On the Habitability of Our Universe
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
Radio and IR Interferometry of Sio Maser Stars
Cosmic Masers - from OH to H0 Proceedings IAU Symposium No. 287, 2012 c International Astronomical Union 2012 R.S. Booth, E.M.L. Humphreys & W.H.T. Vlemmings, eds. doi:10.1017/S1743921312006989 Radio and IR interferometry of SiO maser stars Markus Wittkowski1, David A. Boboltz2,MalcolmD.Gray3, Elizabeth M. L. Humphreys1 Iva Karovicova4, and Michael Scholz5,6 1 ESO, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, 85748 Garching bei M¨unchen, Germany 2 US Naval Observatory, 3450 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20392-5420, USA 3 Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, Alan Turing Building, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK 4 Max-Planck-Institut f¨ur Astronomie, K¨onigstuhl 17, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany 5 Zentrum f¨ur Astronomie der Universit¨at Heidelberg (ZAH), Institut f¨ur Theoretische Astrophysik, Albert-Ueberle-Str. 2, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany 6 Sydney Institute for Astronomy, School of Physics, University of Sydney, Sydney NSW 2006, Australia Abstract. Radio and infrared interferometry of SiO maser stars provide complementary infor- mation on the atmosphere and circumstellar environment at comparable spatial resolution. Here, we present the latest results on the atmospheric structure and the dust condensation region of AGB stars based on our recent infrared spectro-interferometric observations, which represent the environment of SiO masers. We discuss, as an example, new results from simultaneous VLTI and VLBA observations of the Mira variable AGB star R Cnc, including VLTI near- and mid- infrared interferometry, as well as VLBA observations of the SiO maser emission toward this source. We present preliminary results from a monitoring campaign of high-frequency SiO maser emission toward evolved stars obtained with the APEX telescope, which also serves as a pre- cursor of ALMA images of the SiO emitting region. -
Lurking in the Shadows: Wide-Separation Gas Giants As Tracers of Planet Formation
Lurking in the Shadows: Wide-Separation Gas Giants as Tracers of Planet Formation Thesis by Marta Levesque Bryan In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Pasadena, California 2018 Defended May 1, 2018 ii © 2018 Marta Levesque Bryan ORCID: [0000-0002-6076-5967] All rights reserved iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost I would like to thank Heather Knutson, who I had the great privilege of working with as my thesis advisor. Her encouragement, guidance, and perspective helped me navigate many a challenging problem, and my conversations with her were a consistent source of positivity and learning throughout my time at Caltech. I leave graduate school a better scientist and person for having her as a role model. Heather fostered a wonderfully positive and supportive environment for her students, giving us the space to explore and grow - I could not have asked for a better advisor or research experience. I would also like to thank Konstantin Batygin for enthusiastic and illuminating discussions that always left me more excited to explore the result at hand. Thank you as well to Dimitri Mawet for providing both expertise and contagious optimism for some of my latest direct imaging endeavors. Thank you to the rest of my thesis committee, namely Geoff Blake, Evan Kirby, and Chuck Steidel for their support, helpful conversations, and insightful questions. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with Brendan Bowler. His talk at Caltech my second year of graduate school introduced me to an unexpected population of massive wide-separation planetary-mass companions, and lead to a long-running collaboration from which several of my thesis projects were born. -
Evidence for Very Extended Gaseous Layers Around O-Rich Mira Variables and M Giants B
