On the apsidal motion of BP Vulpeculae

BP Vulpeculae is a bright eclipsing binary system showing apsidal motion. It was found in an earlier study that it shows retrograde apsidal motion which contradicts theory. In this paper we present the first $BV$ light curve of the system and its light curve solution as well as seven new times of the minima from the years 1959-1963. This way we could expanded the baseline of the investigation to five decades. Based on this longer baseline we concluded that the apsidal motion is prograde agreeing with the theoretical expectations and its period is about 365 years and the determined internal structure constant is close to the theoretically expected one.Comment: accepted for New Astronomy; two figure

Host Galaxies of Young Dust-Reddened Quasars

We present results on a multiwavelength campaign to identify the nature of dust-reddened Type 1 quasars. These quasars were selected by matching FIRST, 2MASS and very red optical counterparts with r' − K > 5. We find a very high fraction of Low Ionization Broad Absorption Line Quasars (LoBