/Stsci/Newsletters/march90 March 1990 Newsletter HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS ISSUE: o HST ready for April launch o Cycle 2 proposal deadline set for August o STScI electronic information service o May workshop on massive stars and starbursts CONTENTS 1. The Launch of HST 1 2. Project Status 2 3. The HST Users' Committee 2 4. The Cycle 2 Call For Proposals 2 4.1 User Support Services 3 4.2 Call For Proposals Documentation 3 5. Cycle 2 Peer Reviewers: Call For Nominations 3 6. STScI Electronic Information Service 4 7. Instrument News 5 7.1 WF/PC Status 5 7.2 WF/PC II Status 5 7.3 WF/PC Filters for Ground-Based Observations 5 7.4 FGS Performance in Coarse Track 5 7.5 Innovative Uses of the FGS 6 8. STSDAS News 6 9. Synthetic Photometry and HST 7 10. AURA News 8 10.1 FY91 Budget for the NSF 8 10.2 International Cooperation 8 10.3 AURA Outstanding Achievement Awards 8 10.4 Craig Wheeler Becomes First AURA Visiting Professor 8 10.5 Jay Gallagher is Elected AAAS Fellow 8 11. Institute News 8 11.1 STScI May Workshop 8 11.2 ESA Fellowships at STScI 9 11.3 Recent Scientific Staff Change 9 11.4 STScI Preprints 9 11.5 How to Contact STScI 9 11.6 The ST-ECF Newsletter 10 11.7 Newsletter Notes 10 1. THE LAUNCH OF HST As I write, this is expected to be the last issue of the Space Telescope Science Institute Newsletter prior to launch. It is clear to all of us here at the Institute that our life will not be the same after launch. But in a larger sense astronomy will never be the same. With the Hubble Space Telescope launch, the first of the NASA "Great Observatories" will be in orbit. The Gamma Ray Observatory is soon to follow. Work has already started on the Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility, and the Space Infrared Telescope Facility is in an advanced planning stage. The realization of these capabilities in the 1990's will represent an enormous qualitative jump in our ability to observe celestial bodies in all the wavelengths they emit. Thousands of individual managers, engineers, scientists, and technicians at NASA centers, ESA, industry, universities, and research institutions have dedicated years of their lives to prepare for this day. Here at the STScI we have worked steadily since 1981 to prepare the people, the facilities, the systems, and the procedures necessary to conduct on behalf of the community the science program of the Hubble Space Telescope. Along the way we have contributed new capabilities and ideas to the community, and we ourselves have grown both personally and professionally. I am proud of the achievements of the STScI staff, and I am confident that we are prepared to extract the maximum possible scientific return from HST and more generally to serve the community as the Hornig Committee of the National Academy of Sciences had envisaged more then a decade ago. - Riccardo Giacconi 2. PROJECT STATUS As the Director points out above, the long-awaited era of in-orbit operations of the HST is now about to begin. Launch is scheduled for April 12, 1990, the delay from the previously announced date of March 26 having been caused by a problem in preparing the launch vehicle's solid rocket boosters. The repaired Wide Field and Planetary Camera was reinstalled in December, completing the assembly of the HST spacecraft at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and the HST is now undergoing its final pre-launch preparations. Rollout of Discovery to the launch pad will take place about four weeks prior to launch, with HST installation into the orbiter to begin about a week later. Pre-launch preparations at STScI have included extensive exercises in scheduling of activities and creation of Science Mission Specifications for generation of command loads for the on-board computers. These cover all telescope operations during the initial Orbital Verification (OV) period, and selected operations during the subsequent Science Verification (SV) period. It is now estimated that OV will require approximately three months. This will be followed by five months during which the SV activities (instrument check-out and calibration) will be carried out, together with some of the science programs of the Guaranteed Time Observers (GTOs). Near the end of 1990, Cycle 1 and the first General Observer (GO) programs will begin, along with the continuation of the GTO programs. STScI is continuing its processing of the detailed proposal specifications from the GO Phase II submission in order to begin development of the observing plans for Cycle 1. The long-range (week-by-week) observing plan for Cycle 1 should be completed by November of this year. Plans for the review of proposals for the second year of GO programs are now well advanced, as described in the next article. - Robert W. Milkey 3. The HST USERS' COMMITTEE In preparation for launch and supporting the first HST observers, the STScI and the HST Project at Goddard Space Flight Center have formed a joint Users' Committee. Like users' committees at ground-based observatories, this committee will review and advise the two organizations on all matters affecting HST users (e.g., solicitation of proposals, on-site support of users, annual plans for instrument and telescope calibrations, relative priorities of new observational capabilities and second-generation instrument development, etc.). The composition of the committee will reflect HST use by GTOs and GOs, and by astronomers from ESA-member states. Members are jointly appointed by the STScI Director and the