluster 47 The Globular Fields In Two The Bipolar Outflow In Beta Lyrae The Bipolar Outflow y Of The Core Of M13 y Of y Of Selected Symbiotic Stars vey Of The Crab Nebula Of vey ings In The Nebula Around Eta Car The Nebula ings In Variability Of HH Objects Near Variability adiated By Massive OB Stars adiated By Massive Lyalpha Clouds Towards PKS 2155-304? Towards Clouds Lyalpha

z United StatesUnited StatesThe Circumstellar En Imaging United States Snapshot Spectroscopic Diagnostic Sur Planetary Nebulae Unravel To Using STIS Italy Stalking FLIERS In Planetar United StatesUnited States High Resolution Imaging Bright Galactic Nova: The Next And Late Stellar Ev A Study Of Nebular Survey Of LMC Planetary Nebulae: United States A SNAPSHOT Giant Eruption By Modeling Dust Scatter Measuring Eta Car’s United KingdomTime- And Spectral Resolution Study Of Flo A High Winds: Disk Variable Cataclysmic SpainWinds And Proto-Planetar Colliding Stellar ysik Germany Highly Collimated Str Theoretische Astroph Technology & Medicine Technology ersity United Kingdom Of Symbiotic Stars A Snapshot Survey ersity United Kingdom High Resolution Imager ersity United States Luminosity Calibr The RR Lyrae Clusters And Globular To Distances White Dwarf atory California Institute Of Technologyatory Institute Of California United States Excitation Planetar Low Very And Jets In Multipolar Bubbles ersity United States The Homogeneity Of Damped L HesterHrivnakHumphreys State University Arizona University Of Minnesota University Valparaiso United States United States An Emission Line Sur HST Imaging Of Bipolar Proto-Planetar Morse Of Colorado University United States And Outer Debr The Homunculus Of The Evolution Tracking FesenHarrington Of Maryland University Dartmouth CollegeKeyesKirshnerKwokLatter Science Institute Telescope Space Harvard College ObservatoryNordsieck Of Calgary University O’Dell Science Center/Caltech SIRTF PerinottoWisconsin-Madison Of University ReipurthSahai Rice University Dipartimento United States Astronomia Boulder Of Colorado University United States Jet Propulsion Labor Chemically Inhomogeneous Planetar The Rapidly-Evolving Of Spectroscopy United States The Spatial And Ionization Str United States Study - Cycle 8 Intensive The Supernova SINS: Canada Orientation And Extent Of United States Morphology Of High Radio Surf The Kinematics Of Knots Along Herbig-Haro Jets At High Spatial Resolution United States Proper Motions And Shull — Boulder Of Colorado University United States Primordial Low- Monier The Ohio State Univ PetitjeanReimers De Paris Institut d’Astrophysique Sternwarte Hamburger France Germany STIS Observations Of QSO Pairs Lines Of Sight Transparent A Search For Reimers Sternwarte Hamburger Germany UV Brightest Intermediate Redshift QSO: Known Weis Heidelberg Institut Fuer Universitaet Stanghellini Science Institute Telescope Space SharaVerner Science Institute Telescope Space WhitneyWinkler Of Kentucky University Prism Computational Sciences Inc. College Middlebury United States Atomic And Plasma Astroph Implications For II Spectra Of Eta Carinae: The Fe United States Probing Stellar Ejecta In SN 1006 Drew Imperial College Of Science Bujarrabal Observatorio Astronomico Nacional BodeChuDougados Liverpool John Moores Univ Observatoire De Grenoble d’Astrophysique Laboratoire Of Illinois University FranceThe Ejection Process In To New Clues United States Supernova Remnants In A Cloudy Interstellar Medium Bode Liverpool John Moores Univ Bally — Boulder Of Colorado CASA / University United States Herbig-Haro Jets Irr KingLandsmanLayden STX Raytheon — Berkeley Of California University Green State Univ Bowling United States A Proper-Motion Study Of United States A Complete Census Of Hot Stars In Glob BrileyHeydari-Malayeri Observatoire De ParisHodgeHodgeWisconsin-Madison Of University HodgeKingWashington Of University Washington Of University Washington Of University — Berkeley Of California University United States FranceTucanae The Core Of 47 In Variations Light Element Abundance United States United States United States Stars In Compact H2 Blobs Of Hidden New-Born Massive United States Blue Clusters In M31 Massive The Luminosity Function Near Exploring Rate In Nearb The Cluster Formation Star Clusters Of NGC 6822 Stellar Ejecta Stellar Populations In Clusters Bailyn University Yale United States High Precision Photometr

15 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Approved Observing Programs for Cycle 8 actions ial Atmosphere Of Jupiter n With Multiple (?) Turnoffs With Multiple (?) Velocity Features In Orion Features Velocity ace t Of The NMP DS1 Flyby t Of With STIS Spectra rom T Tauri Stars Tauri rom T The Herbig Star HD100546 ies mediate Mass Stars ic Targets In Jupiter Targets ic ular Clusters: A Snapshot Study Of NGC 6441 ular Clusters: Winds vironments Of T Tauri Stars Tauri T vironments Of ular Clusters w Models n’s OH Cloud n’s adiated Disks And Associated High a Of Jupiter’s Aurora During The Galileo Extended Mission During Aurora a Of Jupiter’s y For 3 Intermediate Age LMC Clusters y For ymede: Unveiling Satellite Aurora & Electrodynamical Inter Satellite Aurora Unveiling ymede: vey II. Completing The CTTS Sample Completing II. vey n’s Stratosphere With STIS. Water Influx From The Ring And Polar Haze The Ring And Polar Influx From Water With STIS. Stratosphere n’s or Pre-Main Sequence Inter The Circumstellar En w Velocity Forbidden Emission F Forbidden Velocity w The Dense Globular Cluster M15 The Dense Globular vestigation Of Any Bright Newly Discovered Comet Bright Discovered Of Any Newly vestigation United States Nuclear Kinematics Of United States Stellar Masses? At Low The IMF Universal Is United StatesFranceThe Radius Of Comet 19P/Borrelly In Suppor DeterminationUnited States Of UV Imaging Of Europa & Gan Of Cometary Survey A Size Nuclei United States Encounter Voyager The Atmosphere Since Changes In Uranus’ United StatesUnited StatesTriton Mapping The Act Of Global Change In Triton United States Exploring WFPC2 Martian Using Abundances Ozone To A Critical Extension United States Protostellar Collapse And Outflo Testing United States PMS Stars Low-Mass Masses For True Measure To An Opportunity HD 98800: United States And Jets YSO Outflows Of And Evolution Development ysics Research Inst.) Technology United States Global Change On Pluto? Technology United States Constructing A 2-D Picture Of Satur y Observatories United States Intermediate Mass Stars For Of Stellar Evolution Test A Critical NGC 1866: y Observatories STIS Group United States Pre-Main Sequence Stars Cometary Material In Solar-Type Of Infalling UV Spectroscopy ersity United States UV Spectroscopic In ysique Spatiale FranceThe Upper Equator Observed In Turbulence Origin Of Supersonic Search For ysical Observatory United States Mass Accretion Rates F atory California Institute Of Technologyatory Institute Of California United States Discrete Photometry Of Galileo Mission Atmospher atory United States Hazes And Polar Aurora Far-UV Saturn’s ersity United States In Metal-Rich Glob Effect The Second-Parameter Smith AltenaVan der Marelvan University Yale Science Institute Telescope Space Michigan State Univ United States In Globular Clusters II Distribution Velocity Internal Walker National Optical Astronom Rich At Los Angeles Of California University United StatesWFPC2 Photometr High Quality Nota Science Institute Telescope Space PiottoPiotto Di Padova Universita Di Padova Universita Italy Italy Clusters Of Galactic Globular A Snapshot Survey The Stellar Initial Mass Function Of Glob ClarkeElliotFestou Of Michigan University Massachusetts Institute Of Research Institute Southwest United States Imaging And Spectr HST Far-UV Emerich CNRS-Institut d’Astroph BagenalBellBrown Of Colorado University Chanover Cornell University Caltech State University Mexico New McGrath Science Institute Telescope Space United States United States Io Campaign HST-Galileo United StatesThe Quiescent And Disturbed Atmosphere Of Satur Study Of An Archival HistoryWeathering Of Mars United States Mineralogy And Belt Object Satellites Kuiper A Search For GriffithLamy Northern Arizona University d’Astronomie Spatiale Laboratoire United States Atmosphere And Surf Titan’s Of Spectroscopy Spatially Resolved Orton Jet Propulsion Labor PrangeRages Spatiale Institut d’Astrophysique NASA Ames Research Center (Space Ph France FUV Diagnostic Of Satur Richardson Massachusetts Institute Of SternTrauger Research Institute Southwest Jet Propulsion Labor Weaver The Johns Hopkins Univ SromovskySternWisconsin-Madison Of University Research Institute Southwest Whitney Prism Computational Sciences Inc. United States Cloud Structure Of Jovian Multispectral Investigation Whitney Prism Computational Sciences Inc. WalterYork Of New State University United States Molecular Hydrogen In Stapelfeldt Jet Propulsion Laboratory United States Star Snapshot Sur Tauri T O’DellRaySimonSoderblom Rice University Studies Advanced Institute For Dublin Science Institute Telescope Space SUNY United Kingdom And Herbig Ae/Be Star Tauri T The Nature Of United States Determination Of Circumstellar Cloud Mass Loss Rates United States Masses And Distances Of Pre-Main Sequence Binar Burrows Science Institute Telescope Space Calvet Smithsonian Astroph Lagrange Observatoire De Grenoble France Bodies Hypothesis On Evaporating The Falling Testing GullbringHartigan Observatory Stockholm Rice University Sweden United StatesThe Accretion Flow On Pre-Main-Sequence Stars The Structure Of Collimated Jets And Lo Grady National Optical Astronom Solar System Young Stars And Circumstellar Material Bally Boulder Of Colorado University United States The Structure And Kinematics Of Irr

