Table of Contents

Table of Contents

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HST Primer for Cycle

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 About this Document

1.2 Resources, Documentation and Tools

1.2.1 Cycle 11 Announcement Web Page

1.2.2 Cycle 11 Call for Proposals

1.2.3 Instrument Handbooks

1.2.4 Exposure Time Calculators (ETCs)

1.2.5 The Visual Target Tuner (VTT)

1.2.6 HST Data Archive

1.2.7 Data Reduction and Calibration

1.3 STScI Help Desk

1.4 Organization of this Document

Chapter 2: System Overview

2.1 Hubble Space Telescope Operations

2.1.1 Servicing Mission SM1

2.1.2 Servicing Mission SM2

2.1.3 Servicing Missions SM3A and SM3B

2.1.4 Servicing Mission SM3A

2.1.5 Servicing Mission SM3B

2.1.6 Servicing Mission SM4

2.2 Telescope Design and Field of View

2.3 Orbital Constraints

2.3.1 Continuous Viewing Zone (CVZ)

2.3.2 South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA)

2.3.3 Predicted HST Position

2.4 Pointing Constraints

2.5 Orientation and Roll Constraints

2.6 Data Storage and Transmission

2.6.1 Real-time Contact Requests

2.6.2 Onboard Data Storage

Chapter 3: Telescope Performance

3.1 Optical Performance

3.2 HST Guiding Performance

3.2.1 FGS - Dual Guide Star Acquisitions

3.2.2 FGS - Single Guide Star Acquisitions

3.2.3 Gyro-only Pointing Control

3.3 HST Observing Efficiency

Chapter 4: Cycle 11 Scientific Instruments

4.1 Overview

4.2 Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS)

4.2.1 Comparing ACS to WFPC2 and STIS

4.2.2 Performance Issues

4.3 Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS1R)

4.4 Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS)

4.4.1 Camera Focusing

4.4.2 Dark Levels

4.4.3 South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) Cosmic Ray Persistence

4.5 Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS)

4.5.1 Charge Transfer Efficiency (CTE) Performance

4.5.2 Increased MAMA Dark Rates following SM3B

4.6 Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2)

4.6.1 Charge Transfer Efficiency (CTE) Performance

4.6.2 Comparing WFPC2 to ACS

Chapter 5: Observing Considerations

5.1 Bright-Object Constraints

5.1.1 NICMOS & WFPC2

5.1.2 ACS & STIS

5.1.3 FGS

5.2 Target Acquisitions

5.2.1 Target Acquisition without the Ground System

5.2.2 Target Acquisition with the Ground System

5.3 Solar-System Targets

5.4 Offsets and Patterns

5.5 Special Background Emission Requirements

5.5.1 Low-Sky (LOW) Observations

5.5.2 Shadow (SHD) Observations

Chapter 6: Orbit Calculation for a Phase I Proposal

6.1 Construction of an Observing Program

6.1.1 General Observer (GO) Programs

6.1.2 Snapshot Programs

6.2 HST Visits

6.2.1 When is a New Visit Required?

6.2.2 Maximum Duration of a Visit

6.2.3 Instrument Specific Limitations on Visits

6.3 The Visibility Period

6.4 Acquisition Times and Instrument Overheads

6.4.1 Guide Star Acquisition Times

6.4.2 Target Acquisition Times

6.4.3 Instrument Overhead Times

6.4.4 Telescope Repositioning Overhead Times

6.5 Constructing Your Program

Chapter 7: Data Processing and the HST Data Archive

7.1 Routine Science Data Processing

7.1.1 Space Telescope Science Data Analysis System (STSDAS)

7.2 The HST Data Archive

7.2.1 StarView and Web Access to the HST Data Archive

Appendix A: Orbit Calculation Examples

A.1 ACS

A.2 FGS

A.3 NICMOS

A.4 STIS

A.5 WFPC2

Appendix B: Archival Instruments

B.1 Faint Object Camera (FOC)

B.2 Faint Object Spectrograph (FOS)

B.3 Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS)

B.4 High Speed Photometer (HSP)

B.5 Wide Field and Planetary Camera 1 (WF/PC)

Appendix C: Glossary of Acronyms and Abbreviations

Appendix D: Internet Links