March 2001 • Volume 18, Number 1

SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE INSTITUTE Highlights of this Issue: ¥ Grants Management System — page 3 ¥ NGST News — page 6 ¥ IRAF and Python Newsletter — page 19

Astronomer’s Proposal Tools Steve Lubow, [email protected]

TScI is developing a new ¥ The Bright Object Tool will allow generation of proposal users to check proposed observations Cycle 10 S preparation tools called for instrumental health-and-safety, as the Astronomer’s Proposal Tools well as science problems (such as (APT).These tools are based on the bleeding). The tool will allow users to Who got time on HST to do what ... Scientist’s Expert Assistant (SEA) display the results graphically in the project which began in 1997 at the VTT or read the results in a table. How the selection process worked ... Advanced Architectures and Automa- ¥ Exposure time calculators will be tion Branch of Goddard Space Flight enhanced to provide graphical Center. The APT aims to improve the displays, such as exposure time as a proposal preparation process in order function of signal to noise. page 11 Approved to provide users with a more intuitive, visual, and interactive experience by ¥ Spreadsheet-like editors will be means of state of the art technology. provided for users to enter proposal Programs Another goal is to make these tools continued page 3 generic so that they can be easily shared for use in creating proposal preparation systems by other observatories. Tools that are currently under 10 development are: ¥ The Visual Target Tuner (VTT) was initially released in June, 2000. This tool displays HST apertures superim- posed on sky images (right). The VTT provides capabilities to import sky images, display primary and parallel apertures, rotate apertures, centroid objects, specify excluded points and regions, display legal orientations, and display catalog overlays and object information. ¥ The Starview/VTT tool will allow users to graphically display the pointings and apertures for archived HST exposures in the VTT. With this tool, users will be able to carry out duplication checks on observations that they display in the VTT. Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

DIRECTOR’S PERSPECTIVE

Steven Beckwith

Old data and new discoveries

e measure the success of the Hubble Space Telescope by its impact on scientific research and by its public impact. So we take pride when the two coincide, as they have recently in discoveries from the Hubble archive. Perhaps most W noteworthy is that the two most recent discoveries of public acclaim came from old data, not new. Joseph Dolan at Goddard Space Flight Center uncovered evidence for accretion onto a black hole by examining High Speed Photometer data nearly ten years old and applying a technique to search for the signature of matter disappearing beyond an event horizon (Dolan, J. Bull. AAS, 197-118.05). The signature in this case was a series of pulses emitted by clumps of gas as they break away from the innermost stable orbit around a black hole Ð about 3 Schwarzschild radii out Ð and spiral in along a set of orbits with decreasing radii. As the gas streams away from us in its orbit, its emission is redshifted and dimmed. As it circles and comes toward us, it becomes blueshifted and brightens. Each successive circle creates a pulse of decreasing magnitude, increas- ing width, and decreasing period until the gas descends below the event horizon and disappears without further trace. The signature is unique, because if the gas encountered a compact surface, such as that of a neutron star, the final pulse would end in a burst of energy as the gas came to a sudden stop. Dolan searched for such pulse trains in observations of Cyg X-1, the first candidate black hole to come from early x-ray telescopes. He found two series that matched the characteristic shape and timing expected for gas going into a black hole of

10 MO. or so. This was the first time such a pulse train had been seen, and it lent impetus to further observations at x-ray wave- lengths, where the signatures should be even more pronounced (the signal to noise ratios of the old HSP data certainly need improvement before this work is accepted by everyone). Dolan’s work found its way to the New York Times science section in January of this year, once again stimulating public interest in astronomy. Adam Riess and his colleagues (Riess et al. 2001, Ap. J., in press) added even more support for a non-zero cosmological constant, the “dark energy” that accelerates the expansion of the universe, with their study of a high redshift supernova discov- ered by Ron Gilliland (Gilliland et al. 1999, Ap. J. 521, 30) in Hubble observations from 1997. SN 1997ff was identified in the Hubble Deep Field early on, and it popped up in the deep infrared images of the Hubble Deep Field north by Rodger Thomspon’s NICMOS team. Because the images were taken in regularly spaced observations over a few months, it is possible to get informa- tion about the supernova light curve and the change in its spectral energy distribution just after peak brightness. Photometric data on the host galaxy place SN 1997ff at a redshift of about 1.7, the highest redshift supernova ever seen. Because it is very distant, this supernova emitted its light when the acceleration of the universe was just starting, and the effect of the dark energy should be small when comparing the supernova’s apparent brightness to its redshift distance. If the dark energy did not exist, and the light from less distant supernovae was affected by intergalactic extinction (gray dust) or an evolution in the character of supernovae over cosmic times, SN 1997ff would have uncovered these effects since they would have changed the brightness vs. redshift relationship in opposite ways to the dark energy. But the brightness of SN 1997ff is consistent with the dark energy interpretation and not the other effects, and Riess and his colleagues have provided compelling evidence that the dark energy must be taken seriously. Many of us suspect that data archives will play an increasingly important role in astronomy as the sizes of the archives grow. The National Academy’s Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics, the decadal survey of 2000, recommended establishing a National Virtual Observatory, linking together many data banks covering many wavelengths and instruments to enable archival research on a scale far greater that what is presently possible. A Virtual Observatory will be a grand experiment. No one has demonstrated that archival research will be important enough to justify the expenditure Ð some tens of millions of dollars. We have already invested several billions of dollars to get the data, including Hubble, Chandra, and SIRTF in the space community, and Gemini, Keck, ALMA, and the VLT, to mention but a few on the ground. It would seem that investing a few percent of the capital expenditures to enable future astronomers to mine the data is well worth the cost. It is interesting is that the recent archival discoveries cited above are so important to their respective research fields. The likelihood of finding a high redshift supernova in a field the size of NICMOS (55 seconds of arc) during a few months observa- tion would seem to be very small unless the events are more common than we think. Many events may be more common than we think; we will not know until we have surveyed the universe over time as well as wavelength and space. If we can discover the previously unknown but common events by combing through data taken for other purposes, archival research may be the most efficient path to discovering new phenomena now that preliminary exploration of the spectrum has been done. The exciting discoveries from old data sets portend a bright future for old data.

Steven Beckwith Baltimore, March 26, 2001

2 March 2001

STScI Electronic Grants Management System Ray Beaser, [email protected]

he Space Telescope Science access to proposal and grant status our grantee institutions that have open Institute is pleased to an- information. HST grants to activate their accounts. T nounce the implementation of The system was implemented for As of July 1, 2001, the electronic an electronic web-based grants Cycle 10. The Grants Administration submission of interim and final management system. The system is Office contacted the Authorizing financial reports will be required. being used to provide funding for U.S. Officials (AOs) of each U.S. institution The Cycle 11 budget submission astronomers associated with General with a Cycle 10 investigator to activate deadline is expected to be mid- Observer and Archival Researcher institutional accounts. The AOs at each February 2002. If an account has not programs as well as all other programs institution enabled investigator been activated for your institution, administered by STScI. accounts and assigned appropriate please contact the Grants Administra- The main features of the system are privileges for various functions within tion Office at the telephone number or the electronic submission of budgets, the system. email address listed below. performance reports, financial reportsÐ With the exception of a few budgets Information about the new grants including payment requests Ð and all that were submitted on paper, all system is currently available at other administrative actions such as Cycle 10 General Observers and the following web site: no-cost extension and equipment Archival Researchers submitted their http://gms.stsci.edu. If you have any requests. The system provides budgets via the new electronic system. specific questions, please send e-mail electronic notification of grant awards The Grants Administration Office is to [email protected] or call and amendments as well as real-time currently contacting the remainder of 410-338-4200.

APT from page 1

information in a tabular manner. The editors will have capabilities for viewing and manipulating the data in a convenient manner. The APT will ultimately be a complete and integrated system for proposal preparation which will replace the current RPS2. The APT will provide capabilities for develop- ing Phase 1 GO, Phase 1 Archival, and Phase 2 proposals. In the short term, individual tools are being released that operate independently of each other. They assist in proposal preparation but do HST Recent Release: NGC 4013: A Galaxy on the Edge not directly generate a full proposal. The Hubble telescope has snapped this remarkable view of a perfectly "edge- We aim to release these tools on a on" galaxy, NGC 4013. This new Hubble picture reveals with exquisite detail timely basis. We hope to get feedback huge clouds of dust and gas extending along, as well as far above, the galaxy's from users. This feedback will play an main disk. NGC 4013 is a spiral galaxy, similar to our Milky Way, lying some important role in guiding our efforts. 55 million light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Ursa Major. Viewed face-on, it would look like a nearly circular pinwheel, but Several tools have been released for NGC 4013 happens to be seen edge-on from our vantage point. Even at 55 use in Phase 2 of Cycle 10. million light-years, the galaxy is larger than Hubble's field of view, and the image shows only a little more than half of the object, albeit with unprec- edented detail. Image Credit: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Web Address: http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/2001/07/

3 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

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

Hubble Data Archive Status fact, lists the MAST observations On-the-Fly Reprocessing he Hubble Data Archive associated with a given paper and (OTFR) and You (HDA) contains, as of March provides a link back to MAST. This Around the beginning of April, T 1, 2001, 7.1 Tbytes of data. takes the user to two different web 2001, we will turn on a new “on-the- The number of science datasets now pages, depending on the mission. For fly” system for archived STIS and totals more than 230,000. Archive HST, ADS users enter MAST via the WFPC2 data; archived NICMOS data ingest has averaged 3 Gbytes/day proposal page, which gives the will be affected by this system as of in the past year, while the rate of proposal abstract, the list of related May or June this year. Our “on-the- data retrieval has been more than papers, and a search output (up to 100 fly” reprocessing system will process 4 times that. datasets) for that proposal, with links data from the telemetry product to preview files, and “mark” buttons through conversion to a FITS file and Literature links: for direct retrieval from the archive. finally to instrument calibration. This from data to published papers For other MAST missions, a preview system will replace OTFC (On-The- We have embarked on a project to page is available which displays a plot Fly Calibration). allow archival researchers easy access of flux versus wavelength, lists What does this mean to the HST to MAST-based papers directly from relevant published papers, and allows archive user? Basically, the average the archive interface. This project is the option of downloading the data in HST archive user will not see well under way and actually completed either FITS or ASCII table format. many differences. for some missions, so we describe here The level of completeness of the in some detail its implementation. bibliographic entries varies with the So why did we do it? The MAST archive interfaces mission. For HST, the links include “On-the-fly” processing in general (accessible from the MAST main page papers published between 1991 and provides a better science product, as at http://archive.stsci.edu/mast.html) 1997 and in 2000. Papers published in compared to the original, first cut provide a list of datasets matching a 1998 and 1999 will be added very calibrations. However, our OTFC given query and also return various soon. IUE, the ASTRO missions system was cumbersome, with an columns with target parameters (e.g., (HUT, WUPPE, UIT), BEFS1, and extensive database change system, and target name, coordinates, instrument, EUVE are complete through the year OTFC could not handle data associa- etc.). These now include a “Ref” 2000, and work is on-going on tions with multiple files, such as those column, which specifies the number of Copernicus papers (FUSE papers and for NICMOS and ACS. By processing published papers associated with the publications based on the other from the telemetry files with the listed proposal ID (HST) or image ID ORFEUS missions will be added current pipeline software, we were able (other MAST missions). Clicking on eventually). to reduce the need for an extensive an entry in this column (other than a The HST bibliography includes all change system and we will be able to dash, which means that no papers papers making original use of HST handle associations in a graceful way. referencing the proposal/image ID are data including papers written both by available) will display the list of observers and archival researchers. How will this system affect the related papers including title, first These ‘original use’ papers are archive user? author, and journal reference. The identified by the STScI library 1) On-the-fly calibration of NICMOS, latter follows the Astrophysics Data searching all incoming journals for WFPC2, and STIS. System [ADS] bibliography code papers that use HST data directly 2) No “original” calibration files for (bibcode) and is also a link to the ADS without citing prior usage of those those instruments. We do not save Abstract Service, which provides data. For the non-HST bibliography, them anymore. electronic access to the paper. (Note on the other hand, MAST staff and that at present only refereed papers IUE staff member Pat Pitts attempted 3) All requests for NICMOS, WFPC2, are included.) to find all papers citing the use of and STIS science data will include ADS users performing literature MAST data. both the raw and calibrated FITS files searches can now do the opposite, i.e., We invite you to use this new with updated headers. go from papers to data. A “Data” link service (and tell us about any paper we available in the ADS abstract page, in might have missed!). As usual, send Any questions can be directed to [email protected] any comments/questions/suggestions . you might have to [email protected]. continued page 5

4 March 2001

MAST from page 4

StarView 6.1 ¥ Cross-qualification of coordinates New Archive Medium StarView 6.1, the newest version of was improved: it now works faster Last fall the HST archive began the StarView Java application, was and has more versatile input formats using a new archive medium, magneto- released in October, 2000. We which are controlled through the optical (MO) disks, to store HST data. appreciate any and all suggestions! Preferences screen. We have started a process to move all Send them to [email protected]. of the science data from the old ¥ System manager control of automatic StarView is available for download at medium (12 inch Sony optical platters) updates for centralized installations of http://starview.stsci.edu. Existing onto the new MO disks. As of March StarView. personal installations of StarView are 1, 2001, we are about a third of the updated in situ, with your permission. Future improvements include way done and estimate that it will take If you access a centralized version of generalizing the retrieval and archive about a year or so to complete this StarView, notify your science software description module to include all of the process. This transition should be manager. Future updates of both local MAST missions and coordinating transparent to users, who are still able and centralized installations will be StarView with the Visual Target Tuner to access data from either medium. automated, with appropriate approvals. from the Astronomer’s Proposal Tool Your patience has been very much suite. Expanding the data domain to appreciated during this transition time We highlight some of the include all of MAST is the first step as we gain experience with our improvements contained in needed to make StarView usable as a new system. Version 6.1: general search interface for any Once this process is complete, we ¥ Data Retrievals of multiple datasets observatory archive. StarView will be anticipate much faster retrieval times are even easier: you can select them a completely configurable Java as all data will be available in the new with the mouse, shift-click to select search interface. MO jukeboxes. multiple sets. Pressing the “mark” button marks all of the selected Old StarView Versions Will No Longer Improved Retrieval Times for IUE Final datasets for retrieval. Be Supported Archive Extracted Data Files The IUE Final Archive extracted ¥ Data Retrievals of HST data The X-windows version of StarView data files are those most frequently include the ability to save your (xstarview) and the antiquated “CRT” requested from the MAST archive account password, change your version of StarView (starview) were (other than HST and FUSE data). To password, change your mailing turned off as of November 1, 2000. improve retrieval times, the IUE Low- address (for tapes). The old NCSA server which serves forms for these versions of StarView and High-Dispersion Merged Ex- ¥ The Help menu now includes Archive was removed to simplify maintenance tracted Image FITS Files (MXLO and Status, which for now links to the HST and Web security. All versions MXHI respectively) have been copied DADS status page, as well as the HST numbered 5.4a and earlier no to disk on archive.stsci.edu allowing Archive Registration page, How-Tos longer function. users to retrieve these data much more and FAQs. quickly. As before, users may retrieve data either through the IUE WWW ¥ The Qualifications Editor was re- SV_DADS_RETRIEVE The stand-alone tool, interface or via anonymous ftp. The written, so that it now behaves much sv_dads_retrieve, which can be used in remaining IUE files are still available better. The layout of the Qualifications user-written scripts to request datasets but remain in a CDROM jukebox. Screen was modified to be easier to directly from the HST archive facility Users requesting other IUE files read and use. (DADS), will continue to work. (as well as UIT and BEFS data) may ¥ Qualifications can be saved to disk However, as DADS is revised, this tool need to wait a few minutes to allow and loaded either into another form will have to be updated to stay apace the jukebox to retrieve and mount the (as long as the fields are consistent) with the changes (that include CDROM. or into the same form on another day encryption conventions). Users of this (for repeated retrievals of very stand-alone tool should stay abreast of similar types.) the tool’s update which will occur in phase with the archive transitions planned over the next year.

5 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

The Next Generation Space Telescope at the beginning of a new millennium N. Panagia and H.S. Stockman

he Next Generation Space and in preparation for issuing Requests reducing the need for a flight valida- Telescope (NGST) is a large- for Proposal (RFPs) for the NGST tion experiment. T aperture optical and infrared prime contract in mid-2001, the NGST NGST will still carry three instru- telescope being designed to study the project has undertaken a detailed re- ments: a visible/near-infrared (0.6 to 5 properties of the first stars and galaxies assessment of the design parameters. microns) camera with a field of view born after the Big Bang and to The principal goals are to get the most of 10 to 20 square arcminutes, a near- elucidate the mysterious process of star observatory capability per dollar and to infrared multi-object spectrograph, and and planet formation in our own launch in this decade. A major result of a mid-infrared camera/spectrograph. galaxy. The high spatial resolution and this exercise has been to relax the It should be stressed that concepts low background provided by a large requirements on the diameter, areal for NGST are still in development, and aperture, passively cooled telescope in density, and temperature of the primary it will be up to the prime contractors an L-2 orbit are essential for these mirror. A modest reduction in the to propose an observatory they can studies. Compared to current or aperture diameter can result in a stiffer build within the cost and schedule planned observatories, NGST will mirror that still meets the launch constraints. have unique advantages in image weight constraints for more than one quality field of view, low background launch vehicle while retaining a Interim Science Working Group light, and environmental stability. markedly superior performance over Replaces ASWG In particular, observations will be all other telescopes. The illustration The NGST Ad Hoc Science limited only by zodiacal light below compares the amount of time Working Group (ASWG) has been background for near infrared wave- needed to make an imaging survey providing science guidance since its lengths less than 10 microns. with a hypothetical 6.5m NGST, with creation in September 1997. The NGST will be a unique international HST, SIRTF, and a ground-based 8m ASWG was responsible for construct- facility with contributions from telescope. Moreover, allowing the ing the Design Reference Mission NASA, the European Space Agency primary mirror to operate at a warmer (DRM, http://www.ngst.stsci.edu/drm), and the Canadian Space Agency. In the temperature will permit active thermal which has been used heavily as a tool recent decadal survey of astronomy control using heaters. The stiffer in design trade studies. The ASWG and astrophysics, sponsored by the primary will provide better, more also made recommendations on the National Academy of Science (http:// stable image quality at lower cost than NGST instrument complement, taking books.nap.edu/catalog/9840.htm1), NGST other options. It will also enable much into consideration the NASA, ESA, was ranked as the highest-priority, new more complete verification of image and CSA instrument concept studies, initiative for the next 10 years. This quality and control in ground testing, continued page 7 ranking reflects both the exciting nature of NGST science and the recognition that NGST is technologi- cally within reach. NGST = 1 1 The NGST project is currently in the preliminary design phase. Major studies of lightweight mirrors and 10 detector technology developments are underway and show encouraging 10 2 results, and new focal-plane assem- blies for multi-object spectroscopy are 3 being developed. Phase-A systems 10 architecture studies are underway by HST industry consortia that include TRW, 10 4 Ball Aerospace, Lockheed-Martin, and Raytheon Corporation. SIRTF 10 5 Time to Make an Imaging Survey Time Ground NGST at launch minus 8 years: Meeting cost and schedule constraints 10 6 In the light of results from costing 110 exercises for other NASA missions, Wavelength [microns] 6 March 2001

NGST from page 6 the NGST science goals, and astronomy community input on The next stage of mirror develop- the expected advances in ground questions relating to the science ment will include fabrication and based facilities. mission of NGST and will help testing of larger demonstration mirrors. The ASWG has recently undergone disseminate information about NGST Three different technologies were a metamorphosis into the Interim to the community. selected for phase II of the Advanced Science Working Group (ISWG). This Mirror System Demonstrator (AMSD). group will function through the Technology Development: Mirrors, formulation phase (Phase A/B), until detectors, and wavefront control the instrument Announcement of Key technology challenges for Opportunity is released. The ISWG NGST include lightweight optics, was selected in September 2000, from cryogenic actuators for mirror control, over 100 highly qualified applicants. deployable structures, sensitive The resulting committee includes infrared detector arrays, lightweight, observers, theorists, and instrument programmable aperture masks for builders and reflects both the interna- multi-object spectroscopy, and coolers tional nature of the project and the for the thermal infrared detectors. All diverse scientific goals and capabilities have seen significant progress over the of the observatory. The ISWG will last two years. work in collaboration with the NGST Over the next two years, the three Project, NASA Headquarters, and the Mirrors contractors will fabricate, assemble, astronomical community to provide The NGST primary mirror must be and test full-size mirror segments, i.e. input during the formulation phase of lightweight (~20 kg/m2) and Rayheon’s “Glass Meniscus”, Kodak’s NGST. The ISWG will help provide deployable and must be capable of “Fused Silica”, and Ball’s “Light- holding its figure at cryogenic weight Beryllium” mirrors. They must temperatures. So far, eight designs The ISWG Membership includes: demonstrate manufacturing and testing involving five industry partners — techniques and show that their mirrors Heidi Hammel including the University of Arizona, will be capable of adjustment once in Space Science Institute Composite Optics Inc, Ball Aerospace, orbit and be able to work in tempera- George Helou Raytheon Optical Systems, and Kodak tures that vary from 300 K to 40 K. CalTech/SIRTF Science Center — have been built as prototype Robert Kennicutt ultralight mirrors. The University of Detectors University of Arizona Arizona built a 2m “bed of nails” NGST requires detectors with large mirror which uses a 2mm facesheet of Robert Kirshner formats, a low dark current, and Harvard University glass over a bed of more than 160 minimal readout noise. Candidates for actuators to control the deformable the 0.6 to 5 micron region include Rolf-Peter Kudritzki surface. COl and IABG (Germany) IfA University of Hawaii indium antimonide (InSb) and developed a carbon-fiber, reinforced mercury-cadmium telluride (HgCdTe) Simon Lilly silicon-carbide, semi-rigid mirror that technologies, while arsenic-doped University of Toronto uses sparse actuation to control radius silicon (Si:As) holds the most promise Bruce Margon of curvature and tip, tilt, and piston of for the longer wavelengths. The Space Telescope Science Institute the mirror. Ball Aerospace built a technical requirements that these Mark McCaughrean beryllium mirror (see figure above detectors aim to meet are spelled out in Astrophyics Institute Potsdam right), which has recently undergone the report of the NGST Detector Marcia Rieke (Chair) cryogenic testing at Marshall Space Requirements Panel and summarized University of Arizona Flight Center to quantify the changes on the NGST web page (http:// in figure due to temperature. The Massimo Stiavelli www.ngst.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/doc?Id=538 Space Telescope Science Institute results are extremely encouraging for and http://www.ngst.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/ the concept of “cryofiguring” where doc?Id=641). For the near-IR (0.6 to 5 Edwin Turner interferograms taken at cryo-tempera- Princeton University microns), both HgCdTe (U. Hawaii/ tures are used to control the last stages Rockwell Science Center) and InSb Ewine van Dishoeck of polishing. (U. Rochester/Raytheon) are being Leiden University supported as candidate options. Michael Werner continued page 8 Jet Propulsion Laboratory

7 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

NGST from page 7

Through these contracts, multi-chip operability. Detailed low-background WCT1 incorporates a pair of deform- focal-plane modules will be developed, characterization is continuing. able mirrors for injection of controlled chip manufacturing will be improved, aberration and correction. WCT2 readout sensitivity will be enhanced, Wavefront Control Testbed incorporates a small, three-segment and potential cost drivers and cost The Wavefront Sensing and Control rigid mirror assembly with tip/tilt and savings will be identified. Work also Testbed (WCT) is a joint project piston correction. The experiment suite continues at Raytheon and Ames on between GSFC and JPL for NGST. Its for WCTI is nearly complete the mid-IR candidate material, Si:As. purposes are to simulate the co- (see figure below), and the WCT2 Bare readouts of the new SB-226 phasing process for NGST, deepen our assembly has recently been commis- detector have been evaluated down to understanding of all aspects of this sioned with the demonstration of the 5 K, and optimum lot splits will be process, develop and improve the initial co-phasing. identified soon. Prototype 1k × 1k algorithms for sensing and control of This paper is largely based on an Si:As hybrid arrays (27 micron pixels) each step, and characterize the effects NGST flier which was distributed at have been fabricated, with excellent of various parameters on accuracy, the last AAS Meeting in San Diego. sensitivity, repeatability, and reliability.