16 January 1999

A New Phase II in Cycle 8 David Soderblom, STScI [email protected]

f you are among the successful 4. In Cycle 8 we have reduced the Phase II Proposal Instructions has HST proposers for Cycle 8 scope of duplication checking done many added features to make it easy to I congratulations! You now have to at STScI. We will check for near-to- find the information you need, submit the complete details of how exact matches with GTO observa- including a fully-linked and extensive your program is to be executed, tions and with programs that still table of contents, and index, and meaning the Phase II program. There have data within the proprietary navigation buttons on each page. You are some important differences in the period. However, we recognize that should be able to read the PDF by Phase II process from previous cycles the PI has the best sense of when clicking in your web browser. You can that you need to be aware of: another program may encroach on also obtain Acroread for free from their valid data rights. Therefore we www.adobe.com. Your comments on 1. We will be strict about the will expect PIs to check for possible this document are welcome and can be deadlines for submission. Having data conflicts once all the Phase II sent to [email protected]. accurate Phase II submissions right submissions are in. A web-based at the beginning goes a long way duplication checking tool will toward effective and efficient use of be available. HST by making it possible for us to make a long-range observing plan. 5. Once a program has been submitted and accepted, changes are Phase II programs will be due possible, but only when documented February 18. In exceptional cases we and justified. Minor changes can be can grant a short extension of approved by your PC or Contact the deadline if you inform us before Scientist (CS), but you must file a February 18. In any case, if no Phase Change Request form to accompany II program has been submitted by the RPS2 resubmission. Major March 18, the orbits allocated to the changes (see the policies on the program will be lost. Observer’s web page at http:// www.stsci.edu/observing/observing.html 2. We will also be strict about ) the quality of what is submitted, require a formal Program Change Request, which is done via the web. meaning that we expect PIs to HST Recent Release: A Glowing Pool of Light provide us with complete and If you experience problems or have NGC 3132 is a striking example of a planetary nebula. accurate information right at the questions, get in touch with your PC or This expanding cloud of gas, surrounding a dying star, is beginning. To make this clearer, CS; they were identified in your known to amateur astronomers in the southern hemisphere we draw a distinction between notification letter. as the "Eight-Burst" or the "Southern Ring" Nebula. “submission” and “acceptance” Your Phase II program is essentially NGC 3132 is nearly half a light year in diameter, and at a of your Phase II program. “Accep- written in a high-level programming distance of about 2000 light years is one of the nearer tance” means either that what is language. The commands available to known planetary nebulae. The gases are expanding away submitted is error-free (according to you and the syntax to be used are from the central star at a speed of 9 miles per second. RPS2) or that the errors that remain described in the Phase II Proposal This image, captured by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, cannot be remedied by the PI. The Instructions. These have been clearly shows two stars near the center of the nebula, a latter case means that your Program completely reedited for Cycle 8. There bright white one, and an adjacent, fainter companion to its Coordinator (PC) overrides RPS2 are substantial changes to RPS2 — upper right. (A third, unrelated star lies near the edge of the nebula.) The faint partner is actually the star that has and officially accepts the new capabilities, obsolete functions ejected the nebula. This star is now smaller than our own program anyway. removed — that the Phase II Proposal Sun, but extremely hot. The flood of ultraviolet radiation Instructions describe. The Phase II program that is from its surface makes the surrounding gases glow through The new Phase II Proposal Instruc- fluorescence. The brighter star is in an earlier stage of submitted by February 18 must also tions are available exclusively on-line stellar evolution, but in the future it will probably eject its be accepted by that date. own planetary nebula. in PDF format. No paper version will 3. Phase II programs must include all be supplied, but it is easy to print from Credit: Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA/NASA) targets to be observed in that the PDF. PDF offers all the useful http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/1998/39/index.html program, and the orbits required capabilities of HTML with many must be at or below your allocation. additional features, and navigation within PDF is much, much faster than within HTML. The PDF version of the 17 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

The New, Improved, RPS2 Andy Gerb, STScI [email protected]

ith the aim of better does its job, allowing better trade-offs robust to minor differences in platform support for Hubble’s between speed and precision. Although and environment. It will also enable us W observers, STScI has been TransVERSE is a two-year project, so to incorporate state-of-the-art process looking at ways to improve our its benefits will not be fully realized control tools into RPS2 to ensure that Remote Proposal Submission (RPS2) until Cycle 10, it is being added to the it runs reliably. In order to give us software. Efforts are currently system incrementally so there is a good adequate time to test these changes, we underway to improve the speed and chance that improvements to Cycle 9 have opted not to release them with the robustness of the tool and to seek ways RPS2 will also be evident. Cycle 8 version of RPS2, but we are of making it more useful. confident they will be available by Robustness Cycle 9. Speed Although RPS2 is installed and runs In order for RPS2 to accurately without difficulty on the majority of Usability advise users on the feasibility of their sites that use it, some users have We are actively seeking ways to programs, it needs to build up a reported problems with “hangs” during improve the user-friendliness of RPS2 detailed model of how the observations execution and unexpected results from and to ensure that the information that will execute on HST. To do this, RPS2 RPS2’s user interface. To eliminate it gives observers is as useful and relies on a tool embedded within it these, we are working to upgrade the applicable as possible. Anuradha called Transformation (Trans). The controller within RPS2 to use tools Koratkar, STScI’s Presto Project complicated buffer management which conform to the Common Object Scientist, is chairing a focus group of requirements of the newer instruments Request Broker Architecture HST proposers and STScI personnel have made Trans’ job more difficult, (CORBA). We are also tasked with improving the Phase II resulting in a noticeable slowdown reimplementing portions of the proposal preparation process. Improv- of RPS2. graphical user interfaces to use the ing RPS2 figures prominently within To alleviate this, we are embarking Java programming language. CORBA their charter. on the TransVERSE project to and Java have become widely used We are open to additional sugges- reengineer the Trans system. In standards that did not exist five years tions on how to make RPS2 a better addition to simplifying the Trans ago when RPS2 was designed. tool. If you have ideas, we’d like to system and thereby allowing faster The look and feel of RPS2 will hear them. Email any comments, execution, this project will also change little as a result of this upgrade, suggestions or ideas you have to provide greater control over how Trans but we expect that the use of new [email protected]. standards will make the software more

HST Recent Release: Astronomers Unveil Colorful Hubble Photo Gallery What may first appear as a sunny side up egg is actually NASA Hubble Space Telescope's face-on snapshot of the small spiral galaxy NGC 7742. But NGC 7742 is not a run-of-the-mill spiral galaxy. In fact, this spiral is known to be a Seyfert 2 active galaxy, a type of galaxy that is probably powered by a black hole residing in its core. Credit: Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA/NASA) http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/1998/28/ index.html

18 January 1999

The Hubble Heritage Project Keith Noll [email protected]

n STScI/NASA press release images reside in there but have never The Heritage web site has been in October 1998 announced been released, either because the enormously popular with 17 million A the kickoff of a new outreach results from the project do not meet the hits in the first seven weeks of program, the Hubble Heritage Project. relatively high criteria of operation. Public comments have been After more than a year of preparation, newsworthiness applied to normal almost unanimously favorable. And, of the Heritage Project went public with press releases, or because the astrono- course, we are continually upgrading the release of four color images mers involved simply do not have the the site in response to external produced from non-proprietary data in considerable amount of time needed to suggestions. The Heritage web site can the HST archive. The Heritage team produce a very high quality color be found at http://heritage.stsci.edu/ and also announced their plans to release image. The Heritage project provides we invite you to visit. You will find a one new image each month at their both a separate channel to the public site that is somewhat different in flavor web site and have done so in Novem- where the main criterion is the quality from a traditional astronomical web ber and December. These are to be of the image itself and the resources page with a mix of design elements followed by a new three-color image needed to produce esthetically intended to convey both the serious- of the Ring Nebula made by the team optimized images. ness of the scientific enterprise as well that will be released at the AAS in In addition to archival images, the as the sheer beauty of the images. Austin on January 6. Heritage team has a small budget of The ultimate success of the Heritage The Hubble Heritage project was Director’s Discretionary time with project depends on the support of the conceived by STScI Astronomers which to make new observations. The HST user community. We have enjoyed Keith Noll, Anne Kinney, Howard Ring Nebula color image is the first excellent cooperation with PIs of the Bond, and Carol Christian. The team example of such an observation. Future programs whose archival images we also includes Jayanne English, Lisa observations will be decided, in part, have used. Their insight and feedback Frattare, Forrest Hamilton, and Zolt by public voting at the Heritage web has enriched the releases and is a Levay, all at STScI. site, where visitors will be asked to service to the entire community. We The mission of the Heritage team is choose between a small sample of invite suggestions for improving the to produce a steady stream of estheti- preselected targets. Of course, all data Heritage project and look forward to cally impressive images using data obtained by the Heritage Project will working with many more HST users in obtained with HST. The majority of the be non-proprietary and it is our the months to come. releases will come from the HST expectation that these data will be of archive. Many potentially excellent value scientifically as well as for public outreach.

