The pattern speed of the bar in NGC 4596

The pattern speed is a defining parameter of any barred galaxy. A large number of model-dependent techniques have therefore been developed to derive the pattern speed. However, the only model-independent technique for measuring this quantity – the Tremaine–Weinberg method – has hitherto been applied to just one case, the SB0 galaxy NGC 936. In this paper, we apply the technique to a second system, the SBa galaxy NGC 4596. The resulting estimate for the pattern speed is Ω_p=52±13 km s⁻¹ kpc⁻¹. This result is corroborated by a spectrum obtained along the major axis of the bar in this system. The corotation radius associated with this pattern speed lies just beyond the end of the bar indicating a fast bar. Combining the bar major-axis spectra with data obtained from a Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 image, we also find strong evidence for a nuclear disc.     

VLBI observations of high-opacity HI gas in NGC 5793

We report on observations, with sub-parsec resolution, of neutral hydrogen seen in absorption in the λ=21 cm line against the nucleus of the active spiral galaxy NGC 5793. The absorption line consists of three components separated in both location as well as velocity. We derive HI column densities of 2×10²² cm⁻² assuming a gas spin temperature of 100 K. For the first time we are able to reliably estimate the HI cloud sizes (≈15 pc) and atomic gas densities (≈200 cm⁻³). Our results suggest that the HI gas is not associated with the <10 pc region which presumably contains the H₂O masers, but it is more distant from the nucleus, and is probably associated with the r1 kpc gas seen in CO.     

BVRI photometry of possible standard stars in NGC 188

CCD photometry of possible standard stars, in Cousins B, V, R and I, in a field in the region of NGC 188 is presented.     

Mass distribution in the open cluster NGC 1664

We start with the hypotheses that the cluster space is limited by an ellipsoid with a semiprincipal axis directed to the observer and that the star density inside of concentric ellipsodal layers remains constant, although varying from layer to layer. It results that the mean star mass at the periphery of the cluster is 0.59 Sun masses smaller than that at the center.