FAUST observations of ultraviolet sources in the directions of NGC 4038–39 and 6752

Analysis of ultraviolet (UV) observations with the FAUST shuttle-borne telescope toward the Antennae and NGC 6752 celestial regions resulted in the detection of 46 and 221 candidate sources respectively, for a signal-to-noise ratio of 8. We discuss the source detection process and the identification of UV sources with optical counterparts. Using correlations with existing catalogues, we present reliable identifications for approximately 60 per cent of the sources. We find that most identified objects are B, A and F stars. The remaining identified objects are galaxies, a white dwarf in a binary system, and two K-type stars. Nearly all of the remaining unidentified objects have assigned optical counterparts but, lacking additional information, we give these only as best estimates. With help from new diagnostic diagrams, we suggest that these unclassified objects are main-sequence (or giant) stars within the local spiral arm or halo; or other hot evolved objects within the local spiral arm. We discuss the nature of the objects found and compare our results with those predicted from spectral and Galactic models.     

FAUST observations of ultraviolet sources in the direction of Coma

We analyse an ultraviolet observation toward the Coma cluster by means of the FAUST shuttle-borne telescope. We detect 56 candidate sources to a signal-to-noise ratio of 6.5. Most sources have optical counterparts in existing catalogues and are stars. 10 sources with no listed counterparts were observed at the Wise Observatory. We present identifications based on low-resolution spectrophotometry, and discuss the foreground stars and the galaxies, all in the foreground of the Coma cluster. The FAUST image yields a higher fraction of hot evolved stars than either of the North Galactic Pole or the Virgo regions, analysed previously. We identify these tentatively as cooling white dwarfs in the Coma Berenices (Mel 111) open cluster.     

Spectroscopic binaries near the North Galactic Pole paper 14: HD 118234

Photoelectric radial-velocity measurements show that the Seventh-magnitude star HD 118234 is a spectroscopic binary in a very eccentric 59-day orbit.     

Spectroscopic binaries near the North Galactic Pole paper 16: HD 116093

Photoelectric radial-velocity measurements show that HD 116093 is a double-lined spectroscopic binary in a very eccentric 53-day orbit. Very little else is known about the system, but circumstantial evidence is consistent with the hypothesis that the components’ types are near to F3 V and F8 V. If that is so, the orbit must be seen very nearly edge-on; a search for eclipses is warranted and an ephemeris for them is given.     

Spectroscopic binaries near the North Galactic Pole paper 19: HR 4693

HR 4693 is a fifth-magnitude K2 III star whose radial-velocity nature has been the subject of conflicting ideas. It is shown here to be a spectroscopic binary of small amplitude, less than 2 km s^-1; the orbit is quite eccentric and has a period of 16 years     

Spectroscopic binaries near the North Galactic Pole paper 23: HD 111154

HD 111154 is a member of the Coma Cluster. It is here shown to be a somewhat unequal pair of stars of approximately solar type. They are in an orbit that has a period of just under 27 days and quite a high eccentricity (0.442). Although the minimum masses (1.08 and 1.00M _⊙) are large enough to encourage a search for eclipses, no such events have been detected.     

Spectroscopic binaries near the North Galactic Pole paper 18: HD 118670

Photoelectric radial-velocity measurements show that HD 118670 is a double-lined spectroscopic binary in an orbit which is not quite circular and whose period is about 48 days. Spectral types of K0 V and K7 V would satisfy the photometry and the mass ratio; the mass function would then suggest the possibility of eclipses. However, actual spectral classification indicates a luminosity somewhat above the main sequence     

Spectroscopic binaries near the north Galactic Pole

Orbits based principally on radial-velocity measurements made with the Haute-Provence Coravel spectrometer are presented for eight binary systems which include some of the faintest HD stars in the Galactic-Pole field. They are HD 103418 (which is double-lined), 105021, 108151, 113169, 113323, 113650, 113714, and 116514. Their periods range from 3.7 to 15.1 days. Very little else is known about any of them.     

Spectroscopic binaries near the North Galactic Pole

Photoelectric radial-velocity observations, begun independently at Cambridge and at Ames by the respective authors and now including results from no fewer than six radial-velocity spectrometers, show that the K1 III star HR 4793 is a spectroscopic binary; it has a circular orbit with a period of 111 days and the quite modest amplitude of 7kms^-1     

Spectroscopic binaries near the North Galactic Pole paper 6: BD 33° 2206

Photoelectric radial-velocity measurements have confirmed O. C. Wilson’s finding that BD 33° 2206, the secondary star in the wide visual binary ADS 8470, is a spectroscopic binary. It has an eccentric orbit with a period of 100 days. Its γ-velocity is close to the constant radial velocity of the visual primary, confirming the physical association of the stars.     