HST Project Scientist for staggered three-year terms. We invite the HST user community to contact the committee members, as well as the STScI, with concerns or suggestions about the overall quality of user support. The first meeting of the Users' Committee is being planned for late March 1990, prior to HST launch. The following astronomers have agreed to serve as the first members. We look forward to their frank and constructive advice. - Peter Stockman Name Institution Term Reta Beebe New Mexico State University 1990-92 Bob Bless University of Wisconsin 1990-91 Alec Boksenberg Royal Greenwich Observatory 1990-91 Arthur Davidsen Johns Hopkins University 1990-92 Sandra Faber University of California 1990-92 Edward Groth Princeton University 1990-92 Lewis Hobbs Yerkes Observatory 1990-93 John Hutchings Dominion Astrophysical Observatory 1990-93 Robert Kirshner Center for Astrophysics 1990-93 Rolf-Peter Kudritzki Institute for Astronomy 1990-92 and Astrophysics, Munich Robert O'Connell University of Virginia 1990-91 Steve Strom University of Massachusetts 1990-91 4. THE CYCLE 2 CALL FOR PROPOSALS We are pleased to announce the forthcoming issuance of the Call for Proposals for the second year of the HST General Observer (GO) program. Detailed information for proposers and the application forms will be distributed to the community shortly after the HST launch this spring. For the current launch schedule, the Cycle 2 Call for Proposals will be distributed in early May, with a deadline for receipt of proposals at STScI approximately three months thereafter (i.e., in August 1990). The first Cycle 2 GO observations would then commence approximately in December 1991. Information relevant to the planning and preparation of new proposals is contained below and in other articles appearing elsewhere in this Newsletter. For Cycle 2, we will be introducing a number of changes and improvements to the proposal procedures. Among these will be an option (required for all proposers with access to U.S. electronic mail) of electronic submission of proposal data, and the first solicitation of proposals requesting funding for support of HST Archival Research. We will be providing updated documents describing the performance of HST and its instruments, and adding a capability for proposers to obtain electronically the most up-to-date information about the observatory. It is estimated that the amount of exposure time that will be available to GOs in Cycle 2 will be about 40% greater than in Cycle 1. This substantial increase is due to the expectation of increased observing efficiency in Cycle 2, coupled with an increase in the fraction of observing time allotted to the GO program. On the other hand, we expect that the excitement generated by the HST launch and early orbital operations will result in a significant increase in the number of new proposals submitted for Cycle 2. Thus the large oversubscription of HST observing time is likely to continue. 4.1 USER SUPPORT SERVICES The User Support Branch (USB) continues to serve as the central point of contact between the scientific community and STScI. Among USB's primary functions are the provision of general and specific observatory information, proposal processing, and logistical support to users who visit STScI. We invite you to direct questions and requests to USB in writing; by electronic mail (userid USB); by telephone at 800-544-8125 (toll-free within the U.S.) or at 301-338-4413; by Telex at 6849101-STSCI; or by facsimile machine at 301-338-4767 (general use) or 301-338-5085 (proposers, GOs, and GTOs only). 4.2 CALL FOR PROPOSALS DOCUMENTATION The Cycle 2 Call for Proposals will include a description of the HST observatory and its capabilities, a discussion of policies and procedures for selection of proposals, a catalog of the observations that have already been accepted from the GTOs and Cycle 1 GOs, and the proposal forms and instructions for filling them out and submitting them electronically. Separate documentation will provide detailed descriptions of each of the Scientific Instruments and the Optical Telescope Assembly (OTA), and specific information on target acquisition and calibration. In May 1990, the Cycle 2 documentation will be distributed in two parts. The Call for Proposals booklet will be mailed to all astronomers who indicated an interest in receiving it by returning the questionnaire that appeared in the April and August 1989 issues of the Newsletter. Potential proposers who did not return the questionnaire should immediately provide their names and addresses (in writing or electronically) to USB, along with a request to be placed on the Call for Proposals mailing list. It should be noted that the Cycle 2 Call for Proposals will supersede all information that was mailed in 1985-87 for the Cycle 1 proposal review, and that the Cycle 1 proposal forms and submission procedures are no longer valid. Because of the bulk of the technical documents described above, and the large number of astronomers on our mailing list, it is impossible to mail complete document packages to individuals. Therefore, we are planning to send the full documentation set only to our mailing list of institutional libraries. We strongly urge proposers to use their library copies of these documents to the fullest possible extent. The technical documents that will be distributed to libraries are the following. Document Version Issue Date WF/PC Instrument Handbook 2.1 May 1990 FOC Instrument Handbook 2.0 " FOS Instrument Handbook 1.1 " GHRS Instrument Handbook 2.1 " HSP Instrument Handbook 1.1 " FGS Instrument Handbook 2.1 " OTA Handbook 1.1 " Target Acquisition Handbook 2.1 " Calibration Handbook 1.0 " A limited number of copies of individual technical documents will be available for those proposers who have no easy access to library copies, or who foresee intensive use of a few specific documents. Requests for documents should be made by electronic mail if possible, or in writing, to the USB as soon as possible, and should mention the specific documents that are required. Updates to the technical information contained in these documents, based on in-orbit experience, will be provided to proposers in the next issue of the Newsletter (which will appear shortly after launch), and electronically through the service described below. - Duccio Macchetto, Bruce Gillespie, and Howard E. Bond 5. Cycle 2 Peer Reviewers: Call for Nominations As discussed in the preceding article, the Cycle 2 Call for Proposals will be issued a few weeks after the HST launch, and the proposal deadline will follow three months thereafter. The peer review of the Cycle 2 proposals will be carried out approximately three months after the proposal deadline. As in Cycle 1, the proposals will be reviewed in detail and ranked by several Subdiscipline Panels. (In Cycle 1, the Panels evaluated proposals in the areas of Galaxies & Clusters, Interstellar Medium, QSOs & AGN, Solar System, Stellar Astrophysics, and Stellar Populations.) The Panel rankings will be combined subsequently into a final recommended Cycle 2 program by the Telescope Allocation Committee (TAC), which will consist of the Panel chairpersons plus an equal number of members with broad scientific perspectives who did not serve on the Panels. The Panelists will meet at STScI in Baltimore for four days, and the TAC will meet on the following two days. Since HST will be in operation, proposer interest is expected to be even higher than in Cycle 1, and the peer-review responsibility even greater. Service on the Panels and TAC represents a significant commitment and contribution to the scientific success of the HST program, and the selection of members is an important consideration. We intend to begin the selection of potential reviewers several weeks before the proposal deadline, so that the final confirmation of Panel and TAC members can be made very shortly thereafter. As in Cycle 1, the conflict-of-interest guidelines will be: (1) a Panel member may not be Principal Investigator (PI) of a proposal requesting more than about 20 hours of time and reviewed by the same Panel; and (2) a Panel chairperson may not be PI of any proposal reviewed by the Panel, nor PI or Co-Investigator of any large proposal (>100 hours) reviewed by any Panel. To initiate the Panel and TAC membership selection process, we solicit nominations and expressions of interest at this time. They should be addressed to the Science Program Selection Office, either in writing or by electronic mail (userid WALBORN; please provide an electronic-mail return address). Thank you for your participation in this essential activity. - Nolan Walborn 6. STScI ELECTRONIC INFORMATION SERVICE An electronic information system for HST users is now being implemented. This service is planned to provide access to a wide variety of HST-related information, including the latest updates on mission schedules and status, spacecraft and instrument performance, proposal deadlines, and data-analysis software (including updates and bug fixes). This system is based upon the anonymous file transfer protocol (FTP) mechanism, which is widely used in the Internet community. This facility allows users with FTP access to connect to our network server machine (stsci) and traverse a set of (sub)directories to retrieve files of interest. It is possible to transfer binary as well as ASCII files with this system. Each directory (including the top level) will have a README file, which will provide a description of what is available at that level in the directory hierarchy. If you are connected to Internet (NSFNET, ARPANET, NSI, etc.), you may download any available information from the STScI anonymous FTP server into your own computer. The following procedure should be followed. 1. Log in to a host at your site that is connected to Internet and is running software that supports the ftp command. 2. Invoke FTP by entering one of the following commands containing the Internet address of the STScI server: ftp stsci.edu or ftp 130.167.1.2 3. Log in to stsci using "anonymous" for the username. 4. Enter your local login name (e.g., "smith") for the password. 5. Enter "get README" to transfer the ASCII instruction file to your local host. To see what other files are available for downloading, enter the "ls" command. Other files can be downloaded with the "get " command. 6. Enter "quit" or "bye" to exit FTP and return to your local host. 7. Review the README file for more complete instructions concerning the organization of the FTP directories and the files that you may wish to download. After you enter the command "ftp stsci.edu", your login session should look something like the following, where the local login name is smith and user entries are in boldface type. Note that UNIX commands and file names are case-sensitive, so the commands should be entered exactly as shown. This example was produced on a Sun workstation, and the details may be different on other systems. For example, if you are not prompted with "Name," you should enter "user anonymous" and proceed. Please contact your system administrator or network expert if you encounter problems. Connected to stsci.edu. 220 stsci.edu ftp server (Version 4.172 Fri Nov 10 13:24:07 EST 1989) ready. Name (stsci.edu:smith): anonymous 331 Guest login ok, send ident as password. Password: smith 230 Guest login ok, access restrictions apply. ftp> ls 200 PORT command successful. 