HST Recent Release: Looking Down a Barrel of Gas at a Doomed Star The NASA Hubble Space Telescope has captured the sharpest view yet of the most famous of all planetary nebulae: the Ring Nebula (M57). In this October 1998 image, the telescope has looked down a barrel of gas cast off by a dying star thousands of years ago. This photo reveals elongated dark clumps of material embedded in the gas at the edge of the nebula; the dying central star floating in a blue haze of hot gas. The nebula is about a light- year in diameter and is located some 2,000 light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Lyra. Credit: Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA/NASA) http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/1999/01/ index.html 19 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

A Workshop on Observing Tools Anuradha Koratkar and Jeremy Jones [email protected]

Workshop on Observing results of the NOAO meeting by term goals are to define interfaces that Tools was held recently to Jeannette Barnes (see below), and a make tools interoperable, share code A explore where collaborative presentation on the Future of User and pool efforts in the development of effort could benefit both observers and Support Tools by Tom Brooks. Most of next-generation capabilities. observatories. The workshop was held the time was spent on focused panel The emphasis on discussion over on October 28 and 29, 1998 at the discussions and breakout sessions. At presentation was clearly appreciated. University of Maryland Inn and the end of the workshop we formed six The group seemed to feel that it was a Conference Center in College Park, working groups: great first step in what we hope to be a Maryland. Over fifty representatives much longer collaborative effort. The Target Visualization Tools: — a mixture of astronomers and true measure of success, however, will • Exposure Time Calculators software developers representing a be if efforts put forth by the working variety of observatories (ground- • Defining an Observation groups actually produce tangible and space-based, optical, x-ray, • Optimizing Calibration results. Still, it was an exciting two infrared) — discussed the role of Observations for Ground days, and we were glad we had the collaboration in the development of Based Observatories opportunity to facilitate such interest- future observing tools. • Common Observatory Definition ing discussion. We look forward to The primary goal of the workshop hearing from the working groups in the • Data Services was to encourage discussion between near future. For more information on groups. Formal presentations were These working groups will start with this meeting report, slides and kept to a minimum, and consisted of simple goals and explore collaboration information on next generation four talks: a short introduction by on their own terms. The short-term observing tools see the web site Keith Kalinowski, an overview by goals of these groups will be to http://aaaprod.gsfc.nasa.gov/workshop Anuradha Koratkar and Sandy develop a common definition of what and http://aaaprod.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEA. Grosvenor, a presentation on the each tool should contain. The long-

NOAO Workshop on Telescope Proposals of the Future Caty Pilachowski and Jeannette Barnes

s new and more complex among observatories, including the minimum, while allowing investigators telescopes come on line, National Gemini Offices and the to present their case in a suitable A telescope time applications Gemini Project, of the requirements manner. Wherever possible, observato- are becoming more complex too, with and procedures for telescope propos- ries should share common and familiar requirements for machine-readable als, and to encourage cooperation tools for developing proposals. target lists, guide star selections, among the national observatories of Finally, the process should also detailed exposure estimates, and the partner countries, STScI, and other minimize the effort required at each specifications on sky conditions. institutions faced with similar issues observatory to support TAC evaluation Learning to use new tools for each and concerns related to the telescope and observing. The process should observatory just to submit proposals proposal process. allow integration of proposals for the may well become a daunting and time- Through discussions at the Work- variety of telescope time available consuming task for all of us. shop, a broad consensus emerged. through each observatory. To try to prevent this situation from First, the proposal process should Actions resulting from the Work- arising, representatives of several include an option for web-based shop include the distribution of the observatories, including NOAO, proposal preparation and submission NOAO Web proposal system to several Gemini, STScI, McDonald Observa- that does not require the distribution of observatories, and the formation of two tory and the HET, the MMT Observa- software. For now this was the best working sub-groups to develop a set of tory, the CFHT, the National Research option for the US community, but we LaTeX/XML tags to be shared among Council of Canada, the AAO, and will need to continually re-evaluate the observatories and to develop guide- JACH, met together in Tucson in situation as new tools and methods lines for layout and organization of August. The goal of the Proposal become available. Web-based tools for proposal submis- Process Workshop, hosted by NOAO, Second, the proposal process should sion that will allow the sharing of tools was to develop a shared understanding be as simple as possible for users, with among observatories. 20 required information kept to a January 1999

Starburst99: Synthesis Models for Galaxies with Active Star Formation Claus Leitherer (STScI), Daniel Schaerer (Obs. Midi-Pyrenees), Jeffrey D. Goldader (Univ. of Pennsylvania), Rosa M. González Delgado (Inst. Astrof. de Andalucía), Carmelle Robert (Laval University), Denis Foo Kune (Macalester College), Duília F. de Mello (STScI), Daniel Devost (STScI), and Timothy M. Heckman (JHU)

hose of you who frequently the previous publication are now non-standard IMF. The input param- surf the internet may already shown for the first time. The models eters can be entered via a web interface T have discovered it: a new are presented in a homogeneous way (Figure 3). After submission of the job, webpage entitled “Starburst99” has for five metallicities between Z =0.040 the computations are done remotely at been added to the STScI website. In and 0.001 and three choices of the Space Telescope Science Institute. case you have not yet visited this site, initial mass function. The age coverage Once the job is complete, the users are give it a try at http://www.stsci.edu/ is 106 to 109 yr. Also shown are the notified by e-mail and can retrieve the science/starburst99/. The welcome page spectral energy distributions which output files by ftp. If the cpu load is is shown in Figure 1. This project is a are used to compute colors and low, a typical run should last less than collaborative effort of the STScI other quantities. an hour. However, we anticipate that it Starburst Group to provide the Examples of sets of spectral energy may take a bit longer during the first community with a convenient tool for distributions are shown in Figure 2. weeks after the STScI Newsletter has the interpretation of galaxies with These spectra have a wavelength- been published... Be patient! ongoing star formation. dependent resolution of typically Finally, if all else fails, the What is it? Starburst99 is a 10 to 20 Å. Apart from being able to Starburst99 user has the option to comprehensive set of model predic- view more than 500 figures, the user download the code and all auxiliary tions for spectrophotometric and can download the files that were used files. We distribute the source code related properties of galaxies with to produce the plots. The files are freely to the community and the active star formation. The models are simple ascii tables which can easily users may modify the code to suit an improved and extended version of be manipulated, for instance, for their needs. the data set previously published by applying reddening or K corrections More details on the code and the Leitherer & Heckman (1995). We have to the spectra. models are on our website and in a upgraded our code by implementing Most users may find the information paper we have submitted to ApJS the latest set of stellar evolution in these figures sufficient for their (Leitherer et al. 1999; a copy may be models of the Geneva group and the needs. If the figure and table set does downloaded from the Starburst99 model atmosphere grid compiled by not cover the required parameter space, webpage). Feel free to browse and Lejeune et al. (1997). Several you can run your own models. A create your own starburst model. predictions which were not included in typical example would be a case with a Comments and questions are welcome.