The Astrophysical Journal, 579:446–454, 2002 November 1 # 2002. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A. EVIDENCE FOR VERY EXTENDED GASEOUS LAYERS AROUND O-RICH MIRA VARIABLES AND M GIANTS B. Mennesson,1 G. Perrin,2 G. Chagnon,2 V. Coude du Foresto,2 S. Ridgway,3 A. Merand,2 P. Salome,2 P. Borde,2 W. Cotton,4 S. Morel,5 P. Kervella,5 W. Traub,6 and M. Lacasse6 Received 2002 March 15; accepted 2002 July 3 ABSTRACT Nine bright O-rich Mira stars and five semiregular variable cool M giants have been observed with the Infrared and Optical Telescope Array (IOTA) interferometer in both K0 (2.15 lm) and L0 (3.8 lm) broad- band filters, in most cases at very close variability phases. All of the sample Mira stars and four of the semire- gular M giants show strong increases, from ’20% to ’100%, in measured uniform-disk (UD) diameters between the K0 and L0 bands. (A selection of hotter M stars does not show such a large increase.) There is no evidence that K0 and L0 broadband visibility measurements should be dominated by strong molecular bands, and cool expanding dust shells already detected around some of these objects are also found to be poor candi- dates for producing these large apparent diameter increases. Therefore, we propose that this must be a con- tinuum or pseudocontinuum opacity effect. Such an apparent enlargement can be reproduced using a simple two-component model consisting of a warm (1500–2000 K), extended (up to ’3 stellar radii), optically thin ( ’ 0:5) layer located above the classical photosphere. -
The Dunhuang Chinese Sky: a Comprehensive Study of the Oldest Known Star Atlas
25/02/09JAHH/v4 1 THE DUNHUANG CHINESE SKY: A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF THE OLDEST KNOWN STAR ATLAS JEAN-MARC BONNET-BIDAUD Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique ,Centre de Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France E-mail: [email protected] FRANÇOISE PRADERIE Observatoire de Paris, 61 Avenue de l’Observatoire, F- 75014 Paris, France E-mail: [email protected] and SUSAN WHITFIELD The British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB, UK E-mail: [email protected] Abstract: This paper presents an analysis of the star atlas included in the medieval Chinese manuscript (Or.8210/S.3326), discovered in 1907 by the archaeologist Aurel Stein at the Silk Road town of Dunhuang and now held in the British Library. Although partially studied by a few Chinese scholars, it has never been fully displayed and discussed in the Western world. This set of sky maps (12 hour angle maps in quasi-cylindrical projection and a circumpolar map in azimuthal projection), displaying the full sky visible from the Northern hemisphere, is up to now the oldest complete preserved star atlas from any civilisation. It is also the first known pictorial representation of the quasi-totality of the Chinese constellations. This paper describes the history of the physical object – a roll of thin paper drawn with ink. We analyse the stellar content of each map (1339 stars, 257 asterisms) and the texts associated with the maps. We establish the precision with which the maps are drawn (1.5 to 4° for the brightest stars) and examine the type of projections used. -
On the Metallicity of Open Clusters II. Spectroscopy
Astronomy & Astrophysics manuscript no. OCMetPaper2 c ESO 2013 November 12, 2013 On the metallicity of open clusters II. Spectroscopy U. Heiter1, C. Soubiran2, M. Netopil3, and E. Paunzen4 1 Institutionen för fysik och astronomi, Uppsala universitet, Box 516, 751 20 Uppsala, Sweden e-mail: [email protected] 2 Université Bordeaux 1, CNRS, Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Bordeaux UMR 5804, BP 89, 33270 Floirac, France 3 Institut für Astrophysik der Universität Wien, Türkenschanzstrasse 17, 1180 Wien, Austria 4 Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, Masaryk University, Kotlárskᡠ267/2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic Received 29 August 2013 / Accepted 20 October 2013 ABSTRACT Context. Open clusters are an important tool for studying the chemical evolution of the Galactic disk. Metallicity estimates are available for about ten percent of the currently known open clusters. These