150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for /bin/ ls (0 bytes). README bin daemon data doc etc mission observer software stnews stsci tmp 226 Transfer complete. 96 bytes received in .16 seconds (.57 Kbytes/s) ftp> get README 200 PORT command successful. 150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for README (0 bytes). 226 Transfer complete. ftp> bye 221 Goodbye. We plan on populating this structure over the next few months with HST-related information. If you have any problems connecting to the STScI system, please consult your local systems administrator or network expert, or contact the User Support Branch (userid USB) at STScI. Comments or suggestions regarding this service should also be addressed to USB. The news facility described in the August 1989 Newsletter, which runs in the RPS computer, will now be used primarily by proposers submitting Phase II information, but will continue to contain general information for Phase I proposers who are not able to use FTP. - Dennis Crabtree 7. INSTRUMENT NEWS 7.1 WF/PC STATUS Following rework of its electronics and the successful completion of acoustic tests and electronics burn-in at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, the Wide Field and Planetary Camera (WF/PC) was shipped (via a specially equipped moving van) to the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. The WF/PC arrived at KSC on December 8, and its re-installation into the HST was completed on December 20. Since then, over 100 hours have elapsed in running the camera's modified electronics while on HST power. No problems have been observed, and in particular there have been no recurrences of the microcomputer problems that were encountered during integration and test at Lockheed, as described in the November 1989 Newsletter. - Richard Griffiths 7.2 WF/PC II STATUS In view of the importance of the WF/PC both for primary scientific observations with HST and for WF/PC-assisted target acquisitions for the other scientific instruments, a second camera, called "WF/PC II," is presently under construction at JPL. WF/PC II is scheduled for completion during 1992, so that it would be available in the event that it became necessary to replace the WF/PC during a possible refurbishment mission. The CCDs used in WF/PC II, which are coated with a lumogen phosphor and biased platinum gate for better UV response and quantum-efficiency (QE) stability, have shown no signs of the hysteresis or QE decay observed in the current WF/PC devices. The filter set for WF/PC II will include a linear ramp filter (for use in the Wide Field mode only) with a 1% bandwidth from 4,000 to 10,000 (with the bandpass selectable by target positioning). Development of a Wood filter (a thin-film alkali metal filter that provides far-UV transmission without the red leaks of the WF/PC filters) is continuing at JPL and a subcontractor. Designs are presently being evaluated for internal UV and visual flat-field lamps, which may be incorporated into the space presently taken up by the UV-flood light-pipe on WF/PC. Modifications to the WF/PC II electronics have eliminated the missing-code problem in the analog-to-digital converters, as well as the problem of residual images (see discussion in the WF/PC Instrument Handbook and in the article by Tod Lauer, Pub.A.S.P., 101, 445, 1989). Mechanical and materials changes to WF/PC II have the goal of reducing contamination of the camera heads to a level at least three orders of magnitude below that observed during the last thermal-vacuum test of WF/PC. The Project Scientist for WF/PC II, John Trauger of JPL, will give a seminar on the scientific capabilities of WF/PC II at STScI on March 22, to be followed by a Workshop at which there will be the opportunity to suggest changes in the current filter set (see the April 1986 STScI Newsletter). Interested persons should contact the undersigned (301-338-4824; userid GRIFFITHS) for further information. - Richard Griffiths 7.3 WF/PC FILTERS FOR GROUND-BASED OBSERVATIONS Several observers have expressed an interest in acquiring duplicates of selected WF/PC filters, to be used for ground-based observations. The undersigned (301-338-4943; userid SEITZER) will coordinate a bulk purchase of these filters. Interested persons should send the following information, by May 1: % which filters are of interest % desired format (i.e., size and maximum thickness) % type of detector with which the filters will be used. A response does not commit anyone at this stage to purchasing filters; the undersigned will solicit bids and work out the costs as a basis for an eventual bulk order. - Pat Seitzer 7.4 FGS PERFORMANCE IN COARSE TRACK The Fine Guidance Sensors (FGS) on HST have two tracking modes, Coarse Track and Fine Lock, the latter of which provides more precise guiding of the telescope but takes longer to establish following a slew to a new target. Estimated acquisition times are 10-12 minutes for Coarse Track, and an additional 8-10 minutes to establish Fine Lock. Because of the desire to maximize scientific usage of the HST, Coarse Track is the default guiding mode for many