Data Image Model Image Difference

10 10 10 20 20 20 30 30 30 40 40 40 50 50 50 60 60 60 20 40 60 20 40 60 20 40 60

NGST Town Hall at 198th AAS Meeting in Pasadena Thursday, 7 June 2001, 1:00-2:00pm

he NGST (Next Generation Space Telescope) Project is entering an exciting new phase, one which offers important opportunities to members of the astronomical community. Having analyzed the performance, cost, T and development schedule for the observatory, NASA has initiated the process of selecting the aerospace contractor that will be responsible for the final design and construction of the NGST. Beginning this year, NASA, along with its NGST partner agencies, ESA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), will select the scientists that will define and execute the first scientific observations with NGST and will lead and oversee the development of the observatory and its scientific instruments. This Town Hall will begin with summaries of the project status and the viewpoint of the Interim Science Working Group (Marcia Rieke, chair). Senior members of the Project science team will outline the opportunities for leading the development of the Near Infrared Camera and the Mid-Infrared Camera/Spectrograph (a joint ESA/US venture). NASA plans to release an Announcement of Opportunity for these roles, observatory-level scientists, and interdiscipli- nary scientists on the flight Science Working Group shortly after the summer AAS meeting. We urge those interested in NGST to attend this meeting and will allocate much of the meeting for addressing questions. Before the meeting, please visit the website www.ngst.nasa.gov. To subscribe to announcements and procurement news about NGST, see the link from the NGST home page or go to http://www.ngst.nasa.gov/News/lists/index.html.

Organized by H.S. (Peter) Stockman NGST Study Scientist: [email protected]

8 March 2001

The Cycle 10 Review Process Georges Meylan, [email protected] and Meg Urry, [email protected]

he HST Cycle 10 panels and TAC (Telescope Allocation 100 % Committee) met at STScI T 90% between November 10 and 19, 2000. The proposal review process was the 80% same as that used a year earlier for 70% Cycle 9, with only minor changes. With the review now fully completed, 60% 58% 52% we have received extensive feedback 50% 48% from the panel and TAC members, as 43% well as from the astronomical 40% community, generally indicating strong 30% approval for the present system and 22% 23% 20%

making some useful suggestions for % of Proposals with a Conflict future improvements. We briefly 10% describe the organisation of the review process and provide some practical 0% 7 AR 7 NIC 7 8 9 10 advice for proposers in future Cycle HST cycles.

Towards Science Balance Before Cycle 9, the balance among were assigned, according to their by the submitted proposals. A total of scientific sub-disciplines was estab- scientific categories, to one of nine 81 experts participated in the Cycle lished by proposal pressure in a sub- panels covering five general science 10 review. discipline, modified slightly by areas. To minimise conflicts while still In spite of the fact that twin panels subsequent TAC discussions. Value allowing experienced HST users to had very similar scientific expertise, judgments about the relative impor- participate in the review process, we they came up, in a few cases, with tance of any one sub-discipline versus assigned two twin panels to each of some different mixes of science. any other were therefore made by a four science areas, then added the This is expected in peer review which very large committee (of about 25 Solar System panel, for which there recognises there is no absolute people in the TAC) representing all were too few proposals to split. “correct” way to choose proposals. fields of astronomy but with little time As a consequence, the acceptance Large and Regular Programs for in-depth discussions. In Cycles 9 rate was the same for PIs who served and 10, science balance was instead as reviewers and those outside the Twenty-one large programs, determined by in-depth discussions of process. There were also dramatically requesting 100 orbits or more, were experts in panels that were broader fewer instances of panelists having reviewed by the TAC only. They were than the old 17-topic panels, but more to recuse themselves because of discussed first before and then after the focussed, and with far more specific conflicts of interest, leading to the panel meetings, in order to be able to expertise in the areas discussed, than constant presence of a larger fraction take into account comments from the the full TAC. The panels allocated all of panel expertise. expert panelists. Up to 1000 orbits the orbits available for regular were made available to these large More Experts programs; the TAC allocated all the programs and 589 were awarded, to orbits available for large programs. To improve on Cycle 9, we added seven programs (cuts were to eliminate The present panels are broad enough to one more expert in each panel in order duplications). Among the regular cover several topics but narrow enough to ensure the presence of one expert programs, requesting 99 orbits or to have the requisite scientific for each of the scientific categories fewer, the medium-size programs, expertise with the science in each of covered. We were also careful to have requesting between 15-99 orbits, were these topics. one or more theorists per panel. The favored via orbit subsidies in the panel members were chosen to cover review process. To encourage more Conflicts of Interest the entire mix of science represented submissions of large and medium-size A major goal of the new process is a programs, these review processes were substantial decrease in the number of continued page 10 conflicts of interest. The proposals 9 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Cycle 10 Review from page 9

heavily advertised in the Call for since they have the same chance of avoid duplicate observations): Proposals, the STScI Newsletter, and success as any other proposal (possibly proposers either got the time they on the web. even better, since in Cycle 10 one 1 asked for or were rejected. Once again, the oversubscription in three Large proposals was granted ¥ Start from the science, write a rate was very high: about one proposal time). The TAC discusses each Large compelling story for your fellow in five was allocated time. The proposal in considerable details so the astronomers. Ask for the resources acceptance rate was essentially winning proposals are not only of genuinely needed, and submit independent of the proposal size, i.e., compelling scientific interest, they proposals, whatever their size. of number of orbits requested. Large are well thought out and involve programs were allocated eventually expert teams. We expect the number of proposals about 20 % of the total number of to increase for the next cycle because ¥ Make the effort to address the non- orbits available, as recommended by of the availability of two more expert present “the big picture”. external advisory committees. instruments: NICMOS and ACS. The The most successful proposals set the past high oversubscription rate (1/5) context with sufficient background Advice for Future Cycles may therefore be even higher. Many information and convincingly describe The present HST review process truly excellent proposals have to be the importance of the investigation to having achieved most of our goals, we rejected, but remember that rejected all astronomy. Since this was an plan to again use this basic structure in PIs are in very good company and that explicit criterion for evaluation, future cycles. This means future many of these proposals, possibly proposals could be downgraded for proposers should keep in mind several revised according to comments from failing to address this point. key points: the panel or TAC, may succeed in ¥ Do not pad your request for time. future cycles... ¥ Do not hesitate to submit Large Fewer than 5 % of the approved proposals, if scientifically justified, proposals were cut (and those only to

HST Recent Release: Astro-Entomology? Ant-like Space Structure Previews Death of Our Sun From ground-based telescopes, this cosmic object -- the glowing remains of a dying, Sun-like star -- resembles the head and thorax of a garden- variety ant. But this dramatic Hubble telescope image of the so-called "ant nebula" (Menzel 3, or Mz3) shows even more detail, revealing the "ant's" body as a pair of fiery lobes protruding from the dying star. Image Credit: NASA, ESA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Web Address: http://oposite.stsci.edu/ pubinfo/pr/2001/05/

10 March 2001

Panels

Solar System Extragalactic 1 Fran Bagenal, Chair, University of Colorado Michael Rowan-Robinson, Chair, Imperial College, London Jim Bell, Cornell University Mitchell Begelman, University of Colorado CYCLE Bill Hubbard, University of Arizona Chris Pritchet, University of Victoria John Davies, Joint Astronomy Center, Hawaii Hermann-Josef Roeser, Max-Plank-Institut fuer Astronomie Bill McKinnon, Washington University Jeff Kenney, Yale University James Friedson, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Carole Mundell, John Moores University, Liverpool Yuk Yung, California Institute of Technology Karen Leighly, University of Oklahoma 10 Timothy Dowling, University of Louisville Eric Emsellem, University of Lyon Mike Belton, Nat’l Optical Astronomy Observatory, Tucson Roelof de Jong, University of Arizona

Galactic 1 Extragalactic 2 Regina Schulte-Ladbeck, Chair, University of Pittsburgh Matthew Malkan, University of California at Los Angeles Robert Blum, CTIO, Chile Roger Davies, University of Durham Dave Arnett, Steward Observatory, University of Arizona Zlatan Tsvetanov, Johns Hopkins University Patrick Harrington, University of Maryland Tom Statler, Ohio University Michael Jura, University of California at Los Angeles Jean Brodie, University of California at Santa Cruz Susan Trammell, University of North Carolina at Charlotte Thrinh Thuan, University of Virginia Carole Haswell, Open University, Milton Keynes (UK) Luis Colina, Instituto de Física de Cantabria Wesley Traub, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Mike Eracleous, Pennsylvania State University Kent Honeycutt, Indiana University Elena Pian, ITESRE-CNR, Bologna

Galactic 2 Extragalactic 3 Harry Shipman, Chair, University of Delaware Hyron Spinrad, Chair, University of California at Berkeley Matthew Bobrowsky, Challenger Ctr. for Space Sci. Edu. Jill Bechtold, University of Arizona Lex Kaper, Free University Amsterdam Chris Kochanek, Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr for Astrophysics John Dickel, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Erica Ellingson, University of Colorado Dimitar Sasselov, Harvard University Ken Lanzetta, State University of New York at Stony Brook Richard Rothschild, University of California at San Diego Christian Vanderriest, Observatoire de Paris, Meudon Silvia Torres-Peimbert, Universidad Autónoma de México Julio Navarro, University of Victoria Philip Massey, Lowell Observatory Peter Garnavich, University of Notre Dame Albert Zijlstra, European Southern Observatory (Germany) Pieter van Dokkum, California Institute of Technology

Galactic 3 Extragalactic 4 Marcia Rieke, Chair, Steward Observatory Wal Sargent, Chair, California Institute of Technology Neill Reid, University of Pennsylvania Christine Jones, Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr for Astrophysics Francesco Ferraro, Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna John Tonry, University of Hawaii Tom Ayres, CASA, University of Colorado Steve Warren, Imperial College, London Neal Evans, University of Texas, McDonald Observatory Steven Myers, National Radio Astronomy Observatory Marcio Catelan, University of Virginia Theresa Brainerd, Boston University Bernie McNamara, New Mexico State University Rafael Guzman, Yale University Robert Mathieu, University of Wisconsin Laura Ferrarese, Rutgers University Jochen Eisloeffel, Thueringer Landessternwarte Tautenburg Daniel Eisenstein, University of Chicago

Galactic 4 Scott Tremaine, TAC Chair, Princeton University Alvio Renzini, Chair, ESO, Germany & University of Bologna Shoko Sakai, University of California at Los Angeles Rodrigo Ibata, Max-Plank-Institut fuer Astronomie Michael Sitko, University of Cincinnati Dennis Zaritsky, Steward Observatory Nancy Evans, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Jeffrey Linsky, JILA, University of Colorado Jennifer Wiseman, Johns Hopkins University Lee Hartmann, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

11 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Proposals by Country: Panel and TAC Orbit Trimming by Cycle

