8 May 1995 L. Acton SXT CHIEF OBSERVER REPORT AND TABLE PLAN SXT TABLE PLAN FOR WEEK 19 (8 May - 14 May 1995 JST) Solar activity remains betewwn A and B level with the strongest x-ray region, and the only spotted region on the disk, is AR7869 (S03E64). We will follow this region with ARS1 unless a good filament appears at which time we will go back to the filament campaign if the x-ray intensity of AR sources remains low. This plan will be modified if the solar activity level changes. The observing objectives of this plan are: - Filament watch or ARS2 observing. - Dark Calibration on TUESDAY. - Continuation of terminator-offpointing campaign. - POSSIBLE SPECIAL TABLE UPLOADS IN PRACTICE FOR SERTS ROCKET WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO FLY AT 15-MAY-95 18:00 UT. Some changes to this plan are likely. The Tohbans should make sure to check the faxes from the Chief Observer. The SXT Table Plan for the week is as follows. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NAME PART OF THE TABLE ID MAY CHANGE IF SOLAR CONDITIONS CHANGE. THE TABLE ID GIVEN IN THE FAX IS THE ID TO CHECK AGAINST THE UPLOAD FILE. KSC Time (start) in JST Pass Table ID Comments _____________(= UT + 9 hrs)______#_______________________________ Monday 8-MAY-95 19:02 2 950508 P2 ARS1 STD+LONG Tuesday 9-MAY-95 19:21 4 950509 P4 ARS0 DKCAL+FIL Wednesday 10-MAY-95 17:57 2 950510 P2 ARS0 FIL+LONG Thursday 11-MAY-95 20:00 3 950511 P3 ARS0 FIL+LONG Friday 12-MAY-95 16:53 2 950512 P2 ARS0 FIL+LONG Saturday 13-MAY-95 18:56 3 950513 P3 ARS1 STD+LONG Sunday ************* KSC HOLIDAY *************************** Terminator-Offpointing: The terminator-offpointing program will continue this week. The SSOC tohbans will be required to manually insert the off-point OGs for the terminators in the OP tables. The SSOC tohbans please fax the OP list to D-tou when it contains a terminator so that the Chief Observer can track the terminators. SXT CHIEF OBSERVER'S REPORT for Week 18: 3-May-95 to 7-May-95 The low level of solar activity permitted long exposures of the filament campaign. Coronal structures observed by adding up many fixed pointing are quite interesting. These data may permit a search for super-granulation pattern in the coronal emission. SXT INSTRUMENT STATUS The SXT instrument is in fine working order. An analysis of the statistics of dark subtraction and of straylight levels was carried out by the Chief Observer. There is a clear advantage to acquiring PFI dark images as part of the observing table for campaigns such as bright point and filament observations where the very best statistics are needed. At present a large number of the straylight correction images in the SFC directory were taken later than 15 sec before sunset. This increases the error in these images by a substantial +/- 10% or more. However, some of these terminator images are the only ones available for that pointing and filter so we must keep them in the data base until replacements are available. I have also discovered that terminators taken with perfect timing can vary from the mean by about 3%. I guess this must be caused by changes in the filter scraps around the broken entrance filter. CAMPAIGNS TERMINATOR OFFPOINTING CAMPAIGN The use of terminator offpoints up to 18 arcminute has now been shown to be OK. A more accurate value will be calculated soon by the Chief Observer and Hudson san. OG33 should not be used any more. It is reserved for another use. The SSOC tohbans should continue to fax the OP list to D-out when terminators are scheduled. Please make sure this is done so that the Chief Observer can track the progress of the terminator program. FILAMENT WATCH We conducted a few days of filament watch campaign last week. Norikura, Mitaka and Hiraiso have been added to the campaign alias for distribution of info. filament campaign is being coordinated by Mees Observatory. The Soon sites participate when filaments are good enough to justify the extra effort. UPCOMING SERTS FLIGHT The SERTS rocket will be launched on 15 May 1995 at about 18:00 UT. Joe Davila leads the effort. Details of Yohkoh observing are not yet firm but we may do fixed pointing observations of the north polar coronal hole or put the PFI on AR7869 which is likely to be their second target. They will target the North coronal hole because of the opportunity to observe jointly with Ulysses. See http://serts.nascom.nasa.gov for details of SERTS plans. So far their preparation for flight are successful.