Figure 1. The default webpage of the Figure 2. Set of spectral energy Starburst99 project at http:// distributions for single stellar www.stsci.edu/science/starburst99/. The populations at 1/20 solar metallicity. user can view and download the The data can be downloaded by simply figures, tables and the source code, clicking on the figure. Figure 3. Interface for running tailored and can submit her/his own tailored starburst models. The webpage allows models for computation. users to enter their desired parameters and submit the job for execution at STScI. 21 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Microlensing follow-up from page 1

resolution telescope to resolve the light curve, which can be used to and Australia. In the 1996 Bulge source and get limb-darkening detect planets around the lensing stars. season, two additional telescopes - the parameters. And if the lens has a However, the microlensing survey CTIO 1m telescope in Chile and the planetary system, the planet can cause programs, which monitor the events Hobart 1m telescope in Australia - an extra-short-duration spike on the nightly, would mostly miss such fine joined PLANET, which improved the structures in the light curve. Looking longitude and time coverage. This for such fine structures in the light brings the total to (at least) five curve would require dedicated participating sites: CTIO, Dutch/ESO Perth 0.6m telescopes specially suited for this 0.9m, SAAO 1m, Perth 0.6m and purpose, capable of monitoring the Hobart 1m (Fig. 1). Some of the events 24-hours a day and frequently, science high-lights of the PLANET with good photometric accuracy in the collaboration follow. monitoring program. This requires Hobart 1.0m dedicated access to telescopes around Where are the lenses? Monitoring a Sutherland 1.0m the globe, the best time for monitoring caustic crossing to find the answer being the ‘Bulge-season’ when there Four years of monitoring of millions are more than 10 events at any of stars towards the Magellanic Clouds given time. has resulted in the detection of more than a dozen microlensing events The PLANET collaboration towards the LMC, and 2 events Conceived in the early winter of towards the SMC. However, the simple La Silla Dutch 1995 to meet this challenge, PLANET microlensing light curve is insufficient 0.9m (Probing Lensing Anomalies to provide information on the exact NETwork) was born soon after as a location of the lens due to a degen- Fig. 1. A south-pole centered view of the location of the worldwide collaboration of astrono- eracy between the mass, distance, and PLANET telescopes. mers with access to a set of 3 tele- the perpendicular velocity of the lens. scopes situated in Chile, South Africa, continued page 23

HST Recent Release: Combined Deep View of Infrared and Visible Light Galaxies This narrow, deep view of the universe reveals a plethora of galaxies (reaching fainter than 28th magnitude), as seen in visible and infrared light by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Several distinctive types of galaxies can be seen in these views: blue dwarf galaxies, disk galaxies, and very red elliptical galaxies. A bright, nearby face-on spiral galaxy appears at upper right. Some of the brightest objects in the field are foreground stars in the halo of our own Milky Way galaxy. By combining views in infrared light and visible light astronomers have a better idea of the shapes of galaxies in the remote universe, and of the fraction which are old or dust- obscured at early epochs. Credit: R. Williams (STScI), the HDF-South team, and NASA http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/1999/02/ index.html 22 January 1999

Microlensing follow-up from page 22

As a result, there is much controversy collaborations, who also concluded coincides with the Einstein ring radius on the exact location of the lenses and that the lens is most likely within of a solar-mass lensing star. Such a there is, as yet, no consensus on the SMC. case is termed ‘resonant lensing,’ whether the lenses are located in the A few more such determinations which increases the probability of Galactic halo, the local Galactic disk, of the lens locations will potentially detecting the planetary signal. Detailed or within the Magellanic Clouds. provide conclusive tests on the models show that if every star has a Direct determination of the location of lens locations. Jupiter, then in 20% of the cases there the lens in a few cases can potentially would be a planetary signature with put this long-standing controversy Microlensing as a high angular magnification larger than 5%. It is to rest. resolution telescope worth adding here that among the Frequent monitoring of a caustic- The event MACHO 97-BLG-28 is a crossing event caused by a binary lens very unique event among all the events provides one such means of determin- monitored by PLANET. This is a Days Since UT 31.0 May ing the lens location. The caustic is binary lens event where the source star 010203040 essentially a straight line in space, so directly passed behind the cusp — the 17 the time taken by the caustic to cross region where the caustics meet — 17 the source provides a direct measure of thereby highly magnifying the portion the proper motion of the lens projected of source star lying directly behind the 18 18 onto the source plane. If the lens is in cusp during the caustic transit and 19 the halo at a distance of 15 kpc, then, allowing a rare opportunity to study in 20 since the expected proper motion of detail the structure of the stellar 982.5 19

the lens is about 200 km/s, the time to surface. PLANET monitored this event I Magnitude cross the caustic would be of the order with very high accuracy and frequency, of half an hour. If, on the other hand, and the results are spectacular (Fig. 3). the lens is within the SMC, the caustic From a spectrum of the source we 20 crossing time is expected to be of the know that it is a K-giant. Analysis of order of 10 hours. Thus monitoring a the PLANET dataset not only shows 970 980 990 1000 caustic crossing provides a neat that the observations are inconsistent Julian Date Ð2450000. method to determine the location of the with a uniformly bright disk model, lens. Such an opportunity occurred last but allows the measurement of limb- Fig. 2. Light curve of the PLANET data for MACHO-98- June when a binary lens event was darkening parameters in two filters SMC-1. Shown are the data from the SAAO 1 m (circles), discovered towards the SMC. from the light curve data alone. the CTIO 0.9 m (squares), the CTIO-Yale 1 m (triangles), and the Canopus 1 m (asterisks). The inset covers about The binary lens event, MACHO 98- The resulting stellar profiles are 0.6 days, corresponding to less than one tick mark on the SMC-1, was discovered by the in excellent agreement with those main figure. MACHO collaboration. After the first predicted by stellar atmospheric caustic crossing event was reported, models for K giants. The limb- PLANET, with its 24-hour access to darkening coefficients measured currently-available methods, telescopes around the world, began here are among the first derived microlensing is probably the only monitoring this event, with a particular from microlensing. They are also method which is sensitive to detection interest in fully sampling the second among the first for normal giants by of Earth-mass planets. caustic crossing. The peak of the any technique, and any star as distant The minimum duration of the extra second caustic crossing occurred when as the Galactic Bulge (Ref. 2). feature due to the planet, to a first it was night in South Africa, and the approximation, is the time taken by the whole caustic crossing was covered Search for extra-solar planets source to cross the caustic, which can with great frequency by PLANET. If the lensing star has a planetary be about 1.5 to 5 hrs. The maximum The time for the caustic to cross was system, the effect of the planet can be duration of the spike is roughly the found to be 8.5 hours, which suggested seen, in most cases, as sharp extra time taken by the planet to cross its that the lens is within the SMC (Fig. peaks in the microlensing light curve own Einstein ring. Using a reasonable 2). A more detailed model, taking all (Fig. 4). The probability of detection of set of parameters (the lower mass of the data into account, confirmed this such extra peaks by a planetary system the planet is taken as that of the Earth, early suggestion that the lens is most has been investigated by several the higher mass is assumed to be that likely within the SMC proper (Ref. 1). authors. It is found that for a solar-like of Jupiter), this can be a few hours to The result was further confirmed by system half way between us and the about 3 days. Thus one of the the EROS, OGLE, MACHO and MPS Galactic Bulge, Jupiter’s orbital radius continued page 24 23 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Microlensing follow-up from page 24 LIMBÐDARKENED UNIFORMLYÐBRIGHT 15 requirements for a monitoring program is the ability to monitor hourly so that 15.5 LIMB the extra feature due to the planet is V well-sampled. Other requirements 16 include the capability of 24-hour coverage in the monitoring program, 16.5 and high photometric accuracy. PLANET is thus ideally suited for 13 I such a monitoring program (Ref. 3). The present capability of the PLANET 13.5 collaboration is the following:

14 • Access to four 1-meter size 896 896.2 896.4 896 896.2 896.4 telescopes at appropriately spaced longitudes throughout the 15 Bulge season. 15.5 CUSP V • Photometric accuracy of better 16 than 5%.

16.5 • Hourly monitoring and (weather

12.5 permitting) close to 24-hour coverage in the monitoring program I 13 • Online reduction facilities 13.5 • Capability of providing 14 ‘secondary alerts.’

895 896 895 896 In addition, a near-IR capability is HJD Ð 24449719 HJD Ð 24449719 being added in the 1999 observing season. PLANET has now completed 4 Fig. 3. Left: Light curves for the best fitting 2-parameter limb-darkening model superimposed on years of observing campaigns and has PLANET data sets for a 3-day period centered on the cusp-crossing (bottom) and a 16-hour period intensely monitored more than 2 dozen during which the stellar limb swept over the cusp (top). Right: Same for the best uniform bright source model (UB) shown as a dashed line. The limb-darkening model is clearly superior. microlensing events, during which several binary events have been discovered and monitored. At the time of writing this article, the full datasets are still being analyzed, and intensive efforts are under way in modeling and Source motion 2 better understanding of the many θ Perturbed ‘anomalous’ events detected by region PLANET. Lens Star Einstein Ring 1.5 More Information on the PLANET

Total Magnification Total (b) project can be found at http:// (a) www.astro.rug.nl/~planet 1 References: 1. Albrow, M. et al. (PLANET Fig.4. (a) The geometry of the star-plus-planet lensing event and fig. (b) the resulting light curve. Collaboration), 1998, ApJ, in press (astro-ph/9807086) 2. Albrow, M. et al. (PLANET Collaboration), 1998, Submitted to ApJ. (astro-ph/9811479) 3. Albrow, M. et al. (PLANET Collaboration), 1998, ApJ, in press (astro-ph/9807299)

