Active star-forming region in Orion KL, epoch 2012

Polarization measurements of the H₂O maser emission from the active region in Orion KL were carried out at epoch 2011?C2012 on the Svetloe-Zelenchukskaya radio interferometer. The bipolar outflow structure and polarized emission parameters have been determined. The emission from the components at v = 7.6 and 7.0 km s^?1 dominates in the line profile; the relative contribution of the former component has increased. The velocity of the bipolar outflow ejector region is almost equal to that of the local standard of rest v _LSR = 7.65 km s^?1, while the velocity of the remote component is v = 7.0 km s^?1. The emission from the bipolar outflow is observed at a distance up to 11 mas from the ejector. Its diameter does not exceed 0.3 mas. The outflow orientation in the plane of the sky is ?37°. The outflow velocity components along the line of sight differ by ??v = 0.3 km s^?1. The polarization levels of the bipolar outflow and the remote component reach m = 62 and 39%, respectively.     

Polarized emission from the ejector in Orion KL

The superfine structure of the active region in Orion KL has been investigated in the H₂O maser line at two epochs, December 23, 1998, and April 24, 1999, with an angular resolution as high as 0.01 mas. A bright central source, a bipolar outflow ejector with two nozzles spaced 0.008 mas apart, has been identified. The impact of the ejected flows causes precession of the rotation axis and gives rise to a jet structure in the shape of diverging helixes of opposite signs. The longitudinal velocities of the flows differ by 0.12 km s^?1. The flow emission at the exit from the nozzles is linearly polarized and oriented at an angle of 22° relative to the rotation axis or parallel to the flow velocities. Their brightness temperature exceeds T _b > 10¹⁸ K. The width of the emission line profiles is 0.43 km s^?1, their relative shift is ±0.06 km s^?1, and the orientations of the polarization planes differ by 45°, which determines the extraordinary rotation of the polarization plane, 25°/km s^?1.     

The star-forming region in Orion KL

We have studied the fine structure of the active H₂O supermaser emission region in Orion KL with an angular resolution of 0.1 mas. We found central features suggestive of a bipolar outflow, bullets, and an envelope which correspond to the earliest stage of low-mass star formation. The ejector is a bright compact source ≤0.05 AU in size with a brightness temperature T _b ?10¹⁷ K. The highly collimated bipolar outflow ～30 has a velocity v _ej ?10 km s^?1, a rotation period of ～0.5 yr, a precession period of ～10 yr, and a precession angle of ～33°. Precession gives rise to a jet in the shape of a conical helix. The envelope amplifies the radio emission from the components by about three orders of magnitude at a velocity v=7.65 km s^?1.     

Evolution of the structure of the H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O supermaser outburst region in Orion KL

During the period 1979–1999, we investigated the hyperfine structure of the H₂O supermaser region located in the core of the molecular cloud OMC-1 in Orion KL. The angular resolution is 0.1 mas, which corresponds to 0.045 AU. The detected structure, which consists of a central object, an accretion disk, a bipolar outflow, and an envelope, corresponds to the initial formation stage of a low-mass star. The accretion disk is at the stage of separation into groups of concentric rings. The bipolar outflow is a neutral, highly collimated jet of accreted material that includes H₂O molecules and dust grains in the icy envelope. The injector is a bright compact source with a size <0.05 AU and a brightness temperature T_b≈10¹⁷ K. The velocity of the bipolar outflow is v≈10 km s^?1. The rotation velocity of the jet is v_rot≈1.5 km s^?1. The jet has the shape of a conical helix due to the precession of the rotation axis. Occasionally, dense blobs (comet-shaped bullets) are ejected. The envelope amplifies the radio emission from the structures in a ～0.5 km s^?1 maser window band with velocities v≈7.65 km s^?1 by more than two orders of magnitude.     

