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1.
The faint regions of galaxies, groups and clusters hold important clues about how these objects formed, and surface photometry at optical and near-infrared wavelengths represents a powerful tool for studying such structures. Here, we identify a hitherto unrecognized problem with this technique, related to how the night sky flux is typically measured and subtracted from astronomical images. While most of the sky flux comes from regions between the observer and the target object, a small fraction – the extragalactic background light (EBL) – comes from behind. We argue that since this part of the sky flux can be subjected to extinction by dust present in the galaxy/group/cluster studied, standard reduction procedures may lead to a systematic oversubtraction of the EBL. Even very small amounts of extinction can lead to spurious features in radial surface brightness profiles and colour maps of extended objects. We assess the likely impact of this effect on a number of topics in extragalactic astronomy where very deep surface photometry is currently attempted, including studies of stellar haloes, starburst host galaxies, disc truncations and diffuse intragroup/intracluster light. We argue that EBL extinction may provide at least a partial explanation for the anomalously red colours reported for the haloes of disc galaxies and for the hosts of local starburst galaxies. EBL extinction effects also mimic truncations in discs with unusually high dust opacities, but are unlikely to be the cause of such features in general. Failure to account for EBL extinction can also give rise to a non-negligible underestimate of intragroup and intracluster light at the faintest surface brightness levels currently probed. Finally, we discuss how EBL extinction effects may be exploited to provide an independent constraint on the surface brightness of the EBL, using a combination of surface photometry and direct star counts.  相似文献   

2.
We report measurements from which we determine the spatial structure of the lunar contribution to night sky brightness, taken at the LSST site on Cerro Pachon in Chile. We use an array of six photodiodes with filters that approximate the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope’s u, g, r, i, z, and y bands. We use the sun as a proxy for the moon, and measure sky brightness as a function of zenith angle of the point on sky, zenith angle of the sun, and angular distance between the sun and the point on sky. We make a correction for the difference between the illumination spectrum of the sun and the moon. Since scattered sunlight totally dominates the daytime sky brightness, this technique allows us to cleanly determine the contribution to the (cloudless) night sky from backscattered moonlight, without contamination from other sources of night sky brightness. We estimate our uncertainty in the relative lunar night sky brightness vs. zenith and lunar angle to be between 0.3–0.7 mags depending on the passband. This information is useful in planning the optimal execution of the LSST survey, and perhaps for other astronomical observations as well. Although our primary objective is to map out the angular structure and spectrum of the scattered light from the atmosphere and particulates, we also make an estimate of the expected number of scattered lunar photons per pixel per second in LSST, and find values that are in overall agreement with previous estimates.  相似文献   

3.
1996年1月~1998年3月,我们用光电方法测定了丽江高美古在B、V两个波段的夜天光亮度。为便于比较,在1996年1月还测定了云南天文台凤凰山台址的夜天光亮度。本文给出了观测结果,同时也列出了世界上一些天文台站的数据以供参考。  相似文献   

4.
This article examines the use of Laser Beacons for daytime astronomical observations. There are two potential applications: the diffraction limited observation of (1) the structure in the solar corona at all wavelengths, and (2) non-solar astronomical objects in the thermal infrared part of the spectrum. We examine the brightness of the Laser Beacon required as well as the limitations imposed by the daytime sky brightness and sky/telescope thermal emission on the observable magnitude limits. For both applications the use of Laser Beacon adaptive optics in daytime results in important research opportunities.  相似文献   

5.
Scanning Sky Monitor (SSM) onboard AstroSat is an X-ray sky monitor in the energy range 2.5–10 keV. SSM scans the sky for X-ray transient sources in this energy range of interest. If an X-ray transient source is detected in outburst by SSM, the information will be provided to the astronomical community for follow-up observations to do a detailed study of the source in various other bands. SSM instrument, since its power-ON in orbit, has observed a number of X-ray sources. This paper discusses observations of few X-ray transients by SSM. The flux reported by SSM for few sources during its Performance Verification phase (PV phase) is studied and the results are discussed.  相似文献   

