Page 1 PROPOSAL FOR HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS ST ScI Use Only ID 3409c Report Date: 09-May-96:18:36 Version: ********** Check-in Date: ********** 1.Proposal Title: A SEARCH FOR PLANETS AROUND NEARBY STARS REPEAT FOR HOPR #0006/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Scientific Category 3. Proposal For 4. Proposal Type 5. Continuation ID STELLAR POPULATIONS RPT/FOC 1274 Sub Category ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Principal Investigator Institution Country Telephone Cesare Barbieri PADOVA, UNIVERSITY OF ITALY 049-829-3434 PROFESSOR OF ASTRONO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Abstract We propose to take advantage of the very high resolution, sensitivity and attenuation capabilities of the FOC to search for planets of other stars, in order to get direct proof of their existence and to obtain data on the formation of planetary systems. Stars like Eps Eri and Barnard's are prime candidates for this search, because they are close to the Sun and their motion seems to be perturbed by unseen low-mass companions. The FOC is very suited to carry out the search, thanks to the photon counting capabilities, and to the small pixel size resolving the structure of the PSF of the bright primary star. A roll-blinking technique will be used to improve the detection capabilities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. Scientific Key Words: EXTRA-SOLAR PLANETS; SUB-STELLAR MASS COMPANIONS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9. Est obs time (hours) pri: 24.00 par: 0 10. Num targs pri: 19 par: 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Page 2 I. GENERAL FORM Proposal 3409c PI: Cesare Barbieri Proposal Title: A SEARCH FOR PLANETS AROUND NEARBY STARS REPEAT FOR HOPR #0006/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Proposers: Proposers Institution Country ESA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A. Labeyrie CERGA FRANCE X Cesare Barbieri PADOVA, UNIVERSITY OF ITALY X A. Nota ESA, EUROPEAN SPACE OPERATIONS ITALY X CENTRE H. Zinnecker ROYAL OBSERVATORY, EDINBURGH UNITED KING X ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. Description of proposed observations. This program is a very difficult one; being largely of exploratory nature it requires a flexible schedule. Because the objects we are looking for are extremely faint, the finalisation of the observing strategy depends on the actual performance of ST+FOC, namely on the results of the SV phase. These considerations mean that the targets, exposure times and priorities in the Exposure Logsheets are our present best guesses. The target list comprises a few more objects than observable in the allocated time of 24h, in order to incorporate in the final scheme information that might come in the near future from ground observations. The total exposure time in the logsheet (26.8h instead of 24h) is determined by the inclusion of Prior.3 targets that may substitute for others not feasible in the GTO. The observing procedure ROLL is described in detail in Sect.2. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Justification of need for HST observations. ST is necessary to: -provide the highest contrast star/companion, -reach the 27th-28th V-mag Diffraction-limited performances, absence of atmospheric turbulence and diffuse luminosity, extremely accurate tracking all are requisite for a successfull outcome of this program. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. Description of special scheduling requirements. The program is largely of exploratory nature. Dark time is absolutely necessary. Flexible schedule is desirable to accomodate unforeseen discoveries (such as a companion much brighter than expected). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. Description of special calibration exposures. Dark time absolutely necessary in order to reach the faintest magnitudes and to be able to properly cancel the wings of the bright star luminosity profile ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. Data reduction and analysis plans. Off-line analysis includes refined algorithms for best geometrical and photometric operations; evaluation of celestial coordinates; etc. This complex of operations should be carried out as quickly as possible not only for a particular target, but also to optimize the following observations. Therefore it is likely that a lengthy stay at the StSci and an heavy use of its image-processing facilities are required. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. Additional comments or special requests. The program aims at the direct detection of sub-stellar companions of nearby stars like EPS-ERI and Barnard's, by making use of the diffraction figure of ST. A ST roll-blinking technique can be used to improve the detection capabilities. Page 3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10. Resources to be supplied by investigator's institution(s). VAXES and MIDAS, + STARLINK + ASTRONET, HP1000+ IHAP available to PI and coworkers ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13. We propose to search for planets around nearby stars with the FOC. A roll- blinking technique will be used to improve the detection capabilities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. Address Information Name: CESARE BARBIERI Category: PI Institution: PADOVA, UNIVERSITY OF Address: City: State: Zip Code: Country: Telephone: Telex (or e-mail): ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TARGET LIST a) Fixed Targets ID = 3409c [ 4] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tar| Target | Target | Target |Coord | Radial |Acqui|FLX| Flux data No | Name | Description | Position |Eqnx | Vel. |Prblm|REF| | | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13 VYS65-B VB10 NEARBY ASTROMETRIC RA = 19H 16M 57.898S +/- 2000 BINARY, V=17.4, M7 0.05S, DEC = +5D 09' 11.4" +/- 0.5" Comments: PROPER MOTION HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN COORDINATES, THEY ARE NOW EQUINOX J2000, EPOCH 1991.4. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 18 GL623 NEARBY STAR HIGH RA = 16H 24M 8.450S +/- 2000 VELOCITY,V=10.3 0.05S, DEC = +48D 21' 15.0" +/- 0.5" Comments: PROPER MOTION HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN COORDINATES, THEY ARE NOW EQUINOX J2000, EPOCH 1991.4. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXPOSURE LOGSHEET ID = 3409c [ 5] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |10 | 11 | 12 |13 |14| 15 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Line | Seq | Target |Instr | Oper. | Aper |Spectral|Central| Optional |Num| Time | S/N |Flx|Pr| Special Number | Name | Name |Config| Mode |or FOV |Element |Waveln.| Parameters |Exp| |Rel. Time|Ref| | Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 73 GL623 FOC/96 IMAGE 512X512 F486N 6 10M 1 CYCLE 0 DARK TIME ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 74 VYS65-B FOC/96 IMAGE 512X512 F480LP 5 10M 1 DARK TIME CYCLE 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Summary Form for Proposal 3409c [ 6] Item Used in this proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Configurations FOC/96 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opmodes IMAGE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Optional Parameters ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Proposal for RPT/FOC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ S/C Hours 24.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Category STELLAR POPULATIONS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scientific Sub-category ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Requirements CYCLE 0; DARK TIME; CYCLE 0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spectral Elements F486N F480LP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Names VYS65-B VB10 GL623 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------