Country Submitted Approved Median Orbits Median Orbits Australia 14 4 Submitted Approved Austria 2 0 Belgium 1 0 Cycle 6 12 8 CYCLE Canada 18 3 Chile 2 0 Cycle 7 14 9 France 26 5 Cycle 7N 12 12 Finland 5 0 Germany 31 4 Cycle 8 12 10 10 India 3 0 Ireland 4 0 Cycle 9 15 13.5 Israel 2 0 Cycle 10 15 13 Italy 17 1 Korea 1 0 Cycle 6: 174 out of 435 Approved GO programs were trimmed (40%) Mexico 1 1 Cycle 7: 82 out of 241 Approved GO programs were trimmed (34%) Poland 1 0 Cycle 8: 58 out of 231 Approved GO programs were trimmed (25%) Spain 9 1 Cycle 9: only 13 out of 145 Approved GO programs were trimmed! (9%) Sweden 7 0 Cycle 10: only 10 out of 136 Approved GO programs were trimmed! (7.4%), Switzerland 1 0 and these were mostly duplication issues. Netherlands 4 3 United Kingdom 51 9 United States 706 160 Venezuela 1 0 Oversubscription by Cycle 10.00 ESA Proposals 164 26 GO Orbit oversubscription GO Proposal oversubscription 8.00 US PIs by State: AR Funding oversubscription State Submitted Approved AL ------10 0 6.00 tion Ratio

AZ ------61 17 p CA ------125 28 CO ------26 5 4.00

CT ------10 2 versubscri DC ------12 1 O DE ------2 0 2.00 FL ------1 0 GA ------4 0 HI ------20 4 IL ------20 2 0.00 1 2 3 5 9 10 IN ------10 3 4 6 7 7N 8 Cycle KY ------2 0 LA ------2 0 MA ------41 10 MD ------155 50 MI ------19 5 MN ------6 1 Cycle 10 Acceptance Fraction by Proposal Size NC ------4 0 100% NE ------1 0 NH ------1 0 90% NJ ------12 3 NM ------8 3 80% Orbits NV ------3 0 70% NY ------33 9 Proposals OH ------12 1 60% OK ------4 1 OR ------3 1 50% PA ------36 6 40% RI ------1 0 7 7 SC ------3 0 30% TN ------5 1 57 19 7 TX ------15 2 20% 33 VA ------10 1 6 WA ------12 3 10% WI ------17 2 0% 1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-99 Large Overall STScI ---- 78 28 Orbit Bin 12 March 2001

Summary of Cycle 10 Results

Requested Approved % Accepted ESA Accepted ESA % Total Proposals GO 736 136 18.5% 24 17.5% CYCLE SNAP 84 19 22.6% 2 10.5%

AR 87 37 42.5% —— Total 907 192 21.2% 26 13.5% 10 Primary Orbits 16,236 2,918* 18 442 15.8%

* Doesn’t include 398 Parallel orbits.

Approved % Total Orbits % Total Proposals by Instrument*

FGS 11 6.1% 144 4.7%

STIS / CCD 54 30% 837 + (398) 27.2%**

STIS / MAMA 59 33% 972 31.6%

WFPC2 56 31% 1120 36.4%

* Includes coordinated parallel as well as multi-instrument proposals. ** Excludes 398 Pure Parallel orbits.

Cycle 10 Proposal Results by Panel

Gal1 Gal2 Gal3 Gal4 Exgal1 Exgal2 Exgal3 Exgal4 SS TAC TOTAL Proposals Submitted

GO 107 104 95 88 86 80 62 60 33 21 736

SNAP 11 13 8 7 13 15 7 4 6 – 84

AR 5 7 4 13 9 11 12 17 9 – 87

Total 123 124 107 108 108 106 81 81 48 21 907 Proposals Approved

GO 23 17 17 18 12 14 9 10 9 7 136

SNAP 4210 52311– 19

AR 1517 35474– 37

Total 28 24 19 25 20 21 16 18 14 7 192

Cycle 10 Orbit Results by Panel

Gal1 Gal2 Gal3 Gal4 Exgal1 Exgal2 Exgal3 Exgal4 SS TAC TOTAL Submitted

1490 1608 1747 1608 2036 1395 1733 1610 379 2630 16236 Approved

269 325 259 257 341 268 241 256 113 589* 2918 Panel Fraction of Total Approved

9.20% 11.10% 8.90% 8.80% 11.70% 9.20% 8.30% 8.80% 3.90% 20.20% – Fraction of Orbits Approved/Submitted

18.10% 20.20% 14.80% 16% 16.70% 19.20% 13.90% 15.90% 29.80% 22.40% 18%

13 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Approved Observing Programs for Cycle 10

y V471 Tau y V471

Way

ram of M32

ades Eclipsing Binar

ed Gas

y 31 Cygni

ular Cluster 47 Tucanae ular Cluster 47

y Disk Census

idani

idge

Variable NGC 2363-V1 Variable

Velocity Clouds in the Milky Velocity

The Key to the Extragalactic Distance Scale to the Extragalactic The Key

ursts and Diffuse Ioniz

ysics

ing of a Stellar Thermal Pulse ing of a Stellar

ulae

e cool stars

as He 2-104 and He 2-147

tions of FGS1r

oint Spread Function in STIS

mediate Mass Black Holes mediate Mass Black

Type Ia Supernovae Type

Very Low Mass Stars Low Very

k Breakout During SN 1987A k Breakout

ies and X-ray Sources in the Glob ies and X-ray

asolar Planet in Reflected Light

ains in Orion’s Proto-Planetaryains in Orion’s Disks?

orming disks of the TW Hya association TW Hya orming disks of the

ariations in Eta Carinae

White Dwarfs from Resolved Sirius-Like Binaries Sirius-Like from Resolved White Dwarfs

adiative to Radiative Shocks in the Cygnus Loop in the Cygnus Shocks to Radiative adiative

xtinction in nearby galaxies: M33 galaxies: xtinction in nearby

ies with Cepheid Components:

Post-AGB Stars and the Population II Distance Ladder Stars and the Population Post-AGB Sakurai’s Novalike Object: Real-Time Monitor Object: Novalike Sakurai’s Dynamical Masses of

The Late Evolution of Low-Mass Stars: a Deep UV Color-Magnitude Diag Stars: of Low-Mass The Late Evolution

Light Echos and the Nature of

Characterizing the CCD Spectroscopic P Characterizing

or Astrophysics Direct Detection of an Extr

or Astrophysics The Distances to AM CVn stars

ersity The UV interstellar e ersity from Non-r Transition

ysical Observatory Accretion in the planet-f

ysical Observatory Binaries in M31 and X-ray Transients Hole X-ray Black

Bahcall GO Study Advanced for Institute Supernova Nearby Observing the Next Balick GOWashington of University Collimation in Bipolar Symbiotic Neb Outflow Bally GO of Colorado University Are there Large Dust Gr Benedict AR at AustinTexas of University the Optical Field Angle Distor Calibrating Benedict GO at AustinTexas of University FGS Astrometry Planet of Epsilon Er of the Extrasolar Bennett GO of Colorado University Mapping the Chromosphere of the K Supergiant in the Eclipsing Binar Bianchi GO The Johns Hopkins Univ Blair GO The Johns Hopkins Univ Bond AR Science Institute Telescope Space Bond GO Science Institute Telescope Space Bond GO Science Institute Telescope Space Bowen SNAP Princeton Observatory of Absorption A SNAPshot Survey Lines from High Bregman GO of Michigan University Sources and Inter Ultraluminous X-Ray Brown GO Goddard Space Flight Center

Calvet GO Smithsonian Astroph

Cameron GO of St Andrews University The densely spotted photospheres of activ Charbonneau GO Harvard-Smithsonian Center f

Charlton AR State University The Pennsylvania the Galaxy Looking Out From Cordes GO Cornell University in the Guitar Nebula Shock of the Bow Evolution Corradi GOTelescopes Group of Isaac Newton Expansion distances to the symbiotic Mir Crotts GO Columbia University The UV Light Echo of Shoc Davidson GO of Minnesota University Critical spectroscopic v Deliyannis GO University Indiana Mass Stars Mixing in Low Boron Constraints on Slow Deliyannis GO Indiana University Boron in G64-12: Higher Big Bang Lithium or Signature of the Nu-Process? Drissen GO Laval Université of the Erupting Luminous Blue Parameters Physical Dufton GO of Belfast University Queen’s in the Magellanic Clouds and Br The iron abundance Evans GO Astrophysics Center for Y Car Cepheid Masses: Garcia GO Smithsonian Astroph Garnavich SNAP of Notre Dame University

Garnett GO of Arizona University Giant H II Regions and the Connection with Starb Grady GO Eureka Scientific A PMS Protoplanetar Survey: Star Coronagraphic Tauri T Grindlay AR Astrophysics Harvard-Center for A Complete Study of Binar

Gull AR Goddard Space Flight Center Harrington GO of Maryland University Photoionization Ph A Benchmark for NGC 2610: Groot GO Harvard-Smithsonian Center f Harrison GO State University Mexico New Secondary Stars Their Peculiar Understanding Variables: of Cataclysmic FGS Parallaxes Guinan GO University Villanova LMC Eclipsing Binar Hawley GOWashington of University Region Emission in Transition Galactic Programs Guinan GO University Villanova FGS Astrometry of the Companion to the Hy Yet?: Dwarf The Best Brown

14 March 2001

Approved Observing Programs for Cycle 10

Gru

1

π

with HST

arfs

vey of B-stars in the SMC vey

A Study of V Hydrae and A Study of

A Snapshot Survey

Resolving the ‘Mass Discrepancy’ Resolving the

eatures in magnetic white dw

ulae

parts of Chandra X-ray Point Sources Point parts of Chandra X-ray

ula in a dying star: WFPC2/STIS study of He2-90 ula in a dying star:

T Tauri Stars T Tauri

ies of Preplanetary Nebulae with High-Velocity Polar Flows Polar ies of Preplanetary with High-Velocity Nebulae

White Dwarf Spectra White Dwarf

idani

opulations: Construction of a Public Database Construction of a Public opulations:

urst galaxies: A UV spectroscopic sur urst galaxies:

or High Mass Stars:

or HST

opulation II Stars

ab: HST Spectropolarimetry in Context ab:

e WD Binary LB11146 e

ve of the Nearest Millisecond Pulsar ve

ws and Equatorial Toroids in Cool Stars: Toroids ws and Equatorial

igin of Life on Earthigin of Life

Variable Stars Variable

The Matter: The Inner Region of M15 The Matter:

e to Study the Optical Counter

ties of L-type dwarfs in binaries ties of L-type dwarfs

Warm Ionized Medium of the Galactic Halo Ionized Warm

Solar UV Radiation and the Or

The Evolution of Extreme Gas Rich Galaxies The Evolution Imaging the Dust Disk around Epsilon Er The Wind-Wind Interactions in HD 5980 Wind-Wind Interactions The

Objective-Prism Spectroscopy of Massive Young Clusters Young of Massive Spectroscopy Objective-Prism Using the HST Archiv

The Post-CE Status of the Massiv The Post-CE

An Interferometric Harvest of Double Degenerates of Double An Interferometric Harvest Test of a New Observational Method for Stellar Seismology Observational Method for of a New Test

ersity Understanding the

Technology The Masses and Luminosities of P

ysical Observatory Hole (?) in BG Gem The Black

atory, Caltechatory, jet and bipolar neb pulsed astrophysical YSO-like A atory, Caltechatory, Collimated Outflo High-Velocity

atory, Caltechatory, Understanding the Bipolar Geometr Toward

Heap GO Goddard Space Flight Center Jura GO of California, Los Angeles University Circumstellar Gas Around HR 4796A Hester GO Arizona State UniversityKenyon in H II Regions Environments of Star Forming Evolution GO Smithsonian Astroph Howk GO The Johns Hopkins Univ Hinkle GO NOAOKing GO of California, Berkeley University older brother Sakurai’s V605 Aql: Tucanae Cluster 47 of the Globular Parallax Trigonometric Johns—Krull GO of California University Resolving Molecular Hydrogen Disks Around Holberg AR of Arizona University Kirshner GO Analysis of a Decade of HST An Archive Harvard College Observatory Study—Cycle 10 INtensive The Supernova SINS: Jordan GO Kiel Universitaet efficiency with quasi-molecular f Calibrating convection Holtzman AR State University Mexico New Knezek Comparisons of Local Group Stellar P GO Science Institute Telescope Space Livio GO Science Institute Telescope Space Horch GO Rochester Institute of Koenigsberger GO UNAM-Instituto de Astronomía Lundqvist GO Observatory Stockholm Spectrum and pulse profile of PSR 0656+14 in the near-UV Lawrence AR Hofstra University Imaging of the Light Echo of SN 1987A HST Archival Maiz-Apellaniz GO Science Institute Telescope Space Lecavelier des EtangsLecavelier GO CNRS de Paris, Institut d’Astrophysique of the gas inside the Beta Pic disk Spatial distribution Malumuth AR ITSS/Goddard Space Flight Center Raytheon Lennon GOTelescopes Group Isaac Newton Understanding high-redshift and starb

Marsh GO Southampton University of Cataclysmic The Evolution Martin GO Astronomy Institute for Fundamental proper Massa GO ITSS Raytheon Determination of the Distances and Masses of 3 Galactic Cepheids Massey GO Observatory Lowell The Mass-Luminosity Relationship f McNamara GO State University Mexico New Getting to the Core of Mirabel GO CEA-Service de Astrophysique Hole? Black J1655-40 a runaway Is GRO Nelan GO Science Institute Telescope Space

Nelan SNAP Science Institute Telescope Space O’Brien GO Science Institute Telescope Space O’Dell GO University Vanderbilt Fluctuations in Gaseous Neb Temperature Fine Scale Padgett SNAPTechnology California Institute of Stellar Objects: Young Nebulous of Nearby Disks and Envelopes Pavlov GO State University Pennsylvania The Spectrum and the Light Cur Sahai GO Jet Propulsion Labor Romani AR University Stanford Diagnosing the UV Pulse of the Cr Romani GO University Stanford Pulsars Thermal of Gamma Ray Glow The Saha AR NOAO Photometric Standard Fields f Faint Sahai GO Jet Propulsion Labor

Sahai SNAP Jet Propulsion Labor

15 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Approved Observing Programs for Cycle 10

arallels

White Dwarf Probes White Dwarf

w Redshift

ucture of an Interstellar Cloud

w-Mass Stars

novae

novae

erse at z<7.2 with deep STIS/CCD P

w Metallicity Galaxy

Viscosity

uiper Belt Objects

va and its Newly-discovered Moon and its Newly-discovered va

e, core-collapse super e,

e, core-collapse super e,

Type Ia Supernovae Type

y Bursts

Young Stellar Object Disks Young

e II

ular Cluster M22 and the Galactic Bulge

ysical Conditions in Local Interstellar Gas Using

y Nebulae

ption toward HD 219188 — Probing the Str ption toward

ic Orbit for a Pair of Pre-Main Sequence Lo a Pair ic Orbit for

y of the Transiting Planet HD 209458b Transiting y of the

a-Solar Planetary Atmosphere

n’s rings, and its variation with location rings, n’s

Determining D/H Ratios and Ph Completing the Astrometr High Speed Photometr Planetary Nebulae in the LMC: a study of stellar evolution and Populations. a study of stellar evolution Planetary in the LMC: Nebulae

Survey of the LMC Planetar Survey

The Deep Coronagraphic STIS Point Spread Function STIS Point The Deep Coronagraphic

The Origin and Physics of Gamma-Ra The Origin and Physics

A Census of Planets in the Glob

Composition of Satur

Io’s UV Emissions, 1994-1996 UV Emissions, Io’s UV/Visible Spectroscopy of Asteroid 762 Pulco Spectroscopy UV/Visible

Photometry of a Statistically Significant Sample of K

ysics of UGCA 292, An Extreme Lo The Stellar Population

al History Clusters Globular Archive: The Stellar Populations

ersity and Rotation in Protostellar Jets Helical Flows

ersity Spectroscopic Imaging of the Atmosphere of Callisto

ersity Magnetic Reconnections and Accretion Disk Flares,

atory Examples of Edge-on Resolving New

y to detect the progenitors of massiv An archive

y Direct imaging of the progenitors of massiv

Large Programs Solar System Programs

Sahu AR Goddard Space Flight Center Soderblom GO Science Institute Telescope Space Schultz GO Science Institute Telescope Space Stanghellini GO Science Institute Telescope Space Stapelfeldt GO Jet Propulsion Labor van Kerkwijkvan GO Utrecht University Optical Counterparts of Isolated Neutron Stars Smartt SNAP Institute of Astronom van Zeevan GO Herzberg Institute of Astroph

Shaw SNAP Science Institute Telescope Space Smartt GO Institute of Astronom

Vidal-Madjar GO CNRS de Paris, Institut d’Astrophysique HI Detection of an Extr Welsh GO San Diego State Univ Welty GO of Chicago University Interstellar Absor Variable Wiseman GO The Johns Hopkins Univ Woodgate AR Goddard Space Flight Center Yusef-Zadeh GO Northwestern UniversityWFPC2 Study of Proplyds and a Protostellar Condensation at the Center of M20 A Zurek AR American Museum of Natur

Fruchter GO Science Institute Telescope Space Kulkarni GOTechnology California Institute of probing their environment progenitors: burst Gamma-ray Perlmutter GO Laboratory Berkeley Lawrence at High Redshift Ia Supernovae Type from Cosmological Parameters Sahu GO Science Institute Telescope Space

Schmidt GO National University The Australian the Cosmic Expansion to z>1 with Tracing Tripp GO Observatory Princeton University Intergalactic Gas at Lo Missing Baryons in Highly Ionized for A Survey Windhorst GO & Astronomy Physics State Univ., Arizona Closing in on the Hydrogen Reionization Edge of the Univ

Bell GO Cornell University on Mars Minerals Alteration A Global Search for Brown GO Caltech Belt Object Satellites Kuiper A Search for Cruikshank GO Ames Research Center Evans AR Gibbel Corporation in the HST Archiv Trails Asteroid Feldman GO The Johns Hopkins Univ Karkoschka GO of Arizona University and Neptune of Uranus Spectroscopy Spatially Resolved Krasnopolsky AR of America The Catholic University of Pluto and Charon Spectroscopy Middle Ultaviolet McGrath AR Science Institute Telescope Space Merline GO Research Institute Southwest Noll SNAP Science Institute Telescope Space

16 March 2001

Approved Observing Programs for Cycle 10

wn

y Occurring 23 September 2001

ange 0.4 to 1.5

After the Flare

ibution of Io’s Atmosphere of Io’s ibution

yAlpha Galaxy

al Galaxies?

ery X-ray luminous galaxy cluster kno ery X-ray

ly-type disk galaxies

y 2MASS

Type-2 Quasars Type-2

Type Ia Supernovae Type

ype Spiral Galaxies: II - Spectroscopy and Stellar Populations II - Spectroscopy Galaxies: ype Spiral

t the New Millennium/DS1 Flyb t the New

als in Galaxies

aordinary Lensed Arcs From Multiple Sources aordinary Lensed Arcs From

orming galaxies in the redshift r

yAlpha Absorber of Q1331+170

al Galaxies

erse with Quasar Emission Lines

k Mass Concentration in Abell 1942

vation of Nearby Star Forming Galaxies Star Forming of Nearby vation

ate of Luminous, Blue Compact Galaxies at z~0.6 ate of Luminous,

agalactic Optical Jets

yman-alpha Galaxies at z~1

vestigation of any Bright, Newly Discovered Comet Discovered Bright, of any Newly vestigation

Observations of Comet Borrelly to Suppor

Proper Motions in Extr

A Census of Nuclear Star Clusters in Late-T Star Formation Triggers and Chemical Reprocessing in I Zw 18 Triggers Star Formation

Calibrating Star Formation: The Impact of Environment Calibrating Star Formation:

Investigating the Formation History the Formation Galaxy Halos of Spiral Investigating

ersita di Padova Accurate determination of the BH mass in ear

y Observatories Clusters in Spir Young Properties of

ersity UV Spectroscopic In

ersity in Quiescent Spir Clusters Forming Globular Young Are

ysical Observatory Lenses HST Imaging of Gravitational

ersity Probing the High Redshift Univ

ExtraGalactic Programs

Spencer GO Observatory Lowell Prometheus Plume and the Composition and Spatial Distr Io’s Sromovsky ARWisconsin-Madison of University bands zonal The structure of Neptune’s Stern GO Research Institute Southwest Weaver GO The Johns Hopkins Univ

Arav AR UC Davis in Seyfert UV absorbers Ionization Equilibrium and Abundances outflows: AGN Baldwin AR Michigan State Univ Bechtold GO Observatory of Arizona, Steward University Molecular Hydrogen in the Damped L Biretta GO Science Institute Telescope Space Bechtold GO Observatory of Arizona, Steward University in a Damped L Element Abundances of Heavy The Pattern Becker GO of California, Davis University Identifying Damped L Bershady GOWisconsin-Madison of University Galaxy Mass and the F Bertola GO Dipartimento di Astronomia, Univ

Boeker SNAP Science Institute Telescope Space Brown GO Goddard Space Flight Center Bureau GO Leiden Sterrewacht Making Bulges? A Recipe for Holes and Bars: Black Calzetti GO Science Institute Telescope Space Chandar AR The Johns Hopkins Univ Chapman GO Carnegie Observatories Radio Sources to Pinpoint Dusty Proto-galaxies Using Optically Faint Connolly AR of Pittsburgh University Energy Distributions at High Redshift Galaxy Spectral Crotts AR Columbia University to Measure the Cosmological Constant and a Program Alpha Forest Structure in the Lyman Transverse Djorgovski SNAPTechnology California Institute of of the Optically Selected A Snapshot Survey Dolphin AR National Optical Astronom Dunlop GO of Edinburgh University Measuring the masses of high-z quasar host galaxies Ebeling GO Astronomy Institute for Measuring the mass distribution in the most distant, v Ellis SNAPTechnology California Institute of Imaging the Host Galaxies of High Redshift Elmegreen AR College Vassar Study of Acoustic Nuclear Spir Archival Erben GO Astrophysik Max-Planck-Institut f. Resolving the Puzzling Dar Falco GO Smithsonian Astroph Ferguson GO Science Institute Telescope Space Ferruit GO CRAL — Observatoire de Lyon line region of M 51 in the narrow Probing the structure of the shocks Gladders GOToronto of University High-z Galaxy Cluster with Extr A New Gregg SNAP of California, Davis University Library of Generation Stars Spectral A Next Halpern GO Columbia University Holes in Galaxy Nuclei: Black Tidal Disruption Massive of Stars by Hammer GO Observatoire de Paris-Meudon DAEC, The nature of the most luminous star-f Hines SNAP of Arizona The University Host Galaxies of Obscured QSOs Identified b Hogan ARWashington of University Their Progenitor Populations and Ia Supernovae Type of High Redshift Demography Im SNAP of California, Santa Cruz University STIS UV Snapshot Obser Impey GO of Arizona University Lensed Quasars Host Galaxies of Gravitationally

17 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Approved Observing Programs for Cycle 10

ties

acy

erse

ed Gas

ursts

us A

a Test of Dust Bias in DLA Samples Test a

GN Host Galaxy Proper

2237+0305

vations of Intrinsic Absorbers in AGN vations

ation Lens

elocity structure

VI absorbers

adio-quiet galaxies

Web of Baryons Web

ucture

A Direct Comparison with the EPM Distance to SN 1999em

y of the Massive Globular Cluster G1 Globular y of the Massive

w-Power AGN w-Power

GN: Removing the Luminosity-Redshift Degener Removing GN:

ly-type galaxies from z~ 0.7 to z=0

ties of the Local Ly-alpha Forest ties of the Local Ly-alpha

vey of Star-Forming Galaxies in the Local Univ of Star-Forming vey

avitationally Lensed QSO: avitationally

e Galaxies at z~1

ichment History of Highly Ioniz from Observations

vey: the search for candidate D/H absorbers the search for vey:

avitationally Lensed QSO HE 0512-3329: avitationally

um of 3C 279: Testing Models for the Gamma-Ray Emission in Blazars the Gamma-Ray Models for Testing um of 3C 279:

ly-type Galaxies

or Nuclear Black Holes or Nuclear Black

y of Nearby Seyfert 2 Nuclei: Can we eliminate the Seyfert 2 class? Can we eliminate the Seyfert 2 Nuclei: y of Nearby Seyfert

een Radio Luminosity and Radio-Loud A

ariable stars detection with HST ariable

vey Strip: A Variability Study Variability A Strip: vey

ight Quasars in the Sloan Fields

Variability in the UV Spectr Variability Simultaneous HST, Chandra and FUSE Obser Chandra Simultaneous HST,

An Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Sur An Ultraviolet

The Structure and Physics of Extragalactic Jets of Extragalactic The Structure and Physics

The Fundamental Plane of field ear

The Host Galaxies of Radio-Loud A The Physics of X-Ray/Optical Jets of X-Ray/Optical The Physics Evolution of the Host Galaxies in Lo Evolution

ersity Radio-Quiet Quasar Hosts from z = 0.3 to z = 3

ersity UV Detectability of Br ersity Gaseous Halos of Massiv Fossil

y The z = 0.93 DLA in the Gr

ersity STIS Spectrophotometr

Impey GO of Arizona University Quasar Absorbers and Large Scale Str Koo AR of California University Study of Disk Systems in Galaxy Cluster Cl0024+16 at Redshift z = 0.39 HST + Keck Koo AR Santa Cruz of California, University Red Spheroids and Bulges and Associated Disks at Redshifts z ~ 0.8 Very The Ages of Koratkar SNAP Science Institute Telescope Space Kriss GO Science Institute Telescope Space Kundu AR University Yale Cluster System of M87 of the Globular The Dynamical Evolution Leighly GO of Oklahoma The University Bright Exploratory Quasar Observations of a New Leitherer GO Science Institute Telescope Space Leonard GO at Berkeley of California University The Cepheid Distance to NGC 1637: Miller GO of Michigan University VI Gas as an Indicator of the Diffuse O O’Connell GOVirginia of University of Super Star Clusters in the M82 Starb Spectroscopy Spatially Resolved Perlman GO of Maryland, Baltimore County University Pettini GO Institute of Astronom Pogge GO The Ohio State Univ Ratnatunga AR Carnegie Mellon University Cosmic Shear at Cosmological Distances Rauch AR Carnegie Observatories on the Metal Enr Constraints Reimers GO Sternwarte Hamburger Baryons in intermediate redshift (z > 1) O Rich GO at Los Angeles of California University High Spatial Resolution Spectroscop Richstone GO of Michigan University The Fundamental Plane f Richstone GO of Michigan University Holes The Biggest Black Ridgway AR The Johns Hopkins Univ Sarajedini AR University Wesleyan in the Groth Sur AGN Sasselov AR Astrophysics Harvard-Center for Pushing the limits of v Smith GO of Arizona University Properties The Ultraviolet of Obscured QSOs Stocke AR Boulder of Colorado, University Determining the Statistical Proper Tonry GO Astronomy for Institute Cepheid Distances to Ear Treu AR Science Institute Telescope Space

Tully SNAP of Hawaii University and the Local Mass Density Local Galaxy Flows Urry AR Science Institute Telescope Space Urry GO Science Institute Telescope Space Urry GO Science Institute Telescope Space Verdoes KleijnVerdoes GO Leiden Observatory Kinematics of emission-line gas disks in r

Webb GOWales South of New University Limit absorbers with simple v D/H in Lyman Webb SNAPWales South of New University Limit snapshot sur A Lyman Webster GO of Melbourne University Microarcsecond Imaging of a Gr

Willott GO of Oxford University The Relationship Betw

Wilson GO of Maryland University Synchrotron self-Compton Emission from the Radio Hot Spots of Cygn Windhorst SNAP State University Arizona Benchmark Galaxy Structure and Evolution Irregulars: of Nearby Survey Mid-UV SNAPSHOT Wisotzki GO Potsdam Universitaet Institut fuer Physik, System in a Close Separ A Damped LyAlpha Zheng SNAP The Johns Hopkins Univ Zirm GO The Johns Hopkins Univ

18 March 2001

PyRAF: a Python-based command language for IRAF Perry Greenfield and Richard L. White, [email protected]

oth STScI programmers and extensive libraries available for it. can be caught and handled within HST users would benefit from While for our users this does mean the scripts. PyRAF can even be used B tools that would make it easier learning another language, it is a to debug IRAF CL scripts! to develop more powerful, flexible, language that has general use well A scripting language that provides: and user-friendly data analysis beyond astronomical data reduction. software. We believe, however, that Python can be used in place of shell ¥ Ease of learning and any effort to enhance or replace our scripts, awk, Perl, and similar tools. comprehension. software environment cannot succeed The PyRAF interactive environment ¥ Convenient and useful data unless we retain the ability to use the is intentionally very similar to the structures such as lists and great variety of useful tasks that existing IRAF CL. In fact, with very dictionaries. already exist in IRAF, STSDAS, few exceptions, IRAF tasks can be and TABLES. invoked from the command line with ¥ Rich string manipulation and The cornerstone of the Science exactly the same syntax as is used in pattern-matching facilities (includ- Software Group’s plans for the future IRAF CL. (Only PyRAF scripts must ing Unicode). is our project to develop a new use Python syntax.) Nearly all IRAF ¥ Well designed object-oriented command language for the IRAF tasks and scripts can be run, including capabilities (while still allowing environment. We’ve based the new those that use IRAF-compatible image simple procedural scripts or command language on Python, a free, display programs. PyRAF fully programs.) portable, object-oriented scripting supports IRAF interactive graphics language. The new command lan- tasks. All IRAF hardcopy graphics ¥ Extensive documentation and guage, PyRAF, is itself written almost devices are available. support. In addition to the good entirely in Python, and PyRAF scripts PyRAF’s enhanced interactive documentation provided with are Python scripts. The new command environment includes a number of Python, many books on Python have language provides a number of conveniences not available in the been published (more than 20 at last advantages: it has an improved standard IRAF CL: count with more on the way). The interactive environment, much more developer community provides a ¥ Command line recall using the powerful scripting capabilities, and the wealth of information and help arrow keys ability to integrate 3rd party non- through usenet news groups and IRAF-based software and libraries far ¥ Command and filename completion mailing lists. Commercial support is more easily. Eventually, we intend to using the tab key available. add IDL-like array manipulation, ¥ A GUI-based parameter editor Numerous libraries including: plotting, and image display capabili- ties. It is our hope that ultimately we ¥ A GUI help window available ¥ Graphical User Interface tools. (and many of our users) will write simultaneously with the parameter ¥ OS access (file and directory most applications in PyRAF rather editor manipulation, system than C, Fortran, or SPP. ¥ Multiple graphics windows and the environment, etc.). We chose Python over other, better- ability to recall previous plots known scripting languages primarily ¥ Internet and networking tools because it is easier to learn and read, ¥ Improved window focus handling (HTML & XML parsing, mail has better support for interactive use, handling, ftp and telnet, etc.) As a scripting environment, and is better suited to writing large PyRAF has a number of significant ¥ Profiling and debugging modules. applications. Even though it is not the advantages: most widely used language, Python is Ability to link in existing C, C++, or Fortran code. well established and has a sizable user Error handling base that is growing rapidly. Python is ¥ IRAF CL scripts die if any task fails PyRAF provides an excellent means heavily used by many businesses, and do not indicate where it stopped. of integrating non-IRAF software including Hewlett-Packard, Lawrence On the other hand, Python has (astronomical or otherwise) with Livermore National Laboratory, excellent exception handling. IRAF tasks. Google, and Industrial Light and Untrapped errors result in a message PyRAF has been available internally Magic. By basing our command indicating on which line in the script at STScI and at a few test sites since language on a well-supported scripting the error occurred, and exceptions spring 2000. The Science Software language, we benefit enormously from Group released a generally available its large developer community and the continued page 20 19 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Project Scientist’s Report D. Leckrone, GSFC, [email protected]

Servicing Mission 3B veterinary surgeon and his previous will assure that we can take full n September 28, NASA two shuttle flights have focussed on advantage of all those watts without formally announced the Life Sciences experiments. It is said fear of a major electical system failure O selection of the four that, when Richard was first contacted in the future. astronauts who will conduct the five about his selection for the next Hubble Now that our EVA crew has been EVAs currently planned for the next repair mission, he was in Southeast named, we are able to establish a HST servicing mission, STS-109. This Asia attaching prosthetic limbs to launch-readiness date of October 15, is a very strong group, well up to the elephants whose legs had been blown 2001 for the SM3B mission. However, challenges posed by Servicing Mission off by land mines! Clearly he brings a there remain some uncertainties about 3B. The crew is led by Hubble lot of experience to our mission in the availablity of Space Shuttle servicing veteran (and high-energy applying fine manual dexterity to Columbia in this time frame. Currently astrophysicist) John Grunsfeld. John large, bulky objects - perfect for HST Columbia is undergoing a major has flown on three previous shuttle servicing!! Although STS-109 will be overhaul in Palmdale, CA. This flights. In December 1999, he Mike Massimino’s first shuttle flight, includes extensive repairs of wiring performed two spacewalks to service he has proven to be one of the most problems, similar to those carried out Hubble during servicing mission 3A accomplished EVA trainees in a recently on all the other orbiters in the (STS-103). In practice runs in the rigorous testing program organized by fleet. The longer than expected repair Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory at John Grunsfeld. Mike holds a Ph.D. in process could force a further delay in Johnson Space Center in Houston, Mechanical Engineering. SM3B to February or March of 2002. John has developed the techniques for SM3B will initiate an exciting time However, our colleagues at NASA changing out Hubble’s Power Control for astronomy. The new Advanced Headquarters are currently trying to Unit (PCU). His work has given us Camera for Surveys (ACS) will finally negotiate a “swap” of launch dates high confidence that this challenging get its chance to show us its mettle with another mission that is now ahead maintenance task can be carried out with over twice the field of view of of us in the queue for flight on safely and successfully in less than one WFPC2, sampled with PC-like angular Columbia so as to prevent such a EVA. We’re feeling a lot better resolution, and with substantially delay. Launch delays are especially about it! greater throughput. And with the bad news for the HST (and Office of Joining John Grunsfeld are two experimental new technology of the Space Sciences) budget. Previous other veteran astronauts, Jim Newman NICMOS cryocooler, we have launch slips have cost the HST and Richard Linnehan, and one rookie, reasonable prospects for reviving program many millions of dollars, Mike Massimino.Newman, whose Hubble’s near-infrared capabilities. drawn from our contingency funds. Ph.D. is in Physics, has flown on three After replacing the current solar arrays Any future slips would threaten our shuttle missions since 1993. In 1998 he with smaller, more efficient rigid ability to pay for future instruments, performed three spacewalks on the arrays, we will be leaving Hubble with WFC3 and COS. Needless to say, we first International Spacestation plently of electrical power for the wish Code S all the best in attempting assembly mission. Interestingly, remainder of the mission (as well as a to stem this serious drain on the Linnehan’s background is as a “new look”). And the changeout of the resources available for HST. aforementioned Power Control Unit

PyRAF from page 19

beta version in January 2001. We are runs on platforms not supported by and display tools. Finally, we have still improving the installation process; IRAF, such as Windows and MacOS.) begun developing our own scripts and the current beta version is easily While we will continue to enhance the applications in PyRAF, including a installed on Solaris or Linux systems IRAF features of PyRAF, we have also new drizzle script that will be much but requires more effort on other started work on the IDL-like capabili- more powerful and flexible than the systems. We will eventually support all ties. This includes a full-functioned current CL script. More information platforms on which STSDAS is FITS I/O module, improved array about PyRAF is available at supported. (Note that Python itself also manipulation facilities, and plotting http://pyraf.stsci.edu. 20 March 2001

Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) Near-Infrared Camera and Multi- Mark Clampin, [email protected] Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) Daniela Calzetti, Torsten Boeker, Larry Petro he Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) is the & Eddie Bergeron, [email protected] next generation of imaging instrumentation for T the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). ACS has ICMOS, the Near-Infrared Camera and Multi- three imaging channels optimized for wide field, near- Object Spectrometer, is a cryogenic instrument UV and far-UV imaging. The Wide Field Channel Nand provides the only infrared capability (WFC) will offer a ~200 × 200 arcsec field of view with currently on board HST. NICMOS operated successfully peak throughput of ~40%, including the OTA. The near- from February, 1997 to January, 1999 (Cycles 7 and

UV channel is optimized for imaging in the near-UV 7N), using solid N2 ice as a coolant. NICMOS has been and features fully sampled imaging in the visible (0.025 inactive since January 3, 1999, after depletion of the N2. arcsec/pixel). The Solar Blind Channel (SBC) is The instrument will be re-activated with an active optimized for far-UV imaging and low dispersion cooling system (the NICMOS Cooling System) during spectroscopy (R~100). servicing mission SM3B, currently scheduled for the ACS has completed integration of its flight detectors end of 2001. and has recently completed the process of image NICMOS offers imaging, spectroscopic, polarimetric, alignment checking. It has also started with its ground and coronographic capabilities at infrared wavelengths calibrations. During these tests, internal and external (0.8 to 2.4 microns) in three cameras, NIC1, NIC2, and flat fields will be obtained for all detector and filter NIC3. The three cameras have different magnification combinations so that a pre-launch calibration of ACS factors, with Field of Views of 11 × 11 arcsec, 19.4 × can be developed in the coming months. The instrument 19.4 arcsec, and 51.2 × 51.2 arcsec, and pixel sizes of will now be delivered to the Goddard Space Flight 0.043, 0.076, and 0.20 arcsec, respectively. Two of the Center where it will start a series of final tests, includ- three cameras, NIC1 and NIC2, are nearly parfocal, and ing a thermal-vacuum test. Due to a re-evaluation of the can be used for simultaneous observations; their Fields Servicing Mission 3B schedule, it has been necessary to of View are about 33 arcsec apart. NIC3 has a separate drop the installation of the Aft-Shroud Cooling System focus, and when operations are resumed, its optimal (ASCS) until Servicing Mission 4 (SM4). Consequently, focus is expected to be slightly out of the range of the ACS will run for the first two years using only passive Pupil Alignment Mechanism, the mechanism that cooling within the aft-shroud of HST. Thermal modeling controls the focus of the instrument. This is a conse- suggests that this would not be a problem for ACS until quence of a plastic deformation of the NICMOS dewar INSTRUMENT NEWS after SM4, when the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph which also caused a thermal short soon after installation (COS) is installed. The CCD detectors will initially only on the telescope and led to the reduced lifetime of the run a degree or two warmer resulting in little change in cryogen. However, the NIC3 best achievable focus is the dark current rates for the first few years of science well suited for science observations, showing less than operations. The thermal-vacuum test will validate the 10 to 15% loss in the encircled energy in a 0.2 arcsec instrument’s performance in this new thermal environ- (1 pixel) radius, as compared to the optimum focus. ment. Following SM4, ACS will operate with the During its first operational period, the three NICMOS external radiator installed as part of the ASCS. detectors operated at a temperature around 60 K, with a

The ACS will be offered to GOs for the first time slow upward trend from 59.5 K to ~62 K, as the N2 in Cycle 11. Current details on the instrument’s sublimated. After the installation of the NCS, NICMOS expected performance are summarized in the ACS is expected to operate at a higher detector temperature, Instrument Handbook, with late-breaking news on the the exact value of which is still uncertain. That ACS web pages. temperature depends critically on many factors: the actual NCS on-orbit performance, the parasitic heat load on the NICMOS dewar and on the NCS, the tempera- ture attained by the heat-rejecting external radiators, and the thermal gradient within the NICMOS cryostat. Current estimates suggest it will be somewhere in the range ~75 to 86 K with a best estimate of 78.5 K. Because of this range for the operating temperature, continued page 22

21 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

NICMOS from page 21

predictions of the instrument performance are also and we have to await on-orbit testing. After the NCS is somewhat uncertain. installed on HST and its performance established, we The detector dark current increases with temperature. will attempt to operate NICMOS at the minimum stable When solid nitrogen was in NICMOS, typical values detector temperature for which the dark current is were <0.05 e-/s.Predictions for the dark current under ~2 e-/s or less. While this is higher than during the NCS operations depend not only on the actual detector previous NICMOS life, it is still low enough to not temperature but also on whether a dark current excess significantly impair NICMOS’ science capabilities. observed during the instrument warm-up is present or The temperature range for which the dark current not (see the June 1999 STScI Newsletter and Figure 1). remains below this threshold is highlighted in magenta During the last days of operation, in January 1999, in the figure, both with (top) and without (bottom) the while the instrument was warming up after the cryogen dark current excess. depletion, the dark current showed a transient enhance- The DQE of the NICMOS detectors operating at ~75- ment (see top panel of figure below) that exceeded the 86 K is expected to be higher than that at ~60-62 K, expected exponential profile in the temperature range of with a typical increase of ~40-65% at 1.1 micron, ~30- about 75 to 86 K. This excess reached its peak around 50% at 1.6 micron, and 20-25% at 2.2 micron. In terms 82 K, with a dark current that was about one order of of sensitivity, the higher DQE partially compensates for magnitude higher than the expected trend (compare top the increased dark current. The decrease in overall and bottom panels of the figure). A ‘valley’ in dark performance relative to Cycles 7 and 7N is expected to current values was also observed between ~86 K and be small, with a worst-case loss in limiting magnitude ~90K, which marks the transition to the standard of ~0.3 mag for long exposures below ~1.7 micron. exponential profile. Since the nature of the dark current We are therefore looking forward to a renewed excess remains unexplained, we cannot predict whether NICMOS and another scientifically productive period it will be present during future NICMOS operations, of near-infrared observations with HST.

Detector Temp (K) WFPC2 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 100 110 John Biretta, [email protected]

NIC1 NIC2 INSTRUMENT NEWS NIC3 FPC2 remains HST’s workhorse imaging 10.0 instrument, at least for the time being. It Wcontinues to perform well and averages 1.0 about one thousand images per month. Its seven years in Countrate (e-/s) ” the harsh space environment are, however, slowly Dark “ taking their toll. This is evidenced by the slowly 0.1 increasing CTE problem in the CCD detectors and by 0.016 0.014 0.012 0.010 the recent anomaly in the shutter operation. Here we 1/T (Inverse Detector Temp) discuss these issues. We also report on the updated WFPC2 Instrument Handbook. Detector Temp (K) Degradation of the Charge Transfer Efficiency (CTE) 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 100 110 in the WFPC2 is an increasing concern for observers,

NIC1 (bump removed) and considerable efforts are being made to study its NIC2 (bump removed) NIC3 (bump removed) effects. The most notable effects are on point-source 10.0 photometry where the ongoing radiation damage cause an ever increasing fraction of counts to be lost during the readout process. For example, at the current epoch 1.0 Countrate (e-/s) ” we expect that a faint (100 electrons total) point source Dark “ at the center of one of the Wide Field CCDs will lose 0.1 approximately 19% of its counts during readout in a 0.016 0.014 0.012 0.010 typical broadband exposure (e.g., 300s, F555W filter, as 1/T (Inverse Detector Temp) continued page 23

22 March 2001

WFPC2 from page 22 measured in a typical 2-pixel-radius aperture). The corrections in December, 1999 (PASP 111, 1559). More signal-to-noise ratio for such an image is four, so this recently Dolphin et al. (PASP 112, 1397) have published 19% loss begins to become significant. If one is dealing an independent set of corrections. In general, their with photometric averages across many targets, the 19% results are in good agreement with those of Whitmore, systematic loss could, of course, be quite important. et al. and are consistent within a few hundredths of a Larger effects will be seen for very short exposures, or magnitude. At the faintest levels, the corrections narrow-band and UV filters where there is less sky diverge, and we believe the Whitmore corrections are background, or for targets farther from the readout probably more accurate due to having many more faint amplifier. For example, a similar image exposed for stars in the sample. For the time being, it appears the 300s in F656N but near pixel (X,Y) = (800,800) will best results would be obtained by using the Dolphin lose about 60% percent of its counts to CTE. This will corrections above 100 target electrons (their model has have a severe impact on the photometry, as well as on less scatter) and the Whitmore, et al. corrections at the detectability of this target. (More specific simula- fainter levels. A more detailed comparison of these tions can be performed using the CTE estimator tool at corrections is underway and will be reported on the our web site.) WFPC2 web page soon. For small targets, the best way to minimize CTE is to Besides these photometric effects, CTE also appears place the target near the CCD readout amplifier, as this to cause modest distortions in the shapes of images. minimizes the number of charge transfers. For the Wide Reiss (WFPC ISR 00-04) has studied the effect of CTE Field Camera (WFC), this can be achieved by placing on the profiles of faint galaxies by comparing images the target at the WFALL aperture, which is near pixel taken near and far from the readout amplifier. The main (133,149) on the WF3 CCD. For the Planetary Camera, effect is for charge to be preferentially lost from the side this can be achieved by using POS TARG -12.3,-12.5 of the target nearest the readout amplifier. The side of with PC1-FIX which will place the target on PC1 CCD the target farthest from the readout amplifier appears to near pixel (150,150). We note that in general, the WFC suffer little or no loss of charge. This, of course, will CCDs will have higher background counts, and hence tend to cause artificial asymmetries in the shapes of lower CTE, than the PC1 CCD, and hence can be targets. Work is underway to develop a model which expected to give somewhat better photometric perfor- can predict, and possibly correct, these effects. mance on faint targets. In August, 2000, WFPC2 began experiencing Another method of reducing CTE is to pre-flash the anomalous exposures in which the shutter failed to open

INSTRUMENT NEWS CCDs so as to increase the background counts in the properly thus resulting in loss of occasional science science image. This could, in principle, be achieved images. The problem was traced to an encoder wheel/ using various internal lamps inside WFPC2. However, phototransitor that senses the position of the shutter. for the vast majority of science programs, the added This sensor is polled by the WFPC2 computer prior to photon noise and overheads contributed by the preflash each exposure. In late August this sensor began to will make this unattractive. Preflashing may be useful in sporadically report that the “A” shutter blade was closed situations where photometric accuracy and uniformity is when, in fact, it was open. The WFPC2 computer, being of paramount importance and detection of faint targets confused about the shutters’ state, would then cancel is not an issue. We have also performed tests of a noise- the exposure leading to a blank image. Since only about less preflash technique where the CCDs are preflashed 0.2% of the images were affected, we continued to and cleared before the science exposure, but this operate the camera while the problem was appears to give only a modest reduction in CTE. being studied. Apparently most of the electron traps responsible for In late October we began seeing a more serious CTE in the CCDs are short lived (milliseconds) and are problem where two mis-readings in a row would lead to not quenched by a preflash occurring one minute before the “A” shutter blade attempting to close, even though the science exposure (Schultz, Heyer, and Biretta, the “B” blade was already closed, hence causing a WFPC2 ISR 01-02). collision of the two shutter blades. Since there was For many observers, the most promising technique is some potential for this to damage the mechanism, we to apply photometric corrections during data analysis. suspended WFPC2 observations on 1 November 2000. Whitmore, Heyer, and Casertano published a series of continued page 24

23 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

WFPC2 from page 23

Due to heroic efforts by people at GSFC, JPL, desorption of water from its graphite-epoxy composites Lockheed, and STScI, a remedy was quickly found. has changed the alignment of its interferometric It was noticed that, while the position sensor gave an elements with respect to the HST optical axis. This has incorrect reading when polled by the WFPC2 computer caused mild degradation of the instrument’s interfero- 30 microseconds after activation, it did give the correct grams, but not by an amount that impairs its ability to position in a telemetry report taken 170 microseconds acquire and track guide stars reliably. Furthermore, the later. While most of the WFPC2 programming was rate of change appears to have slowed significantly over coded in read-only memory, there are occasional the last 4 months which builds confidence in our branches to a small RAM area. The solution was to use expectation that FGS2r will continue to provide one of these RAM branches to activate the shutter excellent service to the observatory. position sensor 10 milliseconds before it is read by the FGS1r continues to perform well as HST’s computer thus giving the phototransitor more time to astrometric science instrument. Recent modifications to respond. The RAM patch was installed on November the flight software, which commands the instrument in 8th, and an extensive series of tests was run with no its high angular resolution TRANSFER mode, has unexpected side effects being seen. Normal science enabled the use of scans as short as 0.3 arcsec to resolve observations were resumed a few hours later, and no very close binary systems. This allows for more scans to further shutter anomalies have been seen. be completed in a given observing window thereby While the problem appears to have been mended, the yielding the highest possible S/N ratio and effectively exact cause is still not entirely clear. Much evidence extending the use of this observing mode to objects as points to radiation damage to the phototransistor faint as V = 16. (In the past longer scans were needed causing its response time to slow, while other evidence because the x and y axis fringes were not centered in the points to mechanical wear in the encoder wheel linkage, scan path.) leading to misalignment of the wheel relative to the The data for two major calibration proposals for phototransistor. The problem continues to be investi- FGS1r were acquired in late December, 2000. These are gated using archival WFPC2 data, telemetry data, and the optical distortion and the lateral color calibrations. laboratory tests of similar components, though so far The first calibrates an effect whereby the measured there is every reason to believe the problem will relative positions of stars in the FGS changes as the star remain fixed. field is translated and/or rolled in the instrument’s field Version 5 of the WFPC2 Instrument Handbook was of view. The lateral color test calibrates the shift of a

INSTRUMENT NEWS released in June, 2000 to support Cycle 10 proposers. star’s measured position in the field of view as a This version includes new material on CTE, new function of its color, a result of the beam having passed geometric/astrometric corrections, updated throughput through refractive elements in the FGS1r optical train. values and photometric stability, new material on PSF Both of these tests could only be executed in the subtraction and aperture corrections as a function of December 20 to December 26 time period when the sun field position, updated HST focus history, and current angle on HST allowed for the use of unconstrained information on observing strategies. It also contains telescope roll angles. (They had originally been performance comparisons to ACS, NICMOS, and STIS. scheduled for December 1999, but their execution was We anticipate releasing an updated version in June 2001 precluded by the servicing mission SM3A.) These data to support Cycle 11 proposals. will be analyzed by STScI and by members of the original Astrometry Team at the University of Texas at Austin. When the analysis is completed, FGS1r will be Fine Guidance Sensors (FGS) fully commissioned as a science instrument. And once the FGS calibration pipeline is updated to include the Ed Nelan, [email protected] results of these tests, all astrometry science data acquired with FGS1r since the beginning of Cycle 8 can ll three of HST’s Fine Guidance Sensors are finally be fully processed. operating nominally. The newest of the three, AFGS2r, completed its first year in orbit in December, 2000. Its performance and characteristics have been monitored over this time. As expected,

24 March 2001

Spectrographs Group Gerard Kriss, [email protected]

TIS continues to work well. We have been tracking the read noise in the STIS CCD, and it S has remained stable at 4.4 electrons for GAIN=1. Our latest round of measurements of the charge transfer efficiency (CTE), performed in the fall of 2000, indicate continued and significant deteriora- tion. Comparing the results to prior measurements, we see that the CTE is decreasing by ~15% per year on average. Slight background levels of only a few electrons do significantly improve the CTE. As a result, HST Recent Release: broad-band imaging observations are not as seriously Hubble Peeks into a Stellar Nursery in a Nearby Galaxy affected as spectroscopic observations of faint objects. For observations of faint, compact targets, we now offer The Hubble telescope has peered deep into a neighboring galaxy to reveal details of the formation of new stars. pseudo-apertures that place the target at a default Hubble's target was a newborn star cluster within the position closer to the end of the long slits (at row 900 on Small Magellanic Cloud, a small satellite galaxy of our the CCD). This can decrease CTE losses by up to a Milky Way. The picture shows young, brilliant stars cradled factor of 5. Full details on STIS CTE performance and within a nebula, or glowing cloud of gas, cataloged as the use of the new pseudo-apertures are currently N 81. available in the Cycle 10 Phase 2 update (available on Credit: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team the web), and they will be included in version 5.0 of the (STScI/AURA) STIS Instrument Handbook, to be released in June Web Address: http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/2000/30/ 2001. Further analyses of CTE effects on imaging and spectroscopic observations of extended objects (e.g., galaxies) are underway, and they will be reported as STIS Instrument Science Reports on the web. On-the-fly Calibration (OTFC) has been working smoothly since last June; soon STIS data will be

available through the On-the-fly Reprocessing (OTFR) INSTRUMENT NEWS system. The principal benefit of OTFR will be the ability to start with the first stage of raw data file production. This will ensure that header parameters are calculated and entered correctly, and it will also enable us to fix a number of problems evident in Time-Tag data for STIS. These problems most notably include large jumps in the time series, gaps due to data losses that can be prevented, and problems with data taken in observa- tions that experienced buffer wrap-arounds due to the BUFFER-TIME parameter being set incorrectly. The HST Recent Release: A Bird's Eye View of a Galaxy Collision first release of OTFR is expected in April 2001. This What appears as a bird's head, leaning over to snatch up a first release will incorporate the scattered-light tasty meal, is a striking example of a galaxy collision in correction for STIS echelle-mode spectra that was NGC 6745. The "bird" is a large spiral galaxy, with its core described in the last newsletter. Software updates that still intact. It is peering at its "prey," a smaller passing will enable the time-tag data corrections is targeted for galaxy (nearly out of the field of view at lower right). The implementation by June 2001. bright blue beak and bright, whitish-blue top feathers show the distinct path taken during the smaller galaxy's journey. These galaxies did not merely interact gravitationally as they passed one another; they actually collided. Image Credit: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Web Address: http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/2000/34/

25 Newsletter • Space Telescope Science Institute

Anne Kinney leaves STScI Summer Student Program in 2000 STScI for NASA David Soderblom, SSP Coordinator, STScI

wenty students came to the Institute last summer to work with our staff nne Kinney left STScI last scientists on research projects for ten weeks. They came from a number year to become Origins of U.S. colleges and universities, as well as from five other countries Theme Director at NASA T A (see the table below). We're looking forward to working with almost as many this Headquarters. Anne first came to the year, with an even broader international representation. Those interested in the Institute as an FOS post-doc in 1985 program can learn more by going to: http://www.stsci.edu/stsci/summer.shtml. and then became an Assistant Astronomer (and FOS Instrument Scientist) in 1988. She was promoted to Associate Astronomer with tenure in 1994. Anne grew up in Lancaster, Wisconsin, where her father, a lawyer, would show her the constellations he'd learned as a Navy navigator. She received her bachelor's in physics and astronomy from the University of Wisconsin in 1975, spent a few years at the University of Copenhagen, and then did a Ph.D. with Patrick Huggins and Al Glassgold at New York University. Her thesis looked at the Baldwin Effect in quasars in the ultraviolet and in x-rays, and she finsihed her degree in 1984. She was briefly a post-doc at Northwestern University before coming to STScI. Summer Student Program 2000 Participants We bade Anne farewell last year with mixed feelings of sadness at her Name School STScI Supervisor leaving and appreciation for what she has done here and will do for the Jay Abbott Univ. Hertfordshire Brian Espey community in her new role at NASA. Jules Blundell Liverpool John Moores David Soderblom Milan Bogosavljevic Univ. Belgrade Massimo Robberto Teddy Cheung Brandeis Univ. Meg Urry Erin Claunch Virginia Military Inst. Massimo Stiavelli Adam Fallon Macalester College Jeff Valenti Michael Fine Colgate Univ. Mauro Giavalisco Andrew Humphrey Univ. Hertfordshire Jerry Kriss Lauren McCann MIT Melissa McGrath Elizabeth McGrath Vassar College Kailash Sahu Madeline Reed Columbia Univ. Antonella Nota Rachel Scheinerman HS Megan Donahue Joao Souza Leao UFSC Brazil Claus Leitherer Rebecca Stanek Case Western Reserve Torsten Boeker Chiharu Tanihata U. Tokyo Meg Urry Mamie Thant HS Chris O’Dea Richard Whitaker St. Andrews Keith Noll Laura Whyte Univ. Hertfordshire Harry Ferguson Steve Beckwith and Anne Kinney Diane Wong McGill Univ. Chris Blades Brandon Woods HS Harry Ferguson

26 March 2001

HST Recent Release: "X" Marks the Spot: Hubble Sees the Glow of Star Formation in a Neighbor Galaxy The saying "X" marks the spot holds true in this Hubble telescope image. In this case, X marks the location of Hubble-X, a glowing gas cloud in one of the most active star-forming regions in galaxy NGC 6822. The galaxy lies 1.6 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Sagittarius, one of the Milky Way's closest neighbors. This hotbed of star birth is similar to the fertile regions in the Orion Nebula in our Milky Way Galaxy, but on a vastly greater scale. The intense star birth in Hubble-X occurred about 4 million years ago, a small fraction of the approximate 10-billion-year age of the universe. Image Credit: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Web Address: http://oposite.stsci.edu/ pubinfo/pr/2001/01/

Calendar ST-ECF Cycle 11 Call for Proposals issued June, 2001 (tentative) Newsletter Phase 1 proposals due September 7, 2001 (firm) The Space Telescope — European Coordinating Facility publishes Proposers notified December, 2001 (tentative) a quarterly newsletter which, although Phase 2 Proposals Due February, 2002 (tentative) aimed principally at European Space Telescope users, contains articles of Budgets Due February, 2002 (tentative) general interest to the HST community. If you wish to be included in the mailing Routine Observing Begins July, 2002 (tentative) list, please contact the editor and state your affiliation and specific involvement in the Space Telescope Project. Space Telescope Users Committee April 19-20, 2001 Robert Fosbury (Editor) Servicing Mission 3B Launch November 29, 2001 (tentative) Space Telescope — European Coordinating Facility Karl Schwarzschild Str. 2 D-85748 Garching bei München Federal Republic of Germany E-Mail: [email protected]

27 Contents How to contact us: First, we recommend trying our Web site: http://www.stsci.edu Astronomer’s Proposal Tools ...... 1 You will find there further information on many of the topics Director’s Perspective...... 2 mentioned in this issue. ST ScI Electronic Grants Management System ...... 3 Second, if you need assistance on any matter send e-mail to [email protected] or call 800-544-8125. International callers may Multi-Mission Archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute (MAST) News ...... 4 use 1-410-338-1082. The Next Generation Space Telescope Third, the following address is for the HST Data Archive: at the beginning of a new millennium ...... 6 [email protected] NGST Town Hall at 198th AAS Meeting in Pasadena ...... 8 Fourth, if you are a current HST user you may wish to address questions to your Program Coordinator or Contact Scientist; The Cycle 10 Review Process ...... 9 their names are given in the letter of notification you received Cycle 10 Statistics ...... 11 from the Director, or they may be found on the Presto Web page Cycle 10 Approved Observing Programs ...... 14 http://presto.stsci.edu/public/propinfo.html. PyRAF: a Python-based command language for IRAF .... 19 Finally, you may wish to communicate with members of the Project Scientist’s Report ...... 20 Space Telescope Users Committee (STUC). They are: George Miley (chair), Sterrewacht Leiden, Instrument News [email protected] Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) ...... 21 Marc Davis, U.C. Berkeley James Dunlop, Royal Obs. Edinburgh Near-Infrared Camera Debbie Elmegreen, Vassar College and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) ...... 21 Holland Ford, JHU WFPC2 ...... 22 Suzanne Hawley, U. Washington Fine Guidance Sensors (FGS) ...... 24 Chris Impey, U. Arizona John Kormendy, U. Texas, Austin Spectrographs Group ...... 25 Dave Sanders, U. Hawaii Karl Stapelfeldt, JPL Calendar ...... 27 John Stocke, U. Colorado How to contact us ...... 28 André Vidal-Madjar, CNRS, Paris The Space Telescope Science Institute Newsletter is edited by David Soderblom, to whom correspondence may be sent ([email protected]). To record a change of address or to request receipt of the Newsletter, please contact Ms. Nancy Fulton ([email protected]). Design and layout: John Godfrey Production Assistance: Pat Momberger Editorial Assistance: Jack MacConnell

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