metallicities are based on widely differing methods, however, which introduces unknown systematic effects. Aims. In a series of three papers, we investigate the current status of published metallicities for open clusters that were derived from a variety of photometric and spectroscopic methods. The current article focuses on spectroscopic methods. The aim is to compile a comprehensive set of clusters with the most reliable metallicities from high-resolution spectroscopic studies. This set of metallicities will be the basis for a calibration of metallicities from different methods. Methods. The literature was searched for [Fe/H] estimates of individual member stars of open clusters based on the analysis of high-resolution spectra. For comparison, we also compiled [Fe/H] estimates based on spectra with low and intermediate resolution. -
Ioptron AZ Mount Pro Altazimuth Mount Instruction
® iOptron® AZ Mount ProTM Altazimuth Mount Instruction Manual Product #8900, #8903 and #8920 This product is a precision instrument. Please read the included QSG before assembling the mount. Please read the entire Instruction Manual before operating the mount. If you have any questions please contact us at [email protected] WARNING! NEVER USE A TELESCOPE TO LOOK AT THE SUN WITHOUT A PROPER FILTER! Looking at or near the Sun will cause instant and irreversible damage to your eye. Children should always have adult supervision while observing. 2 Table of Content Table of Content ......................................................................................................................................... 3 1. AZ Mount ProTM Altazimuth Mount Overview...................................................................................... 5 2. AZ Mount ProTM Mount Assembly ........................................................................................................ 6 2.1. Parts List .......................................................................................................................................... 6 2.2. Identification of Parts ....................................................................................................................... 7 2.3. Go2Nova® 8407 Hand Controller .................................................................................................... 8 2.3.1. Key Description ....................................................................................................................... -
Occurrence and Core-Envelope Structure of 1–4× Earth-Size Planets Around Sun-Like Stars
Occurrence and core-envelope structure of 1–4× SPECIAL FEATURE Earth-size planets around Sun-like stars Geoffrey W. Marcya,1, Lauren M. Weissa, Erik A. Petiguraa, Howard Isaacsona, Andrew W. Howardb, and Lars A. Buchhavec aDepartment of Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720; bInstitute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822; and cHarvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 Edited by Adam S. Burrows, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, and accepted by the Editorial Board April 16, 2014 (received for review January 24, 2014) Small planets, 1–4× the size of Earth, are extremely common planets. The Doppler reflex velocity of an Earth-size planet − around Sun-like stars, and surprisingly so, as they are missing in orbiting at 0.3 AU is only 0.2 m s 1, difficult to detect with an − our solar system. Recent detections have yielded enough informa- observational precision of 1 m s 1. However, such Earth-size tion about this class of exoplanets to begin characterizing their planets show up as a ∼10-sigma dimming of the host star after occurrence rates, orbits, masses, densities, and internal structures. coadding the brightness measurements from each transit. The Kepler mission finds the smallest planets to be most common, The occurrence rate of Earth-size planets is a major goal of as 26% of Sun-like stars have small, 1–2 R⊕ planets with orbital exoplanet science. With three years of Kepler photometry in periods under 100 d, and 11% have 1–2 R⊕ planets that receive 1–4× hand, two groups worked to account for the detection biases in the incident stellar flux that warms our Earth. -
