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2019 Volume 36 Issue 03

Breadcrumbs Navigation

Nancy Roman in front of the Veil Nebula

2019

VOLUME 36

ISSUE 03

From the Director

Every ten years, the field of astronomy takes a look at the state of the profession and its scientific accomplishments. And just as importantly, it decides how to address the scientific imperatives of the coming decade(s). Astronomy's 2020 decadal survey is upon us and a new generation of engineers, scientists, managers, and advocates will take the lead in establishing a new generation of Great Observatories.

2019

VOLUME 36

ISSUE 03

STScI Participation in Astro2020

Whether in panel participation, community input, white papers, or flagship studies, Institute researchers will have a substantial role in Astro2020.

Hubble with one of the LEGUS galaxies

2019

VOLUME 36

ISSUE 03

HST@STScI Update

Hubble continues to produce record numbers of science results and has a bright future. In that context, and to address the recent behavior of HST gyros, engineers tried out a new method that would overcome the steadily increasing value of rate bias in one of the gyroscopes used for pointing and control, but decided against implementing it at this time. The path is still clear for future implementation of this mode and there are no impacts on science data. Hubble participated in NASA's Senior Review with excellent outcomes from the evaluation.

The people of the Observation Planning Branch

2019

VOLUME 36

ISSUE 03

Preparing Observations for HST and JWST: Getting to know the Observation Planning Branch

The primary task for the Observation Planning Branch (OPB) is to implement and assist in the planning of observing programs for HST and JWST. Each of the members of OPB are assigned to this task for either or both missions, in their role as Program Coordinators (PCs).

HST handbooks now in HDox

2019

VOLUME 36

ISSUE 03

HST Handbooks Migrated to HDox

First came "JDox," the JWST Documentation pages, launched in 2016. Now we are pleased to announce "HDox," the HST Documentation pages. HDox began by hosting the HST Call for Proposals in Cycle 26. Since then, it has matured to also include the HST Phase Ⅱ Proposal Instructions, Instrument Handbooks, and Data Handbooks.

A star field known as SWEEPS

2019

VOLUME 36

ISSUE 03

The Hubble Source Catalog

You should be using the Hubble Source Catalog! The latest release includes the Hubble Catalog of Variables, a major new high-level science product with 84,000 variable star candidates, and proper motions for more than 400,000 stars in the SWEEPS field.

NASA artist's impression of a superluminous supernova

2019

VOLUME 36

ISSUE 03

SN 2008es: Strong Interacting Hydrogen-rich Superluminous Supernova without Narrow H-alpha Features and Early Dust Formation

Superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) are core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) that are 10–100 times brighter at peak than canonical supernovae (SNe). With peaks at magnitudes ≲–21 dex and very blue continuum, SLSNe can probe the early universe and inform us about, e.g., cosmology, star/galaxy evolution, and the Population Ⅲ stars.

An arrow points to cold dense gas

2019

VOLUME 36

ISSUE 03

HD 62542: Probing the Bare, Dense Core of a Translucent Interstellar Cloud

High spatial resolution maps of the emission from dust, neutral hydrogen, CO, and other species indicate that both the overall structure of the interstellar medium and the internal structure of individual interstellar "clouds" can be quite complex.

A JWST rehearsal

2019

VOLUME 36

ISSUE 03

JWST @ STScI Update

STScI is busy with rehearsals for the launch of JWST and the 6-month long commissioning phase. At the same time, staff is gearing up to support the Cycle 1 Call for Proposals for JWST to be issued on January 23, 2020.

Star-Forming conference

2019

VOLUME 36

ISSUE 03

Understanding the Nearby Star-Forming Universe with JWST

We organized the science workshop "Understanding the Nearby Star-Forming Universe with JWST" from August 26–30, 2019. Despite tremendous progress achieved in the past two decades, understanding the way nature assembles matter into stars remains one of the key problems in astrophysics. Webb promises to open new, unexplored, windows on complex phenomena that affect and regulate how the process of star formation.

WFIRST and its wide field of view over a cluster

2019

VOLUME 36

ISSUE 03

WFIRST: A New Era in High-Precision Astrometry

Ranked as the highest scientific priority for a large space-based mission in the Astro2010 Decadal Survey, WFIRST will play a pivotal role in astrophysics in the 2020s. Advances in all areas of astrophysics will be possible, either through targeted General Observer programs, or through archival Guest Investigator analysis of data from core surveys optimized for studies of dark energy or exoplanets.

cloud computing

2019

VOLUME 36

ISSUE 03

Making Mission Data Available in the Cloud

Over the past 18 months, the Data Management Division (the home for the engineering and science teams at MAST), together with the Data Science Mission Office, have been working on making it possible for the astronomical community to access mission data in the cloud.

ghost nebula celebrates stars

2019

VOLUME 36

ISSUE 03

STScI's 2019 Spring Symposium

This past April, 140 astronomers from over a dozen countries attended the Spring Symposium at STScI entitled The Deaths and Afterlives of Stars. The rich diversity of stellar outcomes, their connections to progenitor properties, and the influence of these afterlife processes on shaping galaxies remain among the most exciting fields of astrophysics today, having been further sparked by the discovery of new classes of transients and the first detections of gravitational waves.

The Local Group of galaxies

2019

VOLUME 36

ISSUE 03

The 2020 Spring Symposium on the Local Group

For more than 30 years, the Space Telescope Science Institute has hosted a Spring Symposium on a topic that brings together scientists from different regimes of astronomy to stimulate intra-discipline discussion. In April 20–23, 2020, the subject will be, "The Local Group: Assembly and Evolution."

Empty conference seats

2019

VOLUME 36

ISSUE 03

Enhancing Conference Participation to Bridge the Diversity Gap

Conference attendance is critical for a successful career in astronomy. We summarize the results and findings from a survey sent to a group of researchers at STScI to determine their motivations and limitations when participating in conferences. Based on the results, we propose a set of recommendations and best practices aiming to enhance conference participation and achieve greater diversity in astronomy in general.

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