6.
The first World Atlas of the artificial night sky brightness   总被引:5,自引:0,他引:5  
We present the first World Atlas of the zenith artificial night sky brightness at sea level. Based on radiance-calibrated high-resolution DMSP satellite data and on accurate modelling of light propagation in the atmosphere, it provides a nearly global picture of how mankind is proceeding to envelop itself in a luminous fog. Comparing the Atlas with the United States Department of Energy (DOE) population density data base, we determined the fraction of population who are living under a sky of given brightness. About two-thirds of the World population and 99 per cent of the population in the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) and European Union live in areas where the night sky is above the threshold set for polluted status. Assuming average eye functionality, about one-fifth of the World population, more than two-thirds of the United States population and more than one half of the European Union population have already lost naked eye visibility of the Milky Way. Finally, about one-tenth of the World population, more than 40 per cent of the United States population and one sixth of the European Union population no longer view the heavens with the eye adapted to night vision, because of the sky brightness.  相似文献   

7.
Short dipoles are a key element in new low frequency array antennas as proposed for LOFAR and other astronomical applications. Unfortunately standard texts on short dipole antennas are based on the effective area and do not lead to an astronomically useful sensitivity formulation in a straightforward manner. The concept of maximum effective area is applied to arrays of short dipoles and allows expressing the sensitivity as the ratio of this area over the effective sky brightness temperature as long as the output noise power is dominated by the antenna input radiation. For both quantities we only need to know the array directivity pattern that includes the mutual coupling effects when the actual loading conditions of the array elements are taken into account. Short dipole elements have a constant directivity pattern for frequencies below resonance, but they exhibit strong complex impedance variations that provide only narrow band performance when power matching is applied as required in transmit applications. However, in receive applications voltage or current sensing can be realized, for example with an active balun. Assisted by the steep increase of the sky brightness with wavelength for frequencies below 300 MHz, this can provide sky noise dominated performance over at least a three to one frequency range. Still the low frequency limit is determined by the amplifier noise contribution and the losses in the antenna and in the dielectric ground surrounding the elements. We show that for a sparse array with the elements non-uniformly distributed according to an exponential shell model, a constant sensitivity can be obtained over a frequency range of at least two octaves. In addition, such a configuration has a factor of six greater sensitivity than a rectangular array for a large part of the frequency band.  相似文献   

8.
Historical optical data are combined on the BL Lac object OQ 530.Verifying the existence of correlations among the flux variations in different bands serves as an important tool to investigate emission processes.To examine the possible existence of a lag between variations in different optical bands from this source,a statistical analysis is performed through the discrete correlation function(DCF)method and the z-transformed discrete correlation function(ZDCF)method.Monte Carlo simulations called"flux redistribution/random subset selection"(FR/RSS)are performed to obtain statistically meaningful values for the cross-correlation time lags and their related uncertainties.The analysis confirms that the variations in different optical light curves are strongly correlated,with zero-lag within the errors.Long term variability of color indexes is also analyzed.The result suggests a strong correlation between color index and brightness.A clear bluer-when-brighter chromatism is found,in the sense that the spectrum steepens as the brightness decreases.  相似文献   

9.
An astrophotometer was used for measurements of lunar sky brightness in visible and ultraviolet range during day and night. The data obtained showed unexpectedly high values of brightness during the lunar day in the visible region. From measurements during lunar ‘twilight’ conditions and from the dependence of excessive flux on cosZ⊙ we have concluded that the effect is due to scattering of solar radiation by dust particles above the surface of the Moon. Some evidence in favour of dust clouds around the Moon is presented.  相似文献   