instrument observing modes. The predicted RMS guiding precision for Fine Lock is 7 milli-arc seconds (mas), while there have been estimates that the corresponding value for Coarse Track is about 17 mas. Because of the significant observing efficiency to be gained by using Coarse Track instead of Fine Lock, we have conducted a more detailed numerical investigation of the guiding precision of Coarse Track than has previously been done. These Monte Carlo simulations include realistic photon noise, sky background, dark counts in the FGS photomultiplier tubes, and spacecraft jitter. Happily, the simulations show a better value than previously expected for Coarse Track precision (10-12 mas, depending on the fidelity of the simulation), and have identified the instrument parameter that has the largest effect upon the precision of Coarse Track guidance. This parameter (the step-size taken toward the photocenter in Coarse Track) can be controlled from the ground and can be adjusted in such a way as to improve the precision of Coarse Track without interfering with the routine operation of the HST. Indeed, the maximum benefit is gained by adding only another 10-30 seconds of time to the current Coarse Track acquisition sequence. Plans are being made to verify that real Coarse Track behaves in accordance with the simulations, and to program the new Coarse Track acquisition and guidance modes. If in-orbit experience confirms the improved Coarse Track performance, Coarse Track may be adopted as the default for additional instrument modes. - L. G. Taff 7.5 INNOVATIVE USES OF THE FGS The primary function of the FGS is to point and guide the HST with a very high level of precision. A secondary role is to serve as the primary astrometric instrument onboard the spacecraft. In its scientific mode, the FGS's nominal capabilities include measurements of the positions of program stars relative to faint background stars and of the characteristics of double-star systems. For binary stars we can deduce the separation between the components, the orientation of the separation vector, and the magnitude difference between the components. With the FGS, these quantities are inferred by studying the observed "Transfer Function." The Transfer Function is the name given to the curve computed by the FGS electronics processing unit (called the Fine Guidance Electronics, i.e., the microprocessor that controls the FGS) on the basis of the photomultiplier counts acquired as the instantaneous field of view of the FGS is swept across the target. This curve has a particular form for unresolved stellar sources with a given color temperature (nominally 6,000 K). The departures of the observed curve from this nominal form, in the case of double stars, can be used to deduce the aforementioned properties of the binary (if the Transfer Function has been properly calibrated). We have recently developed a robust calibration plan and data-reduction system, which is designed to glean the maximum amount of information out of the departures of the Transfer Function from nominal. We wish to draw the attention of the astronomical community to this use of the FGS and its potential to perform atypical astrometry, namely to measure color indices (perhaps to 0.1 mag) and angular diameters (to a few mas) for single stars, and to garner some information about the structure and colors of non-stellar sources. The color-index and apparent-size information may be deduced in a fashion similar to that when the target is double. Departures from the nominal spectrum, or resolved sources, also cause unique distortions in the observed Transfer Function. Since these distortions are nearly orthogonal in nature, we expect to be able to infer both quantities with the precision indicated above. Once the stars or more complex sources become very blue or red, or very large (angular diameter larger than 50 mas), these precisions will be accordingly degraded. In addition, since the step size for the FGS can be as small as 0.3 mas and the integration time per step can be adjusted to provide a useful signal-to-noise ratio to beyond 15th magnitude (perhaps to 17th mag), one can investigate such objects as the bars of barred spirals, the jets of active galactic nuclei, the structure of planetary nebulae and supernova remnants, and the structure of gravitational-lens images. As we already have in place the conceptual basis for the calibration and the basic software to perform the data analysis, all we need do is find the appropriate calibration sources to make this a routine observational mode of the FGS. We invite inquiries and comments from the astronomical community on this exciting extension of FGS science, and are planning to continue to augment our support of FGS astrometry in proportion to the responses we receive and to General Observer programs proposed for [Cycle 2. - L. G. Taff 8. STSDAS NEWS The second general release of the Space Telescope Science Data Analysis System (STSDAS), Version 1.1, is planned for late March 1990. STSDAS V1.1 will contain all the fundamental tools needed to calibrate data from HST, and contains a rich set of data-analysis tools. Concurrently with the STScI release of STSDAS V1.1, NOAO will issue a minor release of IRAF, Version 2.9. IRAF users need not install IRAF V2.9 unless they also intend to use STSDAS. Together with IRAF V2.9, STSDAS should provide HST GTOs, GOs, and ARs with the software they need to reduce and analyze HST data. STSDAS also provides a full complement of FITS I/O routines to