24 January 1999

NGST Ad Hoc Science Working Group similar fashion on a selected list of 8 science capabili- Prioritizes Science Capabilities ties. The results of this vote are shown in Fig. 2. Peter Stockman and John Mather Imaging and spectroscopy in the near infrared (1 to 5 [email protected] microns) obtained half the votes, with imaging and spectroscopy in the mid-IR (MIR, 6 to 28 microns) n October 15 and 16, the NGST Ad Hoc getting 28% of the votes and visible and high contrast Science Working Group (ASWG) met in imaging garnering about 22%. This vote showed a O Baltimore to review preparations for the larger dispersion in votes, probably because each upcoming external review (see neighboring article on science theme stresses different parts of the Observa- the NESR) and to decide on priorities for key NGST tory. As a result, we estimate that these priorities are science capabilities. Science leads for the five NGST uncertain by 5% even within the ASWG. Nevertheless, science themes presented highlights and required we were pleased to see that the results were remarkably capabilities for each field. These capabilities included similar to what was obtained from the DRM program wavelength regions, spectral and angular resolution, and itself (e.g. the percentage time spent using different any special requirements for the spacecraft (e.g., instruments in different wavebands). tracking moving targets). Pierre Bely described relevant The recommendations of the ASWG, together with technical studies of NGST designs in regard to visual technical and budgetary information, were presented to imaging and realistic mid-IR backgrounds (see Dr. Edward Weiler, then Acting Associate Administrator adjoining article). for the Office of Space Science, on November 2. Dr. At the July ASWG meeting in Belmont, we had Weiler approved the recommendation of the NGST experimented with a voting system in which each Project to proceed into Phase A with a nominal ASWG member could allocate up to 100 priority points wavelength range of 0.6 to 10 microns. The short (in units of 5 points) to a large list of elements. At that wavelength corresponds to a possible cutoff due to gold meeting, the ASWG “voted” on the relative amount of coatings and was influenced by data showing that near- observing time in the Design Reference Mission (DRM) infrared (NIR) detectors can have excellent performance to be devoted to the five science themes. The results are at visible wavelengths. The long wavelength extension shown in Fig. 1. We found that the dispersion among the to 10 microns corresponds to the shortest wavelength at votes was very tight indicating a strong consensus which scattered and emitted thermal background from a within the group. In October, the ASWG was requested MIR-compatible NGST equals the natural zodiacal by NASA HQ to prioritize the scientific capabilities of background toward the ecliptic poles. A detailed NGST in preparation for entering the next development engineering study has shown that a MIR-friendly design phase (Phase A). After much discussion, we voted in a is actually less expensive and less risky to develop and continued page 26

2% Figure 1: The percentage 1% Figure 2: The relative of the 2.5 year DRM for 5% priorities of scientific the five scientific themes. capabilities for NGST

15% 21% 12% 24%

16% 14%

33% 24% 15% 18%

Cosmology and the Structure of the Universe: 21% NIR Imaging: 24% MIR Spectroscopy: 12%

The Origin and Evolution of Galaxies: 33% NIR Spectroscopy: 24% Improved Optics: 5%

The History of the Milky Way and its Neighbors: 15% MIR Imaging: 18% Coronagraphy: 2%

The Birth and Evolution of Stars: 16% VIS Imaging: 14% VIS Spectroscopy: 1%

The Origins and Evolution of Planetary Systems: 15%

25 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Ad Hoc Seience Working Group from page 25

test than a warmer, temperature-controlled NGST the scientific instruments. We encourage the astronomy for the NIR only. This wavelength range is intended to community to send their comments and concerns to be a guideline to the Phase A observatory studies members of the ASWG or to us ([email protected], to be undertaken by two or more aerospace contractors [email protected]). We include a list of the beginning in the spring of 1999. (Note that these studies ASWG members and their national or study team will inform the solicitation for science instruments allegiances. in 2001.) The ASWG will continue to advise the NGST Project during the Phase A study on a wide variety of scientific Implications of the and technical areas, including the general capabilities of Mid-Infrared capability for NGST Pierre Bely Editor’s Note: on behalf of a team composed of L. Petro (STScI), R. Burg, (JHU), S. Castles, M. Greenhouse, K. Parrish (GSFC), This membership list appeared in the previous D. Jacobson, (MSFC), C. Perrygo (Swales), D. Redding (JPL), Newsletter but with a number of errors, and consultants at Ball Aerospace, Lockheed-Martin and TRW. which we regret. he “HST and Beyond” (Dressler) report, which The current ASWG membership is: is at the origin of the current NGST program, calls for a near-infrared (NIR) zodiacal-light- Jill Bechtold, Steward Obs.1 T limited observatory optimized for the 1 to 5 micron Mike Fall, STScI range. Additionally, the report also advocates extending Robert Fosbury, ESO/STECF2 NGST’s capability to the mid-infrared (MIR), from 5 to Jon Gardner, GSFC about 30 microns. Preliminary studies performed over James Graham, UC Berkeley1 Tom Greene, ARC1 the last three years followed these guidelines, with the Matt Greenhouse, GSFC1 MIR capability being considered as optional. For the Don Hall, Univ. Hawaii “Formulation” phase of NGST (the old NASA Phase A), Avi Loeb, Harvard we need to better define the technical implications and Peter Jakobsen, ESTEC2 cost of extending the wavelength coverage beyond Bob Kirshner, Harvard 5 microns. Simon Lilly, Univ. Toronto3 To that end, we compared the performance, cost, and Bruce Margon, Univ. Washington risk of three candidate NGST architectures: NIR- John Mather, GSFC (Co-Chair) optimized; MIR-compatible; and MIR-optimized. The John MacKenty, STScI NIR optimized architecture has the telescope operating Michael Meyer , Steward Obs. at about 100 K, a temperature high enough to allow Harvey Mosely, GSFC1 ground testing in readily-available liquid-nitrogen- Phil Nicholson, Cornell Univ. cooled chambers. The thermal radiation from optics at Takashi Onaka, U. Tokyo4 about 100 K would limit the zodiacal-limited spectral Marcia Rieke, Steward Obs. range of NGST to about 7 microns. In such a “warm” Mike Rich, UC Los Angeles environment the NIR detectors, which operate at ~30 K, 2 Peter Schneider, Max Planck Inst. must be actively cooled by a mechanical cryo-cooler. 1 Gene Serabyn, JPL The MIR-compatible architecture (Figure 1) Massimo Stiavelli, STScI eliminates the need for a mechanical cryo-cooler by the Peter Stockman, STScI (Co-Chair) incorporation of more layers in the sunshield. This John Trauger, JPL1 brings the telescope and instruments down to about 40 Ewine van Dishoeck, Leiden2 K and 30K respectively, allowing the NIR detectors to 1 ISIM Science Lead be cooled passively. In this case, the main source of 2 ESA Science Representative infrared background at the focal plane is due not to 3 CSA Science Representative direct emission from the optics but to the radiation 4 ASAS Science Representative emitted by the back of the sunshield scattering off the primary and secondary mirrors (Figure 2). With a continued page 28

26 January 1999

1E+5

1E+3

Zodiacal light

1E+1

1EÐ1

Dust scattered Mirror sunshield thermal thermal 1EÐ3 Detector signal (electrons/pixel/sec)

1EÐ5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Wavelength (mm)

Figure 1. MIR-compatible architecture. The NIR- Figure 3. Focal plane backgrounds for the MIR- optimized architecture is similar, but with fewer compatible case due to (i) the thermal emission of the sunshield layers and the telescope is thermally NGST primary and secondary optics, (ii) radiation by controlled at 100 K. The MIR-optimized architecture the sunshield backlayer scattering off the optics, and has a sunshield which is composed of two structures (iii) detector noise compared to the zodiacal light level with a total of 8 layers. in the field of view.

500

480 Cost of observatory with NIR and MIR instruments 460

440 Increased risk Cost of observatory with 420 NIR instruments only

400 MIR optimized MIR compatible 380 NIR optimized Phase C/D cost with contingency (1996$M) 360 71228 Zodi-limited wavelength limit (µm)

Figure 2. The thermal radiation from the back of the Figure 4 Cost of NGST as a function of infrared NGST sunshield can scatter off the primary and wavelength coverage. The recommended wavelength secondary mirrors and exceed the MIR background due coverage (0.6 to 10 microns) corresponds to the local to the radiation from the cooler optics. minimum in the lower line in the center of the diagram - the cost/contribution of a MIR instrument is included in the upper line.

