The infrared colors of main sequence stars: how much circumstellar debris is normal?

We have been awarded NASA Key Project observing time on ISO, in order to establish the true frequency of far-infrared excesses in a volume-limited sample of main sequence and related stars, and address the relative success or failure of single stars in processes related to the forming of planetary systems. For a volume-limited subset of main sequence and related stars, PHT03 measurements at 3.6, 11.5, 20 and 60 micron will be obtained, using a 120 arsec aperture in all cases to eliminate possible companion confusion with differing apertures, to ascertain spectral energy distributions. For the M dwarfs, 100 micron observations will also be obtained. For some, brighter sources, more extensive wavelength coverage and improved spatial resolution will be attempted, using CAM and SWS. Spatially over-sampled PHOT observations will be made at 60 micron of the brightest and nearest Vega-like sources to measure the characteristic sizes of the emitting regions and obtain some information regarding their shapes and orientations. The goal is not a map, but scan profiles along 3 position angles which can be deconvolved to find the intrinsic size and shape of the half-maximum contour of the emitting region. Photometry of selected lines of sight through the zodiacal dust will also be carried out to look for outer solar system (Kuiper Belt) material. Observation at a range of wavelengths, ecliptic latitudes and at 2 epochs is designed to help untangle foreground Zodiacal from background Kuiper flux, not necessarily to look for individual macroscopic objects.     

2004年度天文学科科学基金面上项目

介绍了2004年度天文学科科学基金申请、资助的基本情况，并对其结果进行了分析．     

视超光速源的统计分析

本文收集了视超光速源样本的有关观测数据，在同步加速自康普顿散射机制下导出了各源的多普勒因子，再利用视超光速源的相对论射束模型计算样本源的有关物理量，如射电光度和亮温度，并与它们的观测值作直接的比较，得到较好的相关结果。这些结果支持了活动星系核中具有相对论射束运动的假设。同时我们比较了样本源的射电、光学、Ｘ射线的发现它们之间有一定的相关性，说明在不同波段上的辐射机制可能存在某种联系。     

Search for 12.6 millisecond periodicity in TeV gamma rays from Cygnus X-3

Cygnus X-3, an X-ray binary with an orbital period 4.8 hr was seen to be emitting γ-rays with the same period at TeV energies by several groups. In addition the Durham group (Chadwicket al. 1985) published their observations on the existence of a pulsar in the Cyg X-3 system, emitting TeV γ-rays with a periodicity of approximately 12.6 ms. We observed this object during 1986 October-November and did not detect any pulsed emission of TeV γ-rays in the range of periods from 12.5850 to 12.5967 ms.     

The Concordia station on the Antarctic plateau: The best site on earth for the 21st century astronomers

On the Antarctic plateau, a joint project of French and Italian polar programmes is nearing completion: the Concordia station will be open for winter-over operation in 2005. The high altitude and high latitude of this site, the exceptionally cold, clear and stable atmosphere, its incredible astronomical seeing, the almost indefinitely flat snow surface and the not-so-difficult access make this site the most promising on Earth for future ground-based astronomical projects in various fields, including long term photometry, infrared high sensitivity imaging and high angular resolution and high contrast imaging.     

一种新型射电天文频谱仪——声表面波频谱仪

本文简要介绍一种以傅里叶交换的线性调频Z变换(CZT)算法为工作原理,以声表面波(SAW)器件为支持性技术的新型射电频谱仪.给出它在紫金山天文台青海站13.7m射电天文望远镜13mm接收系统上对22GHz水分子脉泽源试观测的结果,实践表明它具有宽带、高频率分辨率、全固化、机械稳定性好、对工作环境要求不高、可靠性高等优点.在射电天文星际分子谱线观测技术中有一定实用价值.     

Critical remarks on the use of medieval eclipse records for the determination of long-term changes in the Earth's rotation

The use of some Arabic medieval solar and lunar eclipse records for the determination of secular changes in the Earth's rotation is critically reviewed. The published results derived from these data suggest a non-uniform decrease in the Earth's rotation rate over the last 27 cy. There is, however, up to this day no sound physical explanation for the deduced non-tidal oscillations, with an apparent period of about 1500 yr and a semi-amplitude of some 4 ms in the l.o.d., which overlayed to a constant secular tidal change in the Earth's rotation rate produce a net non-uniform deceleration of the Earth's rotation. In this paper we discuss a set of observations, which were executed by professional Arabic astronomers. We show by our analysis the way in which the non-uniform deceleration of the Earth's rotation was constructed. A correct reading of the Arabic medieval observations shows that they do not contradict a secular constant decrease in the Earth's rotation rate of nearly -4.6 10-22 rad s-2. This value is in accordance with other similar ones derived from ancient eclipse records and from satellite tracking data.     

Digital astro-geodetic camera system for the measurement of the deflections of the vertical: tests and results

This study introduces the new results of a novel low-cost digital zenith camera system operated in Turkey that uses astronomical and geodetic instrumentation. Currently, it is possible to determine deflections of the vertical (DoV) components by using a vast amount of information gathered from geo-referenced star images, tilt measurements, and Global Navigation Satellite System technology. This new design of an astro-geodetic camera system is used for calculating DoV components with 12 independent solutions on a test station in Istanbul, and additional observations were performed to investigate the external accuracy of the system on a test network. A specific leveling method is developed to align system toward the zenithal direction. The final results of the observations on a test station located in Istanbul indicate that the accuracy of the system is about ±0.19 arc-seconds in latitude and ±0.28 arc-seconds in longitude determination. The system has been further tested on a network with 4 control points that have averagely 20?km baselines. At the test network, the root mean square of the average value of the vertical deflections is calculated as ±0.36 arc-seconds. Furthermore, DoV components are compared with the values that are calculated using global geopotential models.     

中外大学天文学教材评述

大学天文学是高校天文学专业最重要的专业基础课程, 主要 讲授天文学的基础知识和发展全貌, 具有覆盖面广、知识点多的特点. 教材的质量对于帮助学生理解天文学的基本原理和方法、提高学术水平和科学素养起到关键作用. 对于非天文学专业的学生和天文爱好者, 天文学教材也是拓展科学知识和认知宇宙的重要途径. 我国的大学天文学教材建设与欧美发达国家相比在数量和质量上还有不小差距. 梳理了国内外较有代表性的大学天文学教材, 评述其特色、优势和有待改进之处, 比较中外教材在内容和写法上的异同. 通过分析国外优秀教材的编著理念、方法和技巧, 为我国未来天文学教材建设提供参考建议.     

HESS observations of extragalactic objects

The HESS experiment (High Energy Stereoscopic System), consisting of four imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs) in Namibia, has observed many extragalactic objects in the search for very high energy (VHE) γ-ray emission. These objects include active galactic nuclei (AGN), notably Blazars, Seyferts, radio galaxies, starburst galaxies and others. Beyond the established sources, γ-ray emission has been detected for the first time from several of these objects by HESS, and their energy spectra and variability characteristics have been measured. Multi-wavelength campaigns, including X-ray satellites, radio telescopes, and optical observations, have been carried out for AGNs, in particular for PKS 2155-304, H 2356-309 and 1ES 1101-232, for which the implications concerning emission models are presented. Also results from the investigations of VHE flux variability from the giant radio galaxy M 87 are shown. For the HESS Collaboration.