facilitate the import and export of data from HST and other observatories. Sites that have installed earlier versions of STSDAS and IRAF are advised to update their installations to V1.1 if there is an expectation of analyzing HST data during calendar 1990 or early 1991. Another release of STSDAS is planned for early 1991; if you are an HST GO and do not expect to be analyzing data for some time yet, you do not necessarily need to install STSDAS V1.1 right now. However, GTOs must upgrade to STSDAS V1.1 in order to have the full suite of HST calibration software, and GOs may wish to install STSDAS V1.1 now in order to begin acquiring experience with the software. All sites installing STSDAS V1.1 must first install IRAF V2.9. Those who wish to obtain the STSDAS software installation kit should either return the STSDAS Request Form included in this Newsletter, or send an electronic-mail message to the STSDAS group (userid SDAS). If you contact us via electronic mail we will send back an on-line version of the Request Form, which can then be returned by e-mail or regular mail. We need the Request Form in order to ensure that the computer system on which you intend to install STSDAS has adequate hardware (memory and disk space, primarily), and to know what kind of tape to send (we can provide half-inch 9-track tapes at 1600 or 6250 bpi, Sun cassettes, TK50s, or Exabyte 8mm). We will also forward requests for an IRAF distribution kit to NOAO-Tucson for you if you indicate on the Request Form that you have not already ordered the kit from NOAO directly. Please note that NOAO will be charging a nominal distribution fee for IRAF V2.9 in order to cover production and shipping costs. They will also make IRAF available via anonymous ftp at no charge. Please see the February IRAF Newsletter for more details. STScI will not be able to provide IRAF installation kits. We do not require different groups at the same site to have separate installation kits for STSDAS. You are welcome to share the installation tape, or copy the system from one host to another. We would appreciate, however, that you inform us of any such shared installations so that when questions arise we know to whom we are talking and what their hardware configuration is. All STSDAS documentation is available in the distributed system, and can easily be reproduced at your own site by running TeX or LaTeX on the source files and printing the files on a laser printer. The on-line help files can be very easily sent to a printer and do not require TeX or LaTeX. STSDAS is also available via anonymous FTP (see the article about this service elsewhere in this Newsletter). STSDAS is now supported on a variety of computer systems. All VAX systems running VMS are supported, including workstations such as the VAXStation 3100. Image display on the VAXStation 3100 is supported via the package saoimage, which will most likely be included with the IRAF installation kit for DEC workstations. The saoimage package can also be obtained directly from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (anonymous ftp to cfa250.harvard. harvard.edu). STSDAS also has an image-display package that is based on the Gould-DeAnza IP8500 image-display system. STSDAS V1.1 will also run on the DECStation 3100 and other Ultrix-based systems, and on the family of Sun 3, Sun 4, and Sparc workstations from Sun Microsystems. We expect that STSDAS will run on any machine for which an IRAF port has been done (i.e., in addition to the machines already mentioned, Data General AOS, HP 9000, Alliant, and Convex), but have not yet tested the software on all of these systems. The distribution kit is generic--the same for all host machines; one recompiles and relinks the software as part of the installation procedure. If you have specific questions about STSDAS, please contact the STSDAS group at STScI (301-338-4910 or 301-338-4548; userid SDAS). - Bob Hanisch 9. SYNTHETIC PHOTOMETRY AND HST A synthetic-photometry environment specifically tuned to provide uniform methods for the throughput calibration of all of HST's Scientific Instruments (SIs), but which should also meet the needs of the general HST user, has been successfully implemented at STScI. It consists of the following components: % A data base of photometric and spectrophotometric passbands; for the specific case of HST, these are dynamically generated by multiplying the wavelength dependence of the throughput for all the components in the optical path for any given HST configuration % A data base of photometric and spectrophotometric observations collected for the HST throughput calibration targets % A data base of "best" energy distributions of important HST calibration targets; these spectra cover the whole HST wavelength range and are constructed using available observations as well as models, where required % An extensive set of tools to manipulate data, e.g., calculate pivot wavelengths of passbands, convert various magnitude systems to STMAG (Space Telescope magnitudes), etc. The software runs under IRAF, in an STSDAS package called synphot. The data reside in the Calibration Data Base System at STScI. Instrument throughput tables will be distributed with the upcoming STSDAS release, and ancillary data will be available through the Data Management Facility. The status of the SI throughputs now reflects the best predictions available to the various instrument teams in the Telescope and Instruments Branch, and will serve as the pre-launch baseline. For further information on the