10. Scientific Programme 10.1
10. SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME 10.1. OVERVIEW (a) Invited Discourses Plenary Hall B 18:00-19:30 ID1 “The Zoo of Galaxies” Karen Masters, University of Portsmouth, UK Monday, 20 August ID2 “Supernovae, the Accelerating Cosmos, and Dark Energy” Brian Schmidt, ANU, Australia Wednesday, 22 August ID3 “The Herschel View of Star Formation” Philippe André, CEA Saclay, France Wednesday, 29 August ID4 “Past, Present and Future of Chinese Astronomy” Cheng Fang, Nanjing University, China Nanjing Thursday, 30 August (b) Plenary Symposium Review Talks Plenary Hall B (B) 8:30-10:00 Or Rooms 309A+B (3) IAUS 288 Astrophysics from Antarctica John Storey (3) Mon. 20 IAUS 289 The Cosmic Distance Scale: Past, Present and Future Wendy Freedman (3) Mon. 27 IAUS 290 Probing General Relativity using Accreting Black Holes Andy Fabian (B) Wed. 22 IAUS 291 Pulsars are Cool – seriously Scott Ransom (3) Thu. 23 Magnetars: neutron stars with magnetic storms Nanda Rea (3) Thu. 23 Probing Gravitation with Pulsars Michael Kremer (3) Thu. 23 IAUS 292 From Gas to Stars over Cosmic Time Mordacai-Mark Mac Low (B) Tue. 21 IAUS 293 The Kepler Mission: NASA’s ExoEarth Census Natalie Batalha (3) Tue. 28 IAUS 294 The Origin and Evolution of Cosmic Magnetism Bryan Gaensler (B) Wed. 29 IAUS 295 Black Holes in Galaxies John Kormendy (B) Thu. 30 (c) Symposia - Week 1 IAUS 288 Astrophysics from Antartica IAUS 290 Accretion on all scales IAUS 291 Neutron Stars and Pulsars IAUS 292 Molecular gas, Dust, and Star Formation in Galaxies (d) Symposia –Week 2 IAUS 289 Advancing the Physics of Cosmic -
16Th HEAD Meeting Session Table of Contents
16th HEAD Meeting Sun Valley, Idaho – August, 2017 Meeting Abstracts Session Table of Contents 99 – Public Talk - Revealing the Hidden, High Energy Sun, 204 – Mid-Career Prize Talk - X-ray Winds from Black Rachel Osten Holes, Jon Miller 100 – Solar/Stellar Compact I 205 – ISM & Galaxies 101 – AGN in Dwarf Galaxies 206 – First Results from NICER: X-ray Astrophysics from 102 – High-Energy and Multiwavelength Polarimetry: the International Space Station Current Status and New Frontiers 300 – Black Holes Across the Mass Spectrum 103 – Missions & Instruments Poster Session 301 – The Future of Spectral-Timing of Compact Objects 104 – First Results from NICER: X-ray Astrophysics from 302 – Synergies with the Millihertz Gravitational Wave the International Space Station Poster Session Universe 105 – Galaxy Clusters and Cosmology Poster Session 303 – Dissertation Prize Talk - Stellar Death by Black 106 – AGN Poster Session Hole: How Tidal Disruption Events Unveil the High 107 – ISM & Galaxies Poster Session Energy Universe, Eric Coughlin 108 – Stellar Compact Poster Session 304 – Missions & Instruments 109 – Black Holes, Neutron Stars and ULX Sources Poster 305 – SNR/GRB/Gravitational Waves Session 306 – Cosmic Ray Feedback: From Supernova Remnants 110 – Supernovae and Particle Acceleration Poster Session to Galaxy Clusters 111 – Electromagnetic & Gravitational Transients Poster 307 – Diagnosing Astrophysics of Collisional Plasmas - A Session Joint HEAD/LAD Session 112 – Physics of Hot Plasmas Poster Session 400 – Solar/Stellar Compact II 113 -
Astronomy with Small Telescopes
Astronomy With Small Telescopes Bohdan Paczy´nski Princeton University Observatory, Princeton, NJ 08544 [email protected] ABSTRACT The All Sky Automated Survey (ASAS) is monitoring all sky to about 14 mag with a cadence of about 1 day; it has discovered about 105 variable stars, most of them new. The instrument used for the survey had aperture of 7 cm. A search for planetary transits has lead to the discovery of about a dozen confirmed planets, so called ’hot Jupiters’, providing the information of planetary masses and radii. Most discoveries were done with telescopes with aperture of 10 cm. We propose a search for optical transients covering all sky with a cadence of 10 - 30 minutes and the limit of 12 - 14 mag, with