10.
Photoelectric measurements of the night sky brightness and the light pollution of Kottamia Observatory have been carried out and the deduced results are expressed in mag/sec2. The maximum brightness of the sky in the direction of Cairo city at zenith distance 45° and azimuth 70° when the sun is almost 60° below the horizon are 22.68; 21.54 and 19.82 mag/sec2 for blue, yellow and red colours respectively. The corresponding values of night sky background are 22.94; 21.85 and 20.14 mag/sec2 respectively.The isophotes of the sky brightness at Kottamia Observatory have been drawn for blue, yellow and red colours. The variations of the night sky brightness and the (B-V) colour index with altitude of the observed point have been studied.The light pollution and the night sky brightness at the site of Kottamia Observatory is compared with that deduced by different investigators at other sites. It has been shown that the sky brightness at zenith distance 45° at Kottamia Observatory site is similar to Kitt Peak and Palomar Observatory sites. Kottamia Observatory site is slightly brighter than Junipero Serra while it is darker than Mount Hamilton and San Jose sites. The comparative results have been carried out at blue and yellow colours. No comparison is obtained at red as there is no data published for the red colour.  相似文献   

11.
We present a characterization of two narrow band filters commonly used in Infrared Astronomy. Our study mainly quantifies the effect of temperature and tilt angle on the central wavelength and width of the transmission bands of such filters. This allows to evaluate some important effects that must be taken into account to have good quality astronomical images. Effects as the limitation of the field of view and the presence of OH sky lines in the final image are quantified.  相似文献   

12.
The Atacama Cosmology Telescope is a project to map the microwave background radiation at arcminute angular resolution and high sensitivity in three frequency bands over substantial sky areas. Cosmological signals driving such an experiment are reviewed, and current progress in hardware construction is summarized. Complementary astronomical observations in other wavebands are also discussed.  相似文献   

13.
A.D. Kuzmin  B.Y.A Losovsky 《Icarus》1973,18(2):222-223
A model of an icy surface and interior for Callisto gives a predicted thermal radio emission in good agreement with experimental radio astronomical data. The radio brightness temperature of an icy surface will not depend on wavelength. This may be a method to test icy surface hypotheses. The brightness temperatures of other satellites with icy surfaces will be equal to 200–220°K and will not depend on wavelength.  相似文献   

14.
Photoelectric observations of night sky brightness at different zenith distances in blue, yellow and red colours have been carried out at Abu-Simbel site. Variations in the night sky brightness and (B-V) colour index with time are detected. These variations have been explained by the change of the galactic latitude of the observed point with time. The deduced results of night sky brightness have been compared with that obtained before at other sites. It has been found for both blue and yellow colours, that Abu-Simbel is the darkest site especially for zenith distances equal or greater than 60°. The present values of night sky brightness and colour have been obtained for the first time at Abu-Simbel site. The average night sky brightness at the galactic plane is 22.58 mag/arc sec2 for blue and 21.66 mag/arc sec2 for yellow. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.  相似文献   

15.
This paper presents high contrast images of sky sources, obtained from the ground with a novel optical concept: Fresnel arrays. We demonstrate the efficiency of a small 20?cm prototype Fresnel array for making images with high brightness ratios, achieving contrasts up to 4 × 105 on sky sources such as Mars and its satellites, and the Sirius?A?CB couple. These validation results are promising for future applications in space, for example the 4 m array we have proposed to ESA in the frame of the ??Call for a Medium-size mission opportunity for a launch in 2022??. Fresnel imagers are the subject of a topical issue of Experimental Astronomy published in 2011, but only preliminary results were presented at the time. Making images of astronomical bodies requires an optical component to focus light. This component is usually a mirror or a lens, the quality of which is critical for sharp and high contrast images. However, reflection on a mirror and refraction through a lens are not the only ways to focus light: an alternative is provided by diffraction through binary masks (opaque foils with multiple precisely etched sub-apertures). Our Fresnel arrays are such diffractive focusers, they offer weight, price and size advantages over traditional optics in space-based astronomical instruments. This novel approach requires only void apertures of special shapes in an opaque material to form sharp images, thus avoiding the wavefront distortion, diffusion and spectral absorption associated with traditional optical media. In our setup, lenses and/or mirrors are involved only downstream (at small sizes) for focal instrumentation and chromatic correction. Fresnel arrays produce high contrast images, the resolution of which reaches the theoretical limit of diffraction. Unlike mirrors, they do not require high precision polishing or positioning, and can be used in a large domain of wavelengths from far IR to far UV, enabling the study of many science cases in astrophysics from exoplanet surfaces and atmospheres to galaxy evolution.  相似文献   