synphot software, contact Dave Bazell (301-338-5048; userid BAZELL) or Keith Horne (301-338-4964; userid HORNE). For information on the (spectro-)photometric data for the HST calibration targets, contact Ralph Bohlin (301-338-4804; userid BOHLIN). - Jan Koornneef, Keith Horne, Ralph Bohlin, and Ray Williamson 10. AURA NEWS 10.1 FY91 BUDGET FOR THE NSF There is good news for astronomy: the fiscal year 1991 budget for the National Science Foundation (NSF) includes a new start for night-time astronomy at the National Optical Astronomy Observatories in the form of the NSF share in two international 8-meter telescopes to be built in the northern and southern hemispheres. It also includes funds for the long-awaited Arecibo upgrade project. The text that accompanies the President's budget had not been released as of this writing, but it is understood that the 8-meter project will be effectively separate from other astronomy programs. The proposal to build the two telescopes still faces many hurdles, including peer review of the formal proposal and negotiations with prospective partners. - Goetz Oertel 10.2 INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION On November 22, 1989, the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) issued a "Dear Colleague" letter on this subject. Copies are available from the corporate office: 1625 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Suite 701, Washington, DC 20036. - Lorraine Cromwell 10.3 AURA OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS Last summer, the AURA Executive Committee approved a new program, "AURA Outstanding Achievement Awards." It recognizes and encourages outstanding contributions to science and to service to the astronomy community by employees of AURA centers. One to two awards will be presented annually in each of the two categories of science and service. Each awardee will receive a certificate and $1,500. Two STScI employees will be recognized this quarter--one for science and one for service. Similarly, outstanding NOAO employees will also receive recognition. Look for the names of these first recipients in the next issue! - Lorraine Cromwell 10.4 CRAIG WHEELER BECOMES FIRST AURA VISITING PROFESSOR AURA is pleased to announce that Craig Wheeler, chairperson of the Astronomy Department at the University of Texas at Austin, has been selected as the first AURA Visiting Professor (AVP). Dr. Wheeler will spend one-half of his time at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in La Serena, Chile, and the other half at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Tucson, Arizona, where he will participate in the full professional life of these observatories. The next AVP will probably reside at STScI. - Goetz Oertel 10.5 JAY GALLAGHER IS ELECTED AAAS FELLOW Jay Gallagher, AURA vice president, has been elected to the rank of Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). A Fellow of the AAAS is defined as Ra member whose efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications are scientifically or socially distinguished.S The citation that accompanied Dr. Gallagher's nomination read as follows: RFor contributions to stellar and extragalactic astronomy, particularly with regard to the study of classical novae, structures of external galaxies, and galactic evolutionary processes.S AURA extends its congratulations! - Lorraine Cromwell 11. INSTITUTE NEWS 11.1 STScI MAY WORKSHOP The topic of the annual STScI Workshop will be "Massive Stars in Starbursts." It will take place May 15-17, 1990, and is being organized primarily by T. Heckman, C. Leitherer, C. Norman, and N. Walborn. The central idea is to bring together the massive-star and extragalactic-starburst communities, whose subjects clearly, but itineraries seldom, intersect, with the intention of stimulating research progress through the interaction. A principal theme will be the observation and interpretation of stellar signatures in starburst systems, in terms of current knowledge (and uncertainties) about massive stars. The format will consist of eighteen invited reviews, with ample provision for related discussion, comments, and posters. Specific subjects include observations and theory of massive stars, star-formation regions, giant H II regions, supernovae and SNR, population spectral synthesis, blue compact and starburst galaxies, the AGN connection, and cosmological implications. Confirmed speakers are P. Conti, C. Garmany, I. Gatley, T. Heckman, R. Humphreys, R. Joseph, R. Kennicutt, R. Kudritzki, C. Leitherer, A. Maeder, R. McCray, C. Norman, G. Rieke, B. Rocca-Volmerange, W. Sargent, N. Scoville, N. Walborn, and D. Weedman. If you are interested in more information but have not received a mailing, please contact Barbara Eller, Workshop Coordinator, in the Academic Affairs Division (301-338-4836; userid ELLER). Will the first HST image of 30 Doradus be available in time to show at the Workshop? It's possible! - Nolan Walborn 11.2 ESA FELLOWSHIPS AT STScI Astronomers of European Space Agency (ESA) member countries are reminded of the possibility of coming to work at STScI as ESA Fellows. Prospective fellowship candidates should aim to work with a particular member or members of the ESA staff at STScI, and, for this reason, applications must be accompanied by a supporting letter from STScI. Details of the interests of staff members at STScI can be obtained from Dr. J. E. Pringle (301-338-4477; userid PRINGLE) at STScI. Details of the fellowships and application procedures can be obtained from the Education Office, ESA, 8-10 rue Mario Nikis, 75738 Paris 15, France. Completed application forms must be submitted through the appropriate national authority, and should reach ESA no later than March 31 for consideration in May, and no later than September 30 for consideration in November. 