an instant verification of all candidate events. The search will be made with a large number of 10 cm instruments, and the verification will be done with 30 cm instruments. We also propose a system to be located at the L1 point of the Earth - Sun system to detect ’killer asteroids’. With a limiting magnitude of about 18 mag it could detect 10 m boulders several hours prior to their impact, provide warning against Tunguska-like events, as well as to provide news about spectacular but harmless more modest impacts. Subject headings: techniques: photometric — surveys — celestial mechanics — mete- oroids — stars: variable — gamma rays: bursts arXiv:astro-ph/0609161v3 7 Nov 2006 1. Introduction The goal of this paper is to point out that there are many tasks for which small and even very small telescopes are not only useful, but even indispensable. -
Stars and Their Spectra: an Introduction to the Spectral Sequence Second Edition James B
Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-89954-3 - Stars and Their Spectra: An Introduction to the Spectral Sequence Second Edition James B. Kaler Index More information Star index Stars are arranged by the Latin genitive of their constellation of residence, with other star names interspersed alphabetically. Within a constellation, Bayer Greek letters are given first, followed by Roman letters, Flamsteed numbers, variable stars arranged in traditional order (see Section 1.11), and then other names that take on genitive form. Stellar spectra are indicated by an asterisk. The best-known proper names have priority over their Greek-letter names. Spectra of the Sun and of nebulae are included as well. Abell 21 nucleus, see a Aurigae, see Capella Abell 78 nucleus, 327* ε Aurigae, 178, 186 Achernar, 9, 243, 264, 274 z Aurigae, 177, 186 Acrux, see Alpha Crucis Z Aurigae, 186, 269* Adhara, see Epsilon Canis Majoris AB Aurigae, 255 Albireo, 26 Alcor, 26, 177, 241, 243, 272* Barnard’s Star, 129–130, 131 Aldebaran, 9, 27, 80*, 163, 165 Betelgeuse, 2, 9, 16, 18, 20, 73, 74*, 79, Algol, 20, 26, 176–177, 271*, 333, 366 80*, 88, 104–105, 106*, 110*, 113, Altair, 9, 236, 241, 250 115, 118, 122, 187, 216, 264 a Andromedae, 273, 273* image of, 114 b Andromedae, 164 BDþ284211, 285* g Andromedae, 26 Bl 253* u Andromedae A, 218* a Boo¨tis, see Arcturus u Andromedae B, 109* g Boo¨tis, 243 Z Andromedae, 337 Z Boo¨tis, 185 Antares, 10, 73, 104–105, 113, 115, 118, l Boo¨tis, 254, 280, 314 122, 174* s Boo¨tis, 218* 53 Aquarii A, 195 53 Aquarii B, 195 T Camelopardalis, -
GTO Keypad Manual, V5.001
ASTRO-PHYSICS GTO KEYPAD Version v5.xxx Please read the manual even if you are familiar with previous keypad versions Flash RAM Updates Keypad Java updates can be accomplished through the Internet. Check our web site www.astro-physics.com/software-updates/ November 11, 2020 ASTRO-PHYSICS KEYPAD MANUAL FOR MACH2GTO Version 5.xxx November 11, 2020 ABOUT THIS MANUAL 4 REQUIREMENTS 5 What Mount Control Box Do I Need? 5 Can I Upgrade My Present Keypad? 5 GTO KEYPAD 6 Layout and Buttons of the Keypad 6 Vacuum Fluorescent Display 6 N-S-E-W Directional Buttons 6 STOP Button 6 <PREV and NEXT> Buttons 7 Number Buttons 7 GOTO Button 7 ± Button 7 MENU / ESC Button 7 RECAL and NEXT> Buttons Pressed Simultaneously 7 ENT Button 7 Retractable Hanger 7 Keypad Protector 8 Keypad Care and Warranty 8 Warranty 8 Keypad Battery for 512K Memory Boards 8 Cleaning Red Keypad Display 8 Temperature Ratings 8 Environmental Recommendation 8 GETTING STARTED – DO THIS AT HOME, IF POSSIBLE 9 Set Up your Mount and Cable Connections 9 Gather Basic Information 9 Enter Your Location, Time and Date 9 Set Up Your Mount in the Field 10 Polar Alignment 10 Mach2GTO Daytime Alignment Routine 10 KEYPAD START UP SEQUENCE FOR NEW SETUPS OR SETUP IN NEW LOCATION 11 Assemble Your Mount 11 Startup Sequence 11 Location 11 Select Existing Location 11 Set Up New Location 11 Date and Time 12 Additional Information 12 KEYPAD START UP SEQUENCE FOR MOUNTS USED AT THE SAME LOCATION WITHOUT A COMPUTER 13 KEYPAD START UP SEQUENCE FOR COMPUTER CONTROLLED MOUNTS 14 1 OBJECTS MENU – HAVE SOME FUN!