Large-amplitude variables near the Galactic Centre

We report here the results of a 4-yr K -band (2.2 μm) survey for large-amplitude variable stars in a     area centred on the Galactic Centre. A total of 409 likely long-period variables (LPVs) were detected, for which positions, amplitudes, average magnitudes and periods were obtained whenever possible. The surface density of LPVs is more than ten times greater than in the Sgr I Baade window at        
The limits of completeness arising from interstellar and circumstellar absorption are discussed. Most of the area suffers interstellar extinction of     The shorter-period LPVs are less luminous than the longer-period ones and may be slightly under-represented in the data. Extremely heavy extinction     which affects the probability of detecting variables, occurs in less than 25 per cent of the area.
Almost all of the LPVs are Miras or OH/IR stars, with periods ranging from 150 d to about 800 d. K -band counterparts have been found for 59 per cent of the 109 known OH sources in the field. The average period of the variables found is 427 d, while that of the OH/IR stars is 524 d. For comparison, the average period in the Sgr I window, which contains no known OH/IR stars, is 333 d and only two stars are detected with     The survey field also contains a number of long-period, large-amplitude variables that are not OH emitters.     

Spectroscopic binaries near the North Galactic Pole paper 15: HD 106947

Photoelectric radial-velocity measurements show that HD 106947 is a double-lined spectroscopic binary. The components have spectral types of about F6 V and G5 V and are in a 59-day orbit of moderate eccentricity. The system is a member of the Coma Cluster.     

Galactic oscillations

A stable galaxy, if excited above its ground state, oscillates about that ground state. If it is reasonably robust, it can support oscillations of large amplitude. Normal mode oscillations, with surprisingly large amplitudes, have been seen in numerical experiments. Observational evidence shows that real galaxies also oscillate. Galaxies ring like a bell in the experiments, and ringing continues undamped long after initial transients have died out. Their total kinetic energy oscillates with an amplitude as large as 10% of the mean. A fundamental mode dominates. It is an homologous expansion/contraction of the entire galaxy (no nodes). Inward or outward velocities due to this mode are sufficiently large in the outer reaches of a galaxy to account for kinematic warps in observed velocity fields. A second spherically symmetrical mode has one node and is important near the center of the galaxy. It may be the driving force behind bulges in spiral galaxies. Two other normal modes have been identified as well. This appears to be the first experimental demonstration of normal mode oscillations within stable galaxy models.     

Spectroscopic binaries near the North Galactic pole

Photoelectric radial-velocity measurements show that 6 Boötis undergoes small periodic variations of velocity. An orbit with a 2.6-year period and a semi-amplitude of little more than 1 km s^-1 is derived. The amplitude is smaller by a factor of two than that of any plausible orbit previously derived from radial velocities.     

A sample of galaxies near the South Celestial Pole

This paper reports the results of a modest redshift survey carried out, at generally low Galactic latitudes, in the vicinity of the South Celestial Pole. Target galaxies were selected as a 'representative' sample of underlying large-scale structures. Dimensions, approximate magnitudes and radial velocity measurements, are reported for 336 galaxies. Two obvious Seyfert 1 galaxies, one probably Seyfert 1 and three Seyfert 2 galaxies have been discovered. The redshifts are used to supplement existing data and serve to map southern voids and features out to 25 000 km s⁻¹ in the region  270° < l < 330°, 0° > b > −45°  . Three distinct superclusters and twenty apparent voids are tentatively identified. One Void, at   l = 300°, b =−20°, cz = 16 000 km s⁻¹  , with a diameter of 6000 km s⁻¹, is as large as any yet mapped. It appears as part of a general underdense region.     

Hidden subluminous stars among the FAUST UV sources towards Ophiuchus

We present results of an analysis of a UV image in the direction of Ophiuchus, obtained with the FAUST instrument. The image contains 228 UV sources. Most of these are identified as normal early-type stars through correlations with catalogued objects. For the first time in this project we identify UV sources as such stars by selecting suitable candidates in crowded fields as the bluest objects in colour–colour diagrams using observations from the Wise Observatory. These candidates are then studied using low-resolution spectroscopy, which allows the determination of spectral types to an accuracy of about one-half class, for 60 stars.
Synthetic photometry of spectral data is performed in order to predict the expected UV emission, on the basis of the photometric information. These results are used along with the Hipparcos /Tycho information, to search for subluminous stars. The comparison of the predicted emission with the FAUST measured magnitudes allows us to select 12 stars as highly probable evolved hot stars. High signal-to-noise spectra are obtained for nine of these stars, and Balmer line profiles are compared with the prediction of atmosphere models and with the spectrum of real stellar atmospheres. Among the nine candidates, six are classified as previously unrecognized sdB stars, and two as white dwarfs. Our result indicates that indeed more bright subluminous stars are still unrecognized in the existing samples.