27 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Mid Infrared from page 26 The NGST External Science Review:

6-layer sunshield, the back layer is at about 100K and Is NGST Ready for Prime Time? Peter Stockman [email protected] the scatter-induced background radiation at the focal plane is negligible compared to the zodiacal light for ummer breezes in December brought an air of wavelengths shorter than 12 microns (Fig. 3). The unreality to Baltimore. But on December 1 and drawback of this solution is that it requires testing many 2, the real heat was felt in the STScI Boardroom. elements of the observatory at a temperature of 30 K S The NGST External Science Review (NESR, a nasty which implies upgrading testing chambers by adding nested acronym), led by Rob Kennicutt, grilled the liquid helium shields. NGST Ad Hoc Science Working Group and the NGST The MIR-optimized architecture is similar to the Project on everything from science to budgets. The MIR-compatible architecture, but with additional NESR is the brain-child of Harley Thronson, Acting sunshield layers to further reduce the radiation from the Director of the Origins Theme at NASA Headquarters. sunshield back layer. Eight layers are needed for the His motive was to make sure that the science program observatory to be zodiacal-light-limited up to about 30 was sufficiently important and robust that the NGST microns. Such a telescope+sunshield configuration is would still be breaking new ground in 2007, after ten very difficult to validate, however, because of the very years of two Kecks, four VLTs, the Geminis, Subaru, low operating temperatures involved and the difficulty Magellan, the LBT, etc. In addition, Harley asked the of eliminating thermal leaks. NESR to look at the entire Project, the technology We estimated the cost and risk of these three schemes plans, the telescope designs, and the overall budget with in detail using the model for the NASA “yardstick” the viewpoint of the astronomy community. Is this architecture and estimates for the testing from aerospace Project ready to move into Phase A? An earlier consultants. We estimated that the cost of the NIR- independent review by engineers and managers, the optimized scheme is $385M, the MIR-compatible and Standing Review Board, had given a green light to the MIR-optimized being $17M and $25M higher respec- Project, but HQ wanted a representative group of tively (Figure 4). These costs are in 1996 dollars and do scientists to check the health of the activity. Harley not include a $100M management reserve nor the MIR intends to have similar reviews of all the Origins instrument cost estimated at $50M. Our analysis missions periodically. showed that the savings offered by the easier testing on The NESR was briefed on the overall science goals the ground of the NIR-optimized system is partially by members of the ASWG representing the five science offset by the need for precise temperature control of the themes. Simon Lilly led off with a discussion of the optics and the cost of the cryo-cooler for the NIR original “Dressler core mission” for NGST, the origin detectors. Cryo coolers can also be avoided for the MIR and evolution of galaxies. He was followed by Bob detectors, which operate at 8 K, since in such a 30 to 40 Kirshner (cosmology), Mike Rich (history of the Milky K environment a stored cryogen system would last 10 Way and its neighbors), Mike Meyer (the birth and years. In the end, a passively-cooled observatory such formation of stars), and Marcia Rieke (the origins and as the MIR-compatible architecture appears a more evolution of planetary systems). The review group also natural technical solution and has the advantage of heard about plans for soliciting and constructing the keeping the option of adding the MIR instrument open NGST science instruments and the possible contribu- (e.g. for international collaborators). This approach tions from ESA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). enables MIR observations which are zodiacal-light- The preliminary verbal report of the NESR on limited out to 10 microns, and vastly superior to other December 2 was positive. Their final report, which is facilities at longer wavelengths, without increasing under preparation, will be sent directly to Dr. Thronson complexity, risk or cost of the observatory. and the NGST Project. It is expected to raise significant Based upon this study and the ability of NIR issues for the Project to address during Phase A. The detectors to work at visible wavelengths (assuming that members of the NESR are: Rob Kennicutt, Chair, Len the optics remain diffraction-limited only at 2 microns) Cowie, Alan Dressler, Mark Dickinson, Harriet we recommended to the Project and to Dr. Weiler that a Dinerstein, Richard Ellis, John Hutchings, Anne zodiacal-light-limited spectral range of 0.6 to 10 Kinney, Jill Knapp, Richard Kron, Steve Shore, Charles microns form the basis for the upcoming Phase A study Steidel, Alan Tokunaga, Mark Voit, Mike Werner, of NGST. Ned Wright.

28 January 1999

HST Recent Release: Gap In Stellar Dust Disk May Be Swept Out By Planet The European Space Agency (ESA) A striking HST near-infrared picture of a disk around the star HD 141569, and NASA agree on NGST located about 320 light-years away in the constellation Libra. Hubble shows Collaboration that the 75 billion-mile wide disk seems to come in two parts: a dark band separates a bright inner region from a fainter outer region. Peter Jakobsen (ESTEC) Credit: Alycia Weinberger, Eric Becklin (UCLA), Glenn Schneider (University s a result of NASA’s invitation to ESA to of Arizona) and NASA participate in its ongoing studies of NGST, a http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/1999/03/index.html A framework for future collaboration on the project has recently been reached by the two agencies. The draft agreement assumes that ESA will participate in the project at the level of a so-called “F” class mission (~200 M$) — in the parlance of its Horizon 2000 long-term plan — in return for a guaranteed minimum of 15% of NGST observing time for ESA member state astronomers. The envisaged ESA/NASA NGST collaboration conforms closely to the successful HST model; i.e. it assumes that a key component of ESA’s hardware contribution will be in the form of a scientific instrument, augmented by contributions to the spacecraft and operations. ESA is presently sponsoring three studies by scientific consortia and aerospace industries of various potential instrument and telescope concepts for NGST. These studies are scheduled to be completed during 1999 and will form the basis for identifying ESA’s potential hardware contributions to the mission. To aid NGST Detector Workshop in this process, an ESA NGST Study Science Team has been appointed (see box), and an exchange of members April 20-21, 1999 at the Space Telescope Science Institute and information with the corresponding ASWG has GST will be NASA’s foremost infrared observatory been instituted. beginning in 2007. To exploit the scientific capabilities of a Once ESA’s contributions to NGST have been further cooled 8 meter-class telescope in space, close coordination defined and agreed upon, final approval of ESA’s N between instrument designers and detector suppliers is required today. participation in NGST will be sought in 2001. To facilitate this relationship, the STScI will host a detector technol- ogy workshop in Baltimore on April 20-21, 1999. ESA NGST Study Science Team: The main goals of the workshop are: S. Arribas (Tenerife) • To identify the requirements for and trade-offs involved in creating C. Burrows (ESA/STScI) detectors for NGST science, R. Davies (Durham) • To summarize current experience in the ground-based and E. van Dishoeck (Leiden) space-based community with IR detectors, A. Ferrara (Arcetri) • To educate instrument designers and the NGST science R. Fosbury (ESA/ST-ECF) community on the detector technologies likely to be available J. Hjorth (Copenhagen) for use for NGST, and P. Jakobsen (ESA/ESTEC - Chair) • To promote good working relationships between detector suppliers O. Le Fèvre (LAS, Marseille) and the rest of the NGST community. J. Mather (NASA/GSFC) M. McCaughrean (Potsdam) Interested astronomers, instrument developers, and detector P. Schneider (MPE, Garching) suppliers are urged to obtain further information about planning and P. Stockman (STScI) registration for the conference on its web page: http://www.stsci.edu/ngst/detector_conf.html.

29 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Fine Guidance Sensors ity contributed to FGS3’s inability to reliably resolve Ed Nelan, STScI [email protected] binary systems with angular separations less than about 20 mas. s reported in earlier Newsletters, FGS1r has demonstrated that it significantly outperforms A FGS3 in its ability to detect and resolve close binary systems. As a result, it has been designated the Spectrographs Group astrometer for Cycle 8. To perform well as a science Melissa McGrath [email protected] instrument, an FGS’s interferometric response must TIS continued to operate smoothly during the have both optimal fringe visibility and long-term transition to a higher execution rate for STIS stability. During its first 9 months in orbit, FGS1r observations following completion of the showed significant evolution of its interferograms, S NICMOS science program. A new version (v2.0) of presumably due to out gassing of the instrument’s calstis was installed in the pipeline on November 10, graphite epoxy composites. But more recent data 1998, and was made available to the public for obtained from Transfer Mode observations of a standard downloading in the interim until the next STSDAS star suggests that FGS1r’s fringes have stabilized to release. For details on the improvements available with within 2%. This implies that the instrument can be version 2.0, see the STIS WWW pages (http:// accurately calibrated and reliably used for scientific www.stsci.edu/instruments/stis). Further releases are investigations. (For perspective, a binary system with a planned and will be posted to that location. We also plan small magnitude difference and a separation of 10 mas an update to the STIS portion of the Data Handbook to results in an interferogram which differs by 10% be released in early 1999. This will incorporate relative to that from a point source.) By contrast, FGS3, numerous enhancements made since the last update of after 8 years in orbit, never achieved long term stability the Data Handbook roughly 9 months ago. below about 18% (for unknown reasons). This variabil- continued page 31

FGS1r Y-Axis stability FGS3 X-Axis instability 0.5 0.5 1998, 129 1997, 127 INSTRUMENT NEWS 1998, 265 1997, 229

0 0 S(x) S(y)

Ð0.5 difference Ð0.5 difference

Ð0.2 Ð0.1 0 0.1 0.2 Ð0.2 Ð0.1 0 0.1 0.2 Y (arcsec) x (arcsec)

Figure 1 shows the remarkable stability of FGS1r’s FGS1r is equipped with the Articulated Mirror y-axis fringes over a 136 day interval (May 9 to Assembly (AMA) which allows for in-flight alignment September 22). For comparison, Figure 2 shows the of the interferometer with HST’s optical telescope persistent variability of FGS3’s x-axis fringes over a assembly. The final AMA adjustment was made on similar time span. We will continue to monitor FGS1r’s October 12, resulting in near-ideal point-source fringes. stability as Cycle 8 approaches. A stable FGS1r with optimal fringes should be well suited for resolving structure down to 10 mas (or less) in objects as faint as V=15.

