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Session 85 - Cosmology: Observations.
Display session, Friday, January 09
Exhibit Hall,
We will discuss the planning process, scheduling constraints, and scientific considerations which we have studied and undertaken thus far for the southern Hubble Deep Field observations which are to be performed in October of 1998. Observations from a 3-orbit test program taken in October 1997 at the same position angle and with the same guide stars will be presented to the community for comment and for informational purposes. Planning is constrained in part by CVZ passages, by solar avoidance, zodiacal light, effective use of filters and gratings minimizing effects of scattered earthshine, SAA avoidance, avoidance of bright stars, and availability of suitable guide stars. In particular, it is crucial to test the same guide stars that will be used for the full set of observations. This preview of science data on the field will also allow us to fine-tune any other aspects of the program which may be better optimized scientifically. The HDF-S test observations will consist of one orbit of STIS 50CCD clear aperture imaging to image the field around the QSO, and two orbits of STIS NUV-MAMA G230L spectroscopy on the QSO to obtain a low resolution spectrum. In addition, three orbits of WFPC2 F606W imaging will be obtained in parallel on a field about 6.2 arc minutes from the QSO, and three orbits of NIC3 F160W imaging will be obtained in parallel on a field about 8.7 arc minutes from the QSO. The actual HDF-S observations next October are currently planned to include the same complement of filters for WFPC2 as was used in the original HDF-N ( F300W, F450W, F606W, and F814W ). Other options yet to be determined will be pursued for STIS and NICMOS for the full campaign. For more information, see our HDF-South Web site at the URL http://www.stsci.edu/ftp/science/hdf/hdfsouth/hdfs.html.
