IRAS 17213-3841:晚型富碳星还是早型发射线星?

IRAS 17213-3841作为富碳星列于新版碳星星表中．然而该星的IRAS低分辨率光谱显示富氧的硅酸盐发射特征；光谱观测结果表明，该星是一个接近零龄主序的，光谱型为O9／B0的早型发射线星，而不是碳星，因此应从碳星星表中剔除．此外，将它证认为碳星的近红外-IRAS双色图方法并不是一个完全可靠的方法，用这一方法来证认碳星必须十分小心．     

Determination of the azimuth error of the transit instrument by means of prime vertical observations

We present the principle and some test results of determining the instrumental azimuth by measuring the times of passage of the same stars through the meridian and the prime vertical. The test measurements were made on a reconstructed Zeiss transit instrument, equipped with four supporting pillars. The results of the test (TABLE 1) show that the method is successful. Applied to the meridian circle, this method replaces the traditional method of determining the absolute azimuth by observing circumpolar stars and thereby by-passes the difficulties inherant therein and the errors involved in the method of transfer via the azimuth mark.     

Identification of new silicate carbon stars

IRAS low-resolution spectra for 17 sources are presented in this paper. Together with the carbon star catalog, information from recent literatures, the ISO observation and the IRAS two-color diagram, it is found that among them 5 sources are new silicate carbon stars, 5 sources are candidates of silicate carbon stars and other 7 sources are probable candidates of silicate carbon stars. Some discussions are made for their infrared properties.     

多星中天时角法精密测定天文方位角

在高精度天文方位角测定方法中,北极星任意时角法只适用于北半球中纬度地区,子午星对法则受限于选星配对条件.提出可适用于全球地区的多星中天时角法,观测多颗任意中天位置的南星和北星,通过线性回归模型修正测站经度误差和计时误差对方位角解算的影响.该方法只需已知测站的概略位置,对观测天体的中天位置没有限制.实测数据表明,与北极星任意时角法相比,在相同精度指标要求下,观测量可以减少一半.     

Results of astrometric observations of stars with large proper motions using telescopes of the Research Institute of Nikolaev Astronomical Observatory

Astrometric CCD observations of stars with large proper motions were carried out during 2008–2014 using telescopes of the Nikolaev Astronomical Observatory. A catalog of positions and proper motion of 1596 fast stars with proper motions exceeding 150 mas/yr has been compiled based on observation results. The catalog covers the declination zone from 0° to 65°. The standard error of derived proper motion is 1…10 mas/yr for both coordinates depending on the observational history of the star. Data from eight different star catalogs and surveys have been used to derive proper motion. The comparison results of proper motion with data from modern catalogs and results of the statistical test for the detection of possible invisible components are given.     

Matching CCD images to a stellar catalog using locality-sensitive hashing

The usage of a subset of observed stars in a CCD image to find their corresponding matched stars in a stellar catalog is an important issue in astronomical research. Subgraph isomorphic-based algorithms are the most widely used methods in star catalog matching. When more subgraph features are provided, the CCD images are recognized better. However, when the navigation feature database is large, the method requires more time to match the observing model. To solve this problem, this study investigates further and improves subgraph isomorphic matching algorithms. We present an algorithm based on a locality-sensitive hashing technique, which allocates quadrilateral models in the navigation feature database into different hash buckets and reduces the search range to the bucket in which the observed quadrilateral model is located. Experimental results indicate the effectivity of our method.     

Errors in prime vertical-meridian observations and some suggestions

I discuss the effects of instrumental errors on the absolute determination of azimuth a and latitude φ by means of combined prime vertical and meridian observations. The analysis shows that the single-star measuring accuracy of a is much higher than that of φ . In order to obtain an independent, high-accuracy declination system as early as possible, I suggest first to carry out absolute declination measurement of stars in a selected declination zone and use these stars to determine the equator point of the graduated circle. I suggest also that single observation should be more fully utilized.     