30 January 1999

Spectrographs from page 30 far-UV filters. Changes have also been seen in the flat fields, and are mostly due to small changes in the The HDF-South calibrated data were made available optical alignments inside the camera. These changes to the public on November 23. The data are beautiful, cause the positions of dust spots and other obscurations and completion of the very-detailed calibration work to shift, hence making bright/dark patterns in the flats. has resulted in numerous improvements to the pipeline Most of the changes are about 0.5% or less, although calibration software, including better calibration there are ~100 spots across WFPC2, each a few pixels reference files (e.g., both low-order and pixel-to-pixel in size, where ~5% changes are seen. These are mostly flat fields for the MAMAs; low-order flat fields for the associated with strong features in the existing flats. CCD clear and F28X50LP apertures), and some new New super-darks have been generated, and work is data analysis tools (Spectrum Splicer and Optimal underway to make new flats to calibrate-out these long- Extraction) that will be available soon. term changes. We are beginning a transition to a new, more concise Our group has recently completed a detail, hands-on format for the HST Spectroscopy STAN (our electronic guide to the drizzling software package, called the newsletter). At the beginning a high-level index of “Drizzling Cookbook.” Most long-imaging observations topics is given, accompanied by the web address where made with HST now use position dithers to aid in you can go to get all of the details. Below this, short removal of detector artifacts, as well as for enhance- summaries are provided for each topic. As before, the ment of the spatial resolution. After the data are STAN will be posted on the STIS web site, where all of obtained, the images are aligned and combined using these topics will be hypertext links directing you to the the Drizzle software package written by Andy Fruchter full writeup. and Richard Hook. The new Cookbook gives detailed Preparations are in progress for the development of examples of the drizzling procedures for WFPC2, STIS, the STIS Interface Kit (STIK) to the Aft Shroud and NICMOS data for a wide range of targets. Input Cooling System which will be installed in HST during images, command scripts, and final images are also the third servicing mission. The STIK will provide an available on our WWW site, so that users can first added cooling capability for the STIS MAMA detectors. practice on our examples before Drizzling their own In addition to providing a thermal safety margin for the data. The current cookbook illustrates the drizzling operation of the MAMA detectors, the added cooling tasks in STSDAS as well as the “ditherII” update, which capability has the potential to provide a reduced dark allows cosmic ray removal when there are only single rate for NUV-MAMA and FUV-MAMA observations, images at each pointing. Work is underway to add and this would provide important science gains for UV additional capabilities to the drizzling software, INSTRUMENT NEWS observations of faint objects. including the ability to mosaic the 4 WFPC2 CCDs onto a single drizzled image. An update to both STSDAS and the Cookbook for these added capabilities is planned for WFPC2 Group next Spring. John Biretta [email protected] A recent study of the HST long-range plan shows that opportunities for long, contiguous observations (more FPC2 continues to perform flawlessly. In than 5 orbits) are over-subscribed. This is due to a connection with the recent HDF-South number of factors, including a trend towards longer Wcampaign, we have examined many of the observations of fewer targets, and the recent suspension routine calibrations for low-level changes. In general, of NICMOS observing. We have taken a number of the news is good and the changes are very small. Both steps to alleviate this situation for WFPC2 observers. the number of permanent hotpixels and the low-level We have already asked a number of WFPC2 PIs to split dark current continue to increase with time, presumably their long visits into pairs of shorter ones wherever due to long-term radiation damage. The number of possible. This will avoid further scheduling delays and permanent hotpixels has increased by a factor ~2.5 since help observers obtain the same data sooner than 1995 at all intensity levels, but these still represent a otherwise. We also made the South Atlantic Anomaly very small fraction of the total pixels (about 0.2%). In avoidance region smaller for WFPC2. Approximately addition, the low-level dark current has approximately 0.1% of WFPC2 images will see some increase in doubled in that time, and now ranges from ~7 to cosmic rays as a result, but ~10% more time becomes × -4 10 10 DN/sec across the different CCDs. But again, available for scheduling long visits. Finally, for this has little impact, and will only be an important programs with short exposures, more effort will be noise source for long exposures in narrow band and continued page 32

31 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

WFPC2 from page 31 instrument's lifetime, the rate of increase jumped sharply in the early days of December. made to utilize short visibility periods which are often The final indicator of cryogen depletion was a available in the schedule, rather than requiring the usual marked increase in the rate of temperature change. The ~56 minutes of visibility per orbit. We believe these official end of cryogen life was on Sunday January 3rd, changes will be transparent to most observers and will when all the temperature sensors indicated a surge of mitigate the over-subscription. 0.5 K in eight hours. This rate of increase was 19 times For the latest WFPC2 news, and the Drizzling that seen previously. At this time the detectors were at Cookbook, please see our WWW site at http:// about 64 K and the aft end of the dewar was at about www.stsci.edu/ftp/instrument_news/WFPC2/wfpc2_top.html 62 K. The temperature soared through 78 K, the highest temperature for which the thermometers are calibrated. This change is illustrated in Figure 1. Near Infrared Camera NICMOS was prohibited from moving its filter and Multiobject Spectrometer wheels on January 6th (at 1435 UT) by ground Alex Storrs, STScI [email protected] commanding. Monitoring observations (see below) continued through the end of the week, but with the he Near-Infrared Camera and MultiObject BLANK filter in place. All NICMOS observations were Spectrometer (NICMOS) has entered its pulled out of succeeding weeks’ schedules, and the Twarmup stage. The solid nitrogen used to cool instrument put in a hibernating state. the detectors to 61.5 K (-349 F) is entirely gone, after The NICMOS group has constructed an addition to almost two years of operation. The first evidence of this our web site (http://www.stsci.edu/ftp/ instrument_news/ depletion came in late August, when the temperature at NICMOS/topnicmos.html) that contains up-to-date the back of the dewar (the container of solid nitrogen) information on the depletion of the cryogen. We have and the temperature of the nitrogen ice were observed to observed the behavior of the detectors as they pass differ. This deviation indicated that the nitrogen had through the circa 77 K region where the NICMOS sublimated away from the end of the dewar farthest Cooling System (NCS, or "cryocooler") will operate. from the detectors. This data will give us a head start at determining the A second indicator of the impending depletion of performance of NICMOS in Cycle 9, and allow cryogen was when the temperature at the detector potential observers a chance to predict how well mounting cup started to rise. Although the detector NICMOS can perform their observations. The detectors

INSTRUMENT NEWS temperature has been increasing steadily throughout the continued page 33

CTAFT / Ice temp 80.0

78.0

76.0

74.0 CTAFT 72.0

70.0 Degs K 68.0

66.0

64.0

62.0

60.0 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 Time (days since Jan. 1, 1998)

The temperature of the aft end of the NICMOS dewar in late 1998. Note the inflection in the trend on January 4, 1999 (day 369), indicating the depletion of the cryogen. (courtesy John Bacinski, STScI)

32 January 1999

NICMOS from page 32 warmed up through the NCS operational temperature should not effect observations taken in December. The range quite quickly (see Fig. 1), and the effects of this focus has been steady. NIC1 and NIC2 remain near their passage are not well known yet. nominal focus values, and NIC3 has if anything gotten The NICMOS group has monitored the focus, flat closer to being in focus. It has been hovering around -12 field, and dark current behavior on a regular basis. mm in PAM units. Note that the PAM can only be Program 7961 took lamp flats four times a day in a adjusted to about -9.5 mm, so observers at short number of filters in all three cameras. Its goal is to wavelengths with NIC3 will continue to see some follow the QE variations as a function of temperature degradation in their ability to detect faint point sources. and wavelength to provide sensitivity estimates for NCS One major observing benchmark was passed on operation. Program 7962 observed a star cluster twice a November 15, the "end of science" (EOS) date for week in order to monitor possible focus variations due NICMOS in the long range plan. At that time, 97% of to varying mechanical stresses in the dewar. Program NICMOS science had been scheduled. The remainder 7963 took darks in all three cameras once every orbit was either constrained to be schedule beyond EOS, or that was not affected by the South Atlantic Anomaly were repeats of failed observations. The latest of these (SAA), or used for one of the other two monitoring observations successfully executed on December 18th. proposals. These data will allow us to check for any Thus no science observations should be affected by the temperature-induced electronic effects. temperature changes discussed above. The detector temperature change has caused only a There were many intriguing abstracts based on few percent variations in the flat field response of the NICMOS data at the January AAS meeting in Austin, detectors, an expected development as their sensitivity TX. See the AAS website (http://www.aas.org/meetings/ increases with temperature. There has been only small aas193/program/index.html) for details. Press releases and changes in dark current as well, although individual images can be found at the STScI Office of Public pixels have been observed to suddenly start emitting Outreach web site (http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr.html) much more dark current as the temperature increases. as usual. A change of 1 K or more will require a new set of calibration files, however, the temperature variation INSTRUMENT NEWS We are pleased to note that NICMOS Instrument Scientist Al Schultz received an Honorable Mention in the sciences category from Computer Sciences Corporation for his work "First Results from the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph: Optical Spectra of Gliese 229B." He received his award in a ceremony at CSC December 15, 1998.