An accretion disk,a bipolar outflow,and an envelope—A structure that accompanies the formation of a protostar

We analyze the superfine structure of the supermaser H₂O emission region in Orion KL over the period 1979–1999. The angular resolution reached 0.1 mas, which corresponds to 0.045 AU at a distance to Orion KL of 450 pc. We determined the velocity of the local standard of rest, V_LSR = 7.65 km s^?1. The formation of a protostar is accompanied by a structure that consists of an accretion disk, a bipolar outflow, and a surrounding envelope. The disk is at the stage of separation into protoplanetary rings. The disk plane is warped like the brim of a hat. The disk is 27 AU in diameter and ～0.3 AU in thickness. The rings contain ice granules. Radiation and stellar wind sublimate and blow away the water molecules to form halos around the rings, maser rings. The radiation from the rings is concentrated in the azimuthal plane, and its directivity reaches 10^?3. The relative velocities of the rings located in the central part of the disk 15 AU in diameter correspond to rigid-body rotation, V_rot = ΩR. The rotation period is T ≈ 170 yr. The injector is surrounded by a toroidal structure 1.2 AU in diameter. The diameter of the injected flow does not exceed 0.05 AU. A highly collimated bipolar outflow with a diameter of ～0.1 AU is observed at a distance as large as 3 AU. Precession of the injector axis with a period of ～10 yr forms a spiral flow structure. The flow velocity is ～10 km s^?1. The kinetic energy of the accreting matter and the disk is assumed to be transferred to the bipolar outflow, causing the rotation velocity distribution of the rings to deviate from the Keplerian velocity. The surrounding envelope amplifies the emission from the structure at a velocity of 7.65 km s^?1 in a band of ～0.5 km s^?1 by more than two orders of magnitude, which determines the supermaser emission.     

Estimation of the galactic spiral pattern speed from Cepheids

To study the peculiarities of the Galactic spiral density wave, we have analyzed the space velocities of Galactic Cepheids with propermotions from the Hipparcos catalog and line-of-sight velocities from various sources. First, based on the entire sample of 185 stars and taking R ₀ = 8 kpc, we have found the components of the peculiar solar velocity (u _⊙, v _⊙) = (7.6, 11.6) ± (0.8, 1.1) km s^?1, the angular velocity of Galactic rotation Ω₀ = 27.5 ± 0.5 km s^?1 kpc^?1 and its derivatives Ω′₀ = ?4.12 ± 0.10 km s^?1 kpc^?2 and Ω″₀ = 0.85 ± 0.07 km s^?1 kpc^?3, the amplitudes of the velocity perturbations in the spiral density wave f _R = ?6.8 ± 0.7 and f _θ = 3.3 ± 0.5 km s^?1, the pitch angle of a two-armed spiral pattern (m = 2) i = ?4.6° ± 0.1° (which corresponds to a wavelength λ = 2.0 ± 0.1 kpc), and the phase of the Sun in the spiral density wave χ_⊙ = ?193° ± 5°. The phase χ_⊙ has been found to change noticeably with the mean age of the sample. Having analyzed these phase shifts, we have determined the mean value of the angular velocity difference Ω _p ? Ω, which depends significantly on the calibrations used to estimate the individual ages of Cepheids. When estimating the ages of Cepheids based on Efremov’s calibration, we have found |Ω _p ? Ω₀| = 10 ± 1_stat ± 3_syst km s^?1 kpc^?1. The ratio of the radial component of the gravitational force produced by the spiral arms to the total gravitational force of the Galaxy has been estimated to be f _r0 = 0.04 ± 0.01.     

The Star Formation Structure and H2O Supermaser Radiation in Orion KL

The extra fine structure of the active region of H₂O supermaser emission of Orion KL (angular resolution is 0.1 mas) is studied. A central body / accretion disk / bipolar outflow / bullets / envelope is discovered, that corresponds to the earliest stage of the small-mass star formation. The ejector – a compact bright source ≤0.05 AU, T_b ≈ 10¹⁷K. The bipolar outflow, v_ej ≈ 10km/s is a highly-collimated stream with a ration length/diameter～ 60, rotation period is ～ 0.5 yr, precession period ～ 10 yrs, precession angle ～ 33°. Precession forms a conical helix jet. The envelope amplified radio emission by about three orders of magnitude at velocity at v=7.65 km/s.     

Kinematics of the Gould Belt based on open clusters

We have redetermined the kinematic parameters of the Gould Belt using currently available data on the motion of nearby young (log t < 7.91) open clusters, OB associations, and moving stellar groups. Our modeling shows that the residual velocities reach their maximum values of ?4 km s^?1 for rotation (in the direction of Galactic rotation) and +4 km s^?1 for expansion at a distance from the kinematic center of ≈300 pc. We have taken the following parameters of the Gould Belt center: R ₀ = 150 pc and l ₀ = 128°. The whole structure is shown to move relative to the local standard of rest at a velocity of 10.7 ± 0.7 km s^?1 in the direction l = 274° ± 4° and b = ?1° ± 3°. Using the derived rotation velocity, we have estimated the virial mass of the Gould Belt to be 1.5 × 10⁶ M _⊙.     