CCD联合平差方法及其初步实例检验

在常规照相天体测量工作中 ,对暗天体的定位是采用逐级定标星过渡的方法实现的。由于星表系统差和局部差的存在 ,最终定位结果可能包含难以把握的误差积累。在CCD小视场观测情况下时常难以找到足够数量的定标星。鉴于此 ,推导了CCD观测联合平差方法的严格矢量表达式 ,以期通过共同星的过渡 ,实现大天区统一平差。原理上此方法可实现相对于河外天体的定位 ,以削弱星表系统差和局部差对定位结果的影响。讨论了CCD联合平差方法实现中的问题 ,包括底片常数模型选择、切点位置改正、共同星的较差改正和法方程解算方法等 ,并分析了具体的处理措施。用实例初步检验了CCD联合平差方法的效果 ,表明通过对多张CCD观测的联合平差 ,可以削弱单张CCD观测参考星数目过少、单张CCD观测参考星分布不均、个别参考星存在位置偏差和局部区域参考星存在系统性位置偏差等不利因素对归算结果的影响 ,进而达到扩大视场和提高归算精度的目的     

M-giant star candidates identified in LAMOST DR 1

We perform a discrimination procedure with the spectral index diagram of TiO 5 and Ca H2+Ca H3 to separate M giants from M dwarfs. Using the M giant spectra identified from LAMOST DR1 with high signal-to-noise ratio, we have successfully assembled a set of M giant templates, which show more reliable spectral features. Combining with the M dwarf/subdwarf templates in Zhong et al., we present an extended library of M-type templates which includes not only M dwarfs with a well-defined temperature and metallicity grid but also M giants with subtypes from M0 to M6. Then, the template-fitting algorithm is used to automatically identify and classify M giant stars from LAMOST DR1. The resulting catalog of M giant stars is cross-matched with 2MASS J H Ks and WISE W1/W2 infrared photometry. In addition, we calculated the heliocentric radial velocity of all M giant stars by using the cross-correlation method with the template spectrum in a zero-velocity rest frame.Using the relationship between the absolute infrared magnitude MJ and our classified spectroscopic subtype, we derived the spectroscopic distance of M giants with uncertainties of about 40%. A catalog of 8639 M giants is provided. As an additional result of this analysis, we also present a catalog of 101 690 M dwarfs/subdwarfs which are processed by our classification pipeline.     

The chemical re-classification of 6 sources in the new carbon star catalog

We have found that six sources listed in the new carbon star catalog are not really carbon-rich objects but oxygen-rich stars, because they all have prominent silicate features in emission at 10 and 18 μm. Moreover, one of them has a typical oxygen-rich spectrum in the optical region, whereas others have SiO maser emission. Most of these objects were considered as carbon stars in the catalog based only on their locations in the near infrared—IRAS two color diagram. Therefore, to use this diagram to distinguish carbon-rich stars from oxygen-rich stars requires caution. For individual star the other methods should be also employed to verify the results from the infrared two color method.     

Spectrophotometric catalog of the Sternberg Astronomical Institute in the ultraviolet,visual and near infrared

Spectophotometric catalog of the Sternberg Astronomical Institute is described briefly. The catalog includes energy distribution data for 900 stars in the range 3200–7600Å and 250 stars in the range 3200–7600Å with 50Å step. The main scientific results obtained on the basis of the catalog are presented.     

Luminosities of FBS late type M stars

A catalog of 995 C and late M type stars is compiled from the First Byurakan Survey of the sky (FBS). The question of effectively separating giants and dwarfs among the stars of spectral class M is examined using data from this catalog, the 2MASS survey, and a number of other catalogs. This has made it possible to determine the luminosity class of 846 class M stars from the FBS survey. In the sample of FBS late M stars, 187 are dwarfs and 659 are giants. The sample of FBS late M stars is compared statistically with the set of known samples of type M stars. The subsample of FBS M-giants is proved to be similar to Stephenson’s standard sample of M-giants. A detailed statistical analysis of these two samples is carried out. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 50, No. 4, pp. 589–602 (November 2007).     

The absolute spectrophotometric catalog by Anita Cochran

The absolute spectrophotometric catalog by Anita Cochran is presented in a machine-readable form. The catalog systematizes observations acquired at the McDonald Observatory in 1977–1978. The data are compared with other sources, in particular, the calculated broadband stellar magnitudes are compared with photometric observations by other authors, to show that the observational data given in the catalog are reliable and suitable for a variety of applications. Observations of variable stars of different types make Cochran’s catalog especially valuable.     

On the Carbon—Star Status of Five Stars in a New Carbon Star Catalog

We find that five sources listed in the new carbon star catalog are not really carbon-rich objects but oxygen-rich stars, because they all have the prominent 10μm silicate features in absorption and the 1612MHz OH maser emission or/and the SiO molecular features. These objects were considered as carbon stars in the catalog based only on their locations in the infrared two-color diagram. Therefore to use the infrared two-color diagram to distinguish carbon-rich stars from oxygenrich stars must be done with caution, because, in general, it has only a statistical meaning.     