HST Recent Release: Dust Ring Around Star Offers New Clues Into Planet Formation A NASA Hubble Space Telescope false- color near infrared image of a novel type of structure seen in space — a dust ring around a star. Superficially resembling Saturn's rings — but on a vastly larger scale — the "hula-hoop" around the star called HR 4796A offers new clues into the possible presence of young planets. Credit: Brad Smith (University of Hawaii), Glenn Schneider (University of Arizona), and NASA http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/1999/03/ index.html

33 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Multi-Mission Archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute (MAST) News Paolo Padovani, [email protected]

Hubble Data Archive ing cross-correlations from custom for those users not familiar with the Archive ingest reached a record queries, and updates to reflect database individual missions and instruments value of 174 Gbytes (5.8 Gbytes/day) structure changes. and to focus on the scientific content in November. The average monthly of the archives. The page continues to ingest rate for the past year has been Hubble Deep Field Data Available provide links to the WWW pages of around 5 Gbytes/day. Retrieval rates As most of our readers should know the various archives, the cross have been about 4 times larger, with a by now, a second Hubble Deep Field correlation search, and other general record high of 22 Gbytes/day in June. (HDF) campaign was carried out with information. On October 22, at 23:10 GMT, STScI HST in October 1998. The selected began processing the 250,000th HST field is located in the southern observation since launch in May, 1990. Continuous Viewing Zone (J2000 coordinates 22:32:56.2 -60:33:02.7). 1999 STScI May Guest Account Discontinued All HDF-South data, including derived Symposium The guest account on the Archive object catalogs prepared by the STScI host machine (archive.stsci.edu, also HDF-South team, were made available s announced in the last known as stdatu.stsci.edu) has been on November 23 1998 at 20:00 GMT. Newsletter, the 1999 discontinued. This account was used The data can be retrieved via anony- AMay Workshop is by some users to run StarView from mous ftp at ftp://archive.stsci.edu/pub/ titled “The Largest Explosions our machine and display the screens hdf-south/version1. Further details since the Big Bang: Supernovae back to theirs. It had originally been about the HDF-South, including flux and Gamma-Ray Bursts” and planned that the guest account would limits and flanking field observations, will be held from from May 3 to be closed by the end of the year. For can be found on the WWW at http:// 6, 1999. A complete program is security reasons, however, we have www.stsci.edu/ftp/science/hdf/hdfsouth/ not yet available, but the been forced to move up the date. Our hdfs.html. speakers will include: apologies for any inconvenience this D. Arnett will cause. Users using SunOS 4.1.3, New Digitized Sky Survey Jukebox D. Branch Solaris 2.4, Digital Unix on Alpha, and The WWW page of the Digitized R. Chevalier OpenVMS on both VAX and Alpha Sky Survey (DSS), at http:// Y.-H. Chu can install StarView on their machine. archive.stsci.edu/dss/, is one of the most D. Frail This will be much faster than running popular pages of our WWW server. A. Fruchter it remotely and displaying the Since this service was opened in May A. Khokhlov windows locally. The Hubble Data 1995, usage has steadily increased up R. Kirshner Archive can also be searched on the to one to two thousand accesses per C. Kouveliotou World Wide Web (WWW) at http:// day. This has strained the original S. Kulkarni archive.stsci.edu/cgi-bin/nph-hst. Users jukebox to its limits, forcing us to M. Livio having problems with both these replace it. The new jukebox is much K. Nomoto options should contact us at faster than the old one and is providing B. Paczynski [email protected]. easier access to the DSS images. S. Perlmutter StarView Release 5.4 New MAST Page E. Pian T. Piran StarView 5.4 was released in A new main entry page for the L. Piro November. To avoid problems with Multi-Mission Archive at the Space M. Rees both searches and retrievals, we Telescope Science Institute (MAST) A. Sandage recommend that users update any WWW site has been implemented at B. Schmidt locally-installed StarView software. http://archive.stsci.edu/mast.html. A new J. van Paradijs Installation instructions are available at form allows the user to locate available E. Waxman http://archive.stsci.edu/hst/ data sets according to wavelength K. Weiler distributed_starview.html. The main new range and data type. This is another J. C. Wheeler features of this release include changes step to make the MAST site relevant S. Woosley. in preparation for the On-The-Fly Calibration, the possibility of perform-

34 January 1999

HST Recent Release: A 1999 Summer Great Balls of Fire Student Program Resembling an aerial fireworks at STScI explosion, this dramatic HST picture of the energetic star WR124 reveals it is surrounded by hot he Space Telescope clumps of gas being ejected into Science Institute will space at speeds of over 100,000 again host a dozen or miles per hour. Also remarkable T are vast arcs of glowing gas more undergraduate research around the star, which are resolved interns in the summer of 1999. into filamentary, chaotic We encourage you to let substructures, yet with no overall students know about this global shell structure. opportunity. Complete informa- Credit: Yves Grosdidier tion may be found at our web (University of Montreal and page: http://www.stsci.edu/stsci/ Observatoire de Strasbourg), summer.html Anthony Moffat (Universitie de Montreal), Gilles Joncas Applications will be due (Universite Laval), Agnes Acker February 15, 1999. (Observatoire de Strasbourg), and NASA Specific inquiries may http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/1998/ be made to David Soderblom 38/index.html ([email protected]), but please read the web page first.

Calendar Cycle 8 ST-ECF Phase II Proposals Due February 18, 1999 (firm) Newsletter The Space Telescope — European Coordinating Facility publishes Cycle 9 a quarterly newsletter which, although aimed principally at European Space Call for Proposals issued June, 1999 (tentative) Telescope users, contains articles of Phase I proposals due September, 1999 (tentative) general interest to the HST community. If you wish to be included in the mailing Proposers notified December, 1999 (tentative) list, please contact the editor and state Phase II Proposals Due February, 2000 (tentative) your affiliation and specific involvement in the Space Telescope Project. Routine Observing Begins June, 2000 (tentative) Robert Fosbury (Editor) Space Telescope — European Coordinating Facility Meetings and Symposia Karl Schwarzschild Str. 2 May Symposium May 3-6, 1999 D-85748 Garching bei München Federal Republic of Germany E-Mail: [email protected]

35 Contents How to contact us: First, we recommend trying our Web site: http://www.stsci.edu The PLANET Project: ...... 1 You will find there further information on many of the topics Director’s Perspective...... 2 mentioned in this issue. The HST Proposal Selection Process ...... 3 Second, if you need assistance on any matter send e-mail to Mike Shara to Leave STScI ...... 4 [email protected] or call 800-544-8125. International callers may use 1-410-338-1082. Cycle 8 Third, the following address is for the HST Data Archive: Cycle 8 Panels and Statistics ...... 6 [email protected]

Approved Observing Programs for Cycle 8 ...... 10 Fourth, if you are a current HST user you may wish to address questions to your Program Coordinator or Contact Scientist; A New Phase II in Cycle 8 ...... 17 their names are given in the letter of notification you received The New, Improved, RPS2 ...... 18 from the Director, or they may be found on the Presto Web page http://presto.stsci.edu/public/propinfo.html. The Hubble Heritage Project ...... 19 A Workshop on Observing Tools ...... 20 Finally, you may wish to communicate with members of the Space Telescope Users Committee (STUC). They are: NOAO Workshop on Telescope Proposals of the Future .. 20 Starburst99 ...... 21 Fred Walter (chair), SUNY Stony Brook, [email protected] NGST Bruce Balick, U. Washington NGST Ad Hoc Sci. Working Group Prioritities ...... 25 John Bally, U. Colorado John Clarke, U. Michigan Implications of the Mid-Infrared capability for NGST ..... 26 Bob Fosbury, ESO The NGST External Science Review ...... 28 Jay Frogel, Ohio State University ESA and NASA agree on NGST Collaboration ...... 29 Laura Kay, Barnard College Pat McCarthy, O.C.I.W. Instrument News Felix Mirabel, CEA-CEN Saclay Fine Guidance Sensors ...... 30 Sergio Ortolani, Padova Regina Schulte-Ladbeck, U. Pittsburgh Spectrographs Group ...... 30 Sue Tereby, Extrasolar Research Corp. WFPC2 Group ...... 31 Rodger Thompson, U. Arizona Near Infrared Camera and Multiobject Spectrometer ...... 32 Harold Weaver, JHU Bruce Woodgate, GSFC Multi-Mission Archive at the STScI (MAST) News ...... 34 The Space Telescope Science Institute Newsletter is edited by 1999 STScI May Symposium ...... 34 David Soderblom, to whom correspondence may be sent A 1999 Summer Student Program at STScI ...... 35 ([email protected]). To record a change of address, please contact Ms. Nancy Fulton ([email protected]). Design and layout: John Godfrey Production Assistance: Pat Momberger and Trish Pengra Editorial Assistance: Jack MacConnell

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