Selection of Leonid Meteoroid Storm Proposals

We wish to thank the community for responding to our invitation to send us your ideas for the best use of the opportunity to observe during the Leonid meteoroid storm. We received a total of 27 suggestions and we are proceeding with implementing those that were selected.

A number of proposals were directed to observe QSO PKS2200-238. There were different ideas as to what and how to observe and different detailed scientific objectives. The rest of the proposals were specific studies focused on a particular object (QSO, galaxy, AM star, flare star and GC population in galaxies). We received three engineering proposals whose objective is to understand the dust distribution and characteristics using the HST pointing changes due to expected micrometeorite impacts. These objectives can most likely be achieved regardless of which primary program is chosen. There are proposals that only require parallel data, or data to be taken with specific filters without any specific pointing. Their objective is to search for asteroids or Kuiper Belt Objects.

We decided to choose as the primary objective the observations of the field around PKS2200-238 to search for galaxies, using STIS with one orbit (or so) of CCD imaging, and the rest dedicated to slitless CCD spectroscopy. Several proposals addressed this objective and in particular we will tailor the final program to meet the objectives described in the three proposals led by Dr. Fernandez-Soto, Dr. Williger, Dr. Keel and their collaborators.

We will use WFPC2 in parallel with STIS if feasible, since there are restrictions on the number of command loads that can be uplinked during this period. The WFPC2 program will be tailored to meet the objectives of the Kuiper Belt Object program proposed by Dr. Goguen.

We will make the engineering data from the FGSs available and we expect that this will be used by the teams led Dr. Comeau and Dr. Zarnecki to investigate the properties of the meteroid dust.

The final programs are being written at this time. Please refer to the STScI Web page (HST Observation Opportunities During the Leonid Meteor Shower) for further information. As stated in the original mailing, the data will be available to all HST users via the HST archive, with no proprietary data rights.

Best regards,

Duccio Macchetto
Associate Director
for Science Programs