16.
收集了AO0235+164天体射电4.8GHz和14.5GHz波段的光变测量数据,并获得了长期的光变曲线,从光变曲线可以看出其活动是非常剧烈的。利用Jurkevieh方法和自相关函数方法分别对AO0235+164射电波段宽带谱指数进行周期性分析,并对流量和谱指数进行相关性分析,研究结果表明:(1)AO0235+164天体射电波段4.8GHz-14.5GHz对应的宽带谱指数,可能存在5.30年的光变周期,与Liu等人用功率谱法在射电波段发现其流量密度可能存在5.59±0.47年的光变周期基本吻合;(2)宽带谱指数与流量密度之间存在相关性。  相似文献   

17.
收集了AO 0235+164天体射电4.8 GHz和14.5 GHz波段的光变测量数据,并获得了长期的光变曲线,从光变曲线可以看出其活动是非常剧烈的。利用Jurkevich方法和自相关函数方法分别对AO 0235+164射电波段宽带谱指数进行周期性分析,并对流量和谱指数进行相关性分析,研究结果表明:(1)AO 0235+164天体射电波段4.8 GHz~14.5 GHz对应的宽带谱指数,可能存在5.30年的光变周期,与Liu等人用功率谱法在射电波段发现其流量密度可能存在5.59±0.47年的光变周期基本吻合;(2)宽带谱指数与流量密度之间存在相关性。  相似文献   

18.
In this paper a specific inverse astronomical problem is treated. We study the problem of inferring the spatial density profile of a spherically symmetric stellar system from values of its surface density or from discrete data as the projected positions of its stars on the plane of sky. Non parametric techniques were used based on the least-squares method or on the maximum likelihood estimation. The smoothness of the resulting profiles is increased by the method of regularization.  相似文献   

19.
现代日晕光度计(Sky Brightness Monitor,SBM)是一种测定天文址点白昼大气参量的精密仪器,它已成为国际上太阳选址工作的重要设备之一。与国外同类设备不同的是,云南天文台研制的现代日晕光度计上的CCD相机系统可以被简单拆卸并保存,有利于选址踏勘阶段的携带和运输。为获取组装现代日晕光度计设备时可能存在的CCD离焦所导致的测量误差,于2011年6月在新疆奇台县和宁夏石嘴山市利用当地稳定的日照条件做了多次CCD大离焦量快变试验。统计结果表明,现代日晕光度计的CCD显著离焦可造成的相对测量误差约在6%之内。在正常情况下,即观测者基本按照物镜旋筒刻线标志在望远镜上安装CCD设备时,日晕测量的相对误差一般远小于6%。因此认为这种系统误差对优良址点的测量影响基本可以忽略。  相似文献   

20.
Photoelectric measurements have been carried out at Kottamia Observatory site to study night sky brightness and the atmospheric extinction at different wavelengths. The results show that the mean extinction coefficients are k = 0.41, k = 0.28< and k = 0.17 mag/air mass during autumn season. These values are almost the same as that obtained by Mikhail (1979) at the same site during the same season. Results of night sky brightness at different altitudes above the horizon have been obtained. Complete scan each five degrees step in azimuth have been done at altitudes 50°, 60° and 70° to complete the previous measurements given by Nawar et al. (1995). Far from the diffuse galactic light, slight variations in night sky brightness with azimuth have been detected. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.  相似文献   

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