The extension of the fundamental system to fainter magnitudes

During the past 100 years the fundamental system has developed from a small list of 623 bright stars to one of 1535 stars. The compilation of the next fundamental catalog, the FK5, will involve the addition of some 3200 stars and will extend the system to magnitude 9.0. A number of criteria were used for selecting the 2000 stars in the seventh to ninth magnitude portion of the extension, the Faint Fundamentals. These criteria include distribution in magnitude and spectral type, quality of the observational histories, mean errors of the proper motions and distribution over the sky. These criteria have proven difficult to satisfy, especially at the faint end of the magnitude range and in the Southern Hemisphere.     

Kinematic analysis of stellar radial velocities by the spherical harmonics

A method for a kinematic analysis of stellar radial velocities using spherical harmonics is proposed. This approach does not depend on the specific kinematic model and allows both low-frequency and high-frequency kinematic radial velocity components to be analyzed. The possible systematic variations of distances with coordinates on the celestial sphere that, in turn, are modeled by a linear combination of spherical harmonics are taken into account. Theoretical relations showing how the coefficients of the decomposition of distances affect the coefficients of the decomposition of the radial velocities themselves have been derived. It is shown that the larger the mean distance to the sample of stars being analyzed, the greater the shift in the solar apex coordinates, while the shifts in the Oort parameter A are determined mainly by the ratio of the second zonal harmonic coefficient to the mean distance to the stars, i.e., by the degree of flattening of the spatial distribution of stars toward the Galactic plane. The distances to the stars for which radial velocity estimates are available in the CRVAD-2 catalog have been decomposed into spherical harmonics, and the existing variations of distances with coordinates are shown to exert no noticeable influence on both the solar motion components and the estimates of the Oort parameter A, because the stars from this catalog are comparatively close to the Sun (no farther than 500 pc). In addition, a kinematic component that has no explanation in terms of the three-dimensional Ogorodnikov-Milne model is shown to be detected in the stellar radial velocities, as in the case of stellar proper motions.     

估计Be星自转的一个统计方法

本文给出了一个统计方法,可以由观测得到的Be星视自转速度U=V sin i,估计出其真自转速度V;本文证实了Be星不是以临界速度旋转的,其真自转速度和临界速度之比为0.7左右。     

Hipparcos trigonometric parallaxes and the distance scale for open star clusters

Hipparcos trigonometric parallaxes are used to estimate the distances to the maximum possible number of open star clusters (OSC); distance moduli are estimated for 45 clusters with maximum heliocentric distances of about 1000 pc. The latter value can serve as an estimate of the limit to which it still makes sense to use Hipparcos trigonometric parallaxes to determine the distances to small groups composed of 6–10 sufficiently bright stars. A systematic correction to the distance moduli of clusters from the homogeneous catalog of OSC parameters (Loktin et al. 1997, 2000) is estimated, which turns out to be independent of the cluster age.     

Catalog of equatorial coordinates and <Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis>-magnitudes of stars of the FON project

The catalog of equatorial coordinates α and δ and B-magnitudes of stars of the northern sky (from–4° to +90°) was created as a part of the FON project at the Main Astronomical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The data accumulated in the Joint Digital Archive of the Ukrainian Virtual Observatory were used. The total number of processed plates is 2260. Astronegatives were digitized with Microtek ScanMaker 9800XL TMA and Epson Expression 10000XL scanners in the 1200 dpi scanning mode. The majority of plates have a size of 30 × 30 cm (13000 × 13000 pixels). The catalog contains the data on 19451751 stars and galaxies with B ≤ 16.5m at the epoch of 1988.1. The coordinates of stars and galaxies were obtained in the Tycho-2 reference system, and B-magnitudes were determined in the system of photoelectric standards. The mean internal errors of the catalog are σ_αδ = 0.23″ and σ_B = 0.14^m for all objects or σ_αδ = 0.10″ and σ_B = 0.07^m for stars in the B = 7^m–14^m range. The convergence between the catalog and Tycho-2 is characterized by the following values: 0.06′′ and 0.15^m. The mean-square difference in coordinates from the catalog and from UCAC-4 is σ_αδ = 0.30′′ (18 742 932 objects, or 96.36% of stars and galaxies, were cross-identified).