11.3 RECENT SCIENTIFIC STAFF CHANGE Nolan Walborn is Deputy and presently Acting Head of the Science Program Selection Office. He replaces Neta Bahcall, who has returned to Princeton University to accept a Professorship in the Department of Astrophysical Sciences. 11.4 STScI PREPRINTS The following papers have recently appeared in the STScI Preprint Series. Copies may be requested from Sharon Toolan (301-338-4898; userid TOOLAN) at STScI; please specify the preprint number when making a request. 384. "A Non-Steady Cooling Flow Model for NGC 1275 (Perseus)" A. Meiksin. 385. "The Evolution of Cooling Flows in Clusters of Galaxies," A. Meiksin. 386. "The Obscure Globular Cluster Palomar 15,S P. Seitzer and B.W. Carney. 387. "The Mass Function of Seyfert 1 Nuclei,S P. Padovani, R. Burg, and R.A. Edelson. 388. "The Ages of High-Redshift Radio Galaxies,S K.C. Chambers and S. Charlot. 389. "High-Redshift Radio Galaxies and the Alignment Effect,S K.C. Chambers and G.K. Miley. 390. "A New Velocity Curve for the RR Lyrae Star TU UMa: Evidence for Duplicity,S A. Saha and R. E. White. 391. "The Complex X-Ray Spectra of AGN,S C.M. Urry, K. Arnaud, R.A. Edelson, J.S. Kruper, and R. F. Mushotzky. 392. "X-Ray Astronomy beyond AXAF and XMM,S R. Giacconi. 393. "The Problem of the Hipparcos Reference Frame,S M.G. Lattanzi, B. Bucciarelli, and P.L. Bernacca. 394. "The UV Calibration of the Hubble Space Telescope. IV. Absolute IUE Fluxes of HST Standard Stars,S R.C. Bohlin, A.W. Harris, A.V. Holm, and C. Gry. 395. "The Evolution of the Lithium Abundances of Solar-Type Stars. I. The Hyades and Coma Berenices Clusters of Solar-Type Stars,S D.R. Soderblom, M.S. Oey, D.R.H. Johnson, and R.P.S. Stone. 396. (1) "A Search for Gravitational Lenses and Quasar Pairs and the Discovery of a New Multiple QSO System,S G. Meylan, S. Djorgovski, N. Weir, and P. Shaver; (2) "Application of Image-Processing Techniques in a Search for Gravitational Lenses and Quasar Pairs,S S. Djorgovski and N. Weir. 397. "Atlas of Hubble Space Telescope Photometric, Spectrophotometric, and Polarimetric Calibration Objects,S R.C. Bohlin, D.A. Turnshek, R.L. Williamson II, O.L. Lupie, J. Koornneef, and D.H. Morgan. 398. "Observational Tests for the Evolution of Massive Stars in Nearby Galaxies,S C. Leitherer. 399. "The Alignment of the Radio and Infrared Structures of 3C 356 and its Implications for other High-z Radio Galaxies,S S.A. Eales and S. Rawlings. 400. "Faranoff-Riley I Galaxies as the Parent Population of BL Lacertae Objects. I. X-Ray Constraints,S P. Padovani and C.M. Urry. 401. "Morphologies of Planetary Nebulae Ejected by Close-Binary Nuclei,S H.E. Bond and M. Livio. 402. "Physical Processes in Photon-Starved Nonthermal Pair Plasmas,S A.A. Zdziarski, P.S. Coppi, and D.Q. Lamb. 403. "X-Rays and Gamma-Rays at Cosmological Distances,S A.A. Zdziarski and R. Svensson. 404. "The Structure and Ionization of the Extended Emission Line Filaments Surrounding the QSO MR2251P178,S F. Macchetto, L. Colina, D. Golombek, M.A.C. Perryman, and S. di Serego Alighieri. 405. "Detection of an Optical Jet from RX Pup,S F. Paresce. 406. "Two Successful Techniques for Schmidt-Plate Astrometry,S L.G. Taff, M.G. Lattanzi, and B. Bucciarelli. 407. "Infrared Spectroscopy of Cometary Parent Molecules,S H.A. Weaver, M.J. Mumma, and H. P. Larson. 408. "Detection of the Secondary Star in HT Cas,S T.R. Marsh. 409. "Some Comments on the Astrometric Properties of the Guide Star Catalog,S L.G. Taff, M.G. Lattanzi, R. Gilmozzi, B.J. McLean, H. Jenkner, V.G. Laidler, B.M. Lasker, M.M. Shara, and C.R. Sturch. 410. "The Effect of the Cluster Environment on Galaxies,S B.C. Whitmore. 11.5 HOW TO CONTACT STScI Telephone: If an individual staff member's extension is not known, a telephone number for general use is 301-338-4700. Telex: 6849101-STSCI Facsimile machine: 301-338-4767. Electronic mail: It is possible to reach most staff members at STScI by using electronic mail. STScI is connected to SPAN, Bitnet, and the Internet. Address formats are as follows: SPAN: SCIVAX::userid or 6559::userid Bitnet: userid@stsci.bitnet Internet: userid@stsci.edu In most, but not all, cases the userid is the staff member's last name. If you have trouble reaching someone, see if that person's userid is listed in the Membership Directory published by the American Astronomical Society. If the staff member is not listed, send the mail to the User Support Branch (userid USB), and we will forward it. Note: it is no longer possible to reach STScI via the commercial TELENET X.25 and the PSI interfaces. Mail: Our address is Space Telescope Science Institute 3700 San Martin Drive Baltimore, MD 21218 USA 11.6 The ST-ECF NEWSLETTER 11.7 NEWSLETTER NOTES Comments on the STScI Newsletter should be sent to the editor, Howard E. Bond (301-338-4718; userid BOND). Any corrections, additions, or deletions to the mailing list should be sent to the editor or to Amy Connor in the User Support Branch (userid CONNOR). The Newsletter is now produced on an Apple Macintosh computer using the PageMaker software. The new design was created by Dave Paradise and Carl Schuetz. The Newsletter is issued 3-4 times a year by the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.