Results of a long-term monitoring of the 1.35-cm water-vapor maser source ON 1 (1981–2013)

We present the results of our long-term monitoring of the 1.35-cm water-vapor maser source ON 1 performed at the 22-m radio telescope of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory from 1981 to 2013. Maser emissionwas observed in a wide range of radial velocities, from ?60 to +60 km s^?1. Variability of the integrated flux with a period of ～9 years was detected. We show that the stable emission at radial velocities of 10.3, 14.7, and 16.5 km s^?1 belongs to compact structures that are composed of maser spots with close radial velocities and that are members of two water-maser clusters, WMC 1 and WMC 2. The detected short-lived emission features in the velocity ranges from ?30 to 0 and from 35 to 40 km s^?1 as well as the high-velocity ones are most likely associated with a bipolar molecular outflow observed in the CO line.     

Corrections for the Lutz-Kelker bias for Galactic masers

Based on published data, we have collected information about Galactic maser sources with measured distances. In particular, 44 Galactic maser sources located in star-forming regions have trigonometric parallaxes, proper motions, and radial velocities. In addition, ten more radio sources with incomplete information are known, but their parallaxes have been measured with a high accuracy. For all 54 sources, we have calculated the corrections for the well-known Lutz-Kelker bias. Based on a sample of 44 sources, we have refined the parameters of the Galactic rotation curve. Thus, at R ₀ = 8kpc, the peculiar velocity components for the Sun are (U _⊙, V _⊙, W _⊙) = (7.5, 17.6, 8.4) ± (1.2, 1.2, 1.2) km s^?1 and the angular velocity components are ω ₀ = ?28.7 ± 0.5 km s^?1 kpc^?1, ω ₀′ = +4.17 ± 0.10 km s^?1 kpc^?2, and ω₀″ = ?0.87 ± 0.06 km s^?1 kpc^?3. The corresponding Oort constants are A = 16.7 ± 0.6 km s^?1 kpc^?1 and B = ?12.0 ± 1.0 km s^?1 kpc^?1; the circular rotation velocity of the solar neighborhood around the Galactic center is V ₀ = 230 ± 16 km s^?1. We have found that the corrections for the Lutz-Kelker bias affect the determination of the angular velocity ω ₀ most strongly; their effect on the remaining parameters is statistically insignificant. Within themodel of a two-armed spiral pattern, we have determined the pattern pitch angle $i = - 6_.^ \circ 5$ and the phase of the Sun in the spiral wave χ ₀ = 150°.     

Galactic rotation parameters from data on open star clusters

Currently available data on the field of velocities V _r , V _l , V _b for open star clusters are used to perform a kinematic analysis of various samples that differ by heliocentric distance, age, and membership in individual structures (the Orion, Carina-Sagittarius, and Perseus arms). Based on 375 clusters located within 5 kpc of the Sun with ages up to 1 Gyr, we have determined the Galactic rotation parameters ω ₀ = ?26.0 ± 0.3 km s^?1 kpc^?1, ω′₀ = 4.18 ± 0.17 km s^?1 kpc^?2, ω″₀ = ?0.45 ± 0.06 km s^?1 kpc^?3, the system contraction parameter K = ?2.4 ± 0.1 km s^?1 kpc^?1, and the parameters of the kinematic center R ₀ = 7.4 ± 0.3 kpc and l ₀ = 0° ± 1°. The Galactocentric distance R ₀ in the model used has been found to depend significantly on the sample age. Thus, for example, it is 9.5 ± 0.7 and 5.6 ± 0.3 kpc for the samples of young (≤50 Myr) and old (>50 Myr) clusters, respectively. Our study of the kinematics of young open star clusters in various spiral arms has shown that the kinematic parameters are similar to the parameters obtained from the entire sample for the Carina-Sagittarius and Perseus arms and differ significantly from them for the Orion arm. The contraction effect is shown to be typical of star clusters with various ages. It is most pronounced for clusters with a mean age of ≈100 Myr, with the contraction velocity being Kr = ?4.3 ± 1.0 km s^?1.     

Galactic rotation curve and spiral density wave parameters from 73 masers

Based on kinematic data on masers with known trigonometric parallaxes and measurements of the velocities of HI clouds at tangential points in the inner Galaxy, we have refined the parameters of the Allen-Santillan model Galactic potential and constructed the Galactic rotation curve in a wide range of Galactocentric distances, from 0 to 20 kpc. The circular rotation velocity of the Sun for the adopted Galactocentric distance R ₀ = 8 kpc is V ₀ = 239 ± 16 km s^?1. We have obtained the series of residual tangential, ΔV _θ , and radial, V _R , velocities for 73 masers. Based on these series, we have determined the parameters of the Galactic spiral density wave satisfying the linear Lin-Shu model using the method of periodogram analysis that we proposed previously. The tangential and radial perturbation amplitudes are f _θ = 7.0±1.2 km s^?1 and f _R = 7.8±0.7 km s^?1, respectively, the perturbation wave length is λ = 2.3±0.4 kpc, and the pitch angle of the spiral pattern in a two-armed model is i = ?5.2° ±0.7°. The phase of the Sun ζ _⊙ in the spiral density wave is ?50° ± 15° and ?160° ± 15° from the residual tangential and radial velocities, respectively.     

Galactic kinematics from a sample of young massive stars

Based on published sources, we have created a kinematic database on 220 massive (> 10 M _⊙) young Galactic star systems located within ≤3 kpc of the Sun. Out of them, ≈100 objects are spectroscopic binary and multiple star systems whose components are massive OB stars; the remaining objects are massive Hipparcos B stars with parallax errors of no more than 10%. Based on the entire sample, we have constructed the Galactic rotation curve, determined the circular rotation velocity of the solar neighborhood around the Galactic center at R ₀ = 8kpc, V ₀ = 259±16 km s^?1, and obtained the following spiral density wave parameters: the amplitudes of the radial and azimuthal velocity perturbations f _R = ?10.8 ± 1.2 km s^?1 and f _θ = 7.9 ± 1.3 km s^?1, respectively; the pitch angle for a two-armed spiral pattern i = ?6.0° ± 0.4°, with the wavelength of the spiral density wave near the Sun being λ = 2.6 ± 0.2 kpc; and the radial phase of the Sun in χ _⊙ = ?120° ± 4°. We show that such peculiarities of the Gould Belt as the local expansion of the system, the velocity ellipsoid vertex deviation, and the significant additional rotation can be explained in terms of the density wave theory. All these effects decrease noticeably once the influence of the spiral density wave on the velocities of nearby stars has been taken into account. The influence of Gould Belt stars on the Galactic parameter estimates has also been revealed. Eliminating them from the kinematic equations has led to the following new values of the spiral density wave parameters: f _θ = 2.9 ± 2.1 km s^?1 and χ _⊙ = ?104° ± 6°.     

Galactic kinematics from data on open star clusters from the MWSC catalogue

Open star clusters from the MWSC (Milky Way Star Clusters) catalogue have been used to determine the Galactic rotation parameters. The circular rotation velocity of the solar neighborhood around the Galactic center has been found from data on more than 2000 clusters of various ages to be V ₀ = 236 ± 6 km s^?1 for the adopted Galactocentric distance of the Sun R ₀ = 8.3 ± 0.2 kpc. The derived angular velocity parameters are Ω ₀ = 28.48 ± 0.36 km s^?1 kpc^?1, Ω’₀ = ?3.50 ± 0.08 km s^?1 kpc_?2, and Ω″₀ = 0.331 ± 0.037 km s^?1 kpc^?3. The influence of the spiral density wave has been detected only in the sample of clusters younger than 50 Myr. For these clusters the amplitudes of the tangential and radial velocity perturbations are f ^θ = 5.6 ± 1.6 km s^?1 and f _R = 7.7 ± 1.4 km s^?1, respectively; the perturbation wavelengths are λ _θ = 2.6 ± 0.5 kpc (i _θ = ^?11? ± 2?) and λ _R = 2.1 ± 0.5 kpc (i _R = ?9? ± 2?) for the adopted four-armed model (m = 4). The Sun’s phase in the spiral density wave is (χ_⊙)_θ = ?62? ± 9? and (χ_⊙)_R = ?85? ± 10? from the residual tangential and radial velocities, respectively.     

Kinematics of the galaxy from OB stars with proper motions from the Gaia DR1 catalogue

We consider two samples of OB stars with different distance scales that we have studied previously. The first and second samples consist of massive spectroscopic binaries with photometric distances and distances determined from interstellar calcium lines, respectively. The OB stars are located at heliocentric distances up to 7 kpc. We have identified them with the Gaia DR1 catalogue. Using the proper motions taken from the Gaia DR1 catalogue is shown to reduce the random errors in the Galactic rotation parameters compared to the previously known results. By analyzing the proper motions and parallaxes of 208 OB stars from the Gaia DR1 catalogue with a relative parallax error of less than 200%, we have found the following kinematic parameters: (U, V)_⊙ = (8.67, 6.63)± (0.88, 0.98) km s^?1, Ω₀ = 27.35 ± 0.77 km s^?1 kpc^?1, Ω′₀ = ?4.13 ± 0.13 km s^?1 kpc^?2, and Ω″₀ = 0.672 ± 0.070 km s^?1 kpc^?3, the Oort constants are A = ?16.53 ± 0.52 km s^?1 kpc^?1 and B = 10.82 ± 0.93 km s^?1 kpc^?1, and the linear circular rotation velocity of the local standard of rest around the Galactic rotation axis is V ₀ = 219 ± 8 km s^?1 for the adopted R ₀ = 8.0 ± 0.2 kpc. Based on the same stars, we have derived the rotation parameters only from their line-of-sight velocities. By comparing the estimated values of Ω′₀, we have found the distance scale factor for the Gaia DR1 catalogue to be close to unity: 0.96. Based on 238 OB stars of the combined sample with photometric distances for the stars of the first sample and distances in the calcium distance scale for the stars of the second sample, line-of-sight velocities, and proper motions from the Gaia DR1 catalogue, we have found the following kinematic parameters: (U, V, W)_⊙ = (8.19, 9.28, 8.79)± (0.74, 0.92, 0.74) km s^?1, Ω₀ = 31.53 ± 0.54 km s^?1 kpc^?1, Ω′₀ = ?4.44 ± 0.12 km s^?1 kpc^?2, and Ω″₀ = 0.706 ± 0.100 km s^?1 kpc^?3; here, A = ?17.77 ± 0.46 km s^?1 kpc^?1, B = 13.76 ± 0.71 km s^?1 kpc^?1, and V ₀ = 252 ± 8 km s^?1.     

Trigonometric parallaxes and a kinematically adjusted distance sale for OB associations

By directly comparing the photometric distances of Blaha and Humphreys (1989) (BH) to OB associations and field stars with the corresponding Hipparcos trigonometric parallaxes, we show that the BH distance scale is overestimated, on average, by 10–20%. This result is independently corroborated by applying the rigorous statistical-parallax method and its simplified analog (finding a kinematically adjusted rotation-curve solution from radial velocities and proper motions) to a sample of OB associations. These two methods lead us to conclude that the BH distance scale for OB associations should be shrunk, on average, by 11±6 and 24±10%, respectively. Kinematical parameters have been determined for the system of OB associations: u ₀ = 8.2 ± 1.3 km s^?1, v ₀ = 11.9 ± 1.1 km s^?1, w ₀ = 9.5 ± 0.9 km s^?1, σ _u = 8.2 ± 1.1 km s^?1, σ _v = 5.8 ± 0.8 km s^?1, σ _w = 5.0 ± 0.8 km s^?1, Ω₀ = 29.1 ± 1.0 km s^?1 kpc^?1, Ω₀′ = ?4.57 ± 0.20 km s^?1 kpc^?2, and Ω₀″ = 1.32 ± 0.14 km s^?1 kpc^?3. The distance scale for OB associations reduced by 20% matches the short Cepheid distance scale (Berdnikov and Efremov 1985; Sitnik and Mel’nik 1996). Our results are a further argument for the short distance scale in the Universe.     

Structure of the bulge of the galaxy NGC 4258

The superfine structure of the bulge of the galaxy NGC 4258 has been investigated in H₂O maser emission at the epochs on February 4, 2013, and November 29, 2013. The peak intensities of the spectral components reached F ≈ 5 Jy. The emission of the component at v = 476 km s^-1 dominated at the beginning of this period; the second component at v = 487 km s^-1 was observed at the end of the period. The structure is a chain of compact components up to 200 µas or 7mpc in extent. The velocity of the local standard of rest is v _LSR = 482 km s^-1. Two bright compact components with a separation between them Δρ ≈ 35 µas or 1.3 mpc and a pair of components spaced 13 µas apart, whose brightness reaches 30% of the peak value corresponding to a brightness temperature T _b ≈ 1018 K, are located at the center. The sizes of the components are ~2–3 µas. A splitting and a shift of the two pairs of components relative to each other by 8 µas or 0.3 mpc in the 45° direction are observed at the end of the period. The velocity gradient of the structure is dV/dρ = 224 km s^-1 mas^-1, suggesting a solid-body rotation with a period T ≈ 760 years. The compact components correspond to the tangential directions of the arm. Two parallel chains of components corresponding to the tangential directions of the walls of the bipolar outflow carrying away an excess angular momentum are ejected from the central part of the bulge, two sources. The outflow is oriented at an angle X ≈ 15° relative to the disk axis. The brightness of the outflow fragments does not exceed 1.5% of the peak value. The ejection of material from the central part in the northward direction at a level up to 0.2%, T _b ≈ 10¹⁵ K, is observed at the epoch on February 4, 2013, at v = 478 km s^-1. The core structure suggests a double system: parallel disks–vortices spaced 0.25 mpc apart.     

Kinematics of the Galaxy from OB Stars with Data from the Gaia DR2 Catalogue

We have selected and analyzed a sample of OB stars with known line-of-sight velocities determined through ground-based observations and with trigonometric parallaxes and propermotions from the Gaia DR2 catalogue. Some of the stars in our sample have distance estimates made from calcium lines. A direct comparison with the trigonometric distance scale has shown that the calcium distance scale should be reduced by 13%. The following parameters of the Galactic rotation curve have been determined from 495 OB stars with relative parallax errors less than 30%: (U, V,W)_⊙ = (8.16, 11.19, 8.55)± (0.48, 0.56, 0.48) km s^?1, Ω₀ = 28.92 ± 0.39 km s^?1 kpc^?1, Ω'₀ = ?4.087 ± 0.083 km s^?1 kpc^?2, and Ω″ ₀ = 0.703 ± 0.067 km s?1 kpc^?3, where the circular velocity of the local standard of rest is V0 = 231 ± 5 km s^?1 (for the adopted R₀ = 8.0 ± 0.15 kpc). The parameters of the Galactic spiral density wave have been found from the series of radial, V_R, residual tangential, ΔV_circ, and vertical, W, velocities of OB stars by applying a periodogram analysis. The amplitudes of the radial, tangential, and vertical velocity perturbations are f_R = 7.1± 0.3 km s^?1, f_θ = 6.5 ± 0.4 km s^?1, and f_W = 4.8± 0.8 km s^?1, respectively; the perturbation wavelengths are λ_R = 3.3 ± 0.1 kpc, λ_θ = 2.3 ± 0.2 kpc, and λ_W = 2.6 ± 0.5 kpc; and the Sun’s radial phase in the spiral density wave is (χ_⊙)_R = ?135? ± 5?, (χ_⊙)θ = ?123? ± 8?, and (χ_⊙)_W = ?132? ± 21? for the adopted four-armed spiral pattern.     

The bulk motion of flat galaxies on scales of 100 Mpc in the quadrupole and octupole approximations

The peculiarities of non-Hubble bulk motions of galaxies are studied by analyzing a sample of 1271 thin edge-on spirals with distances determined using a multiparametric Tully-Fisher relation that includes the amplitude of the galaxy rotation, the blue and red diameters, surface brightness, and morphological type. In the purely dipole approximation, the bulk motion of galaxies relative to the cosmic microwave background frame can be described by the velocity of 336±96 km s^?1 in the direction l=321°, b=?1° within radius R _max =10000 km s^?1. An analysis of more complex velocity field models shows that the anisotropy of the Hubble expansion described by the quadrupole term is equal to ～5% on scale lengths R _max=6000–10000 km s^?1. The amplitude within the Local Supercluster (R _max=3000 km s^?1) is as high as ～20%. The inclusion of the octupole component reduces the dipole amplitude to 134±111 km s^?1 on scale lengths of ～8000 km s^?1. The most remarkable feature of the galaxy velocity field within R _max=8000 km s^?1 is the zone of minimum centered on l=80°, b=0° (the constellation of Cygnus) whose amplitude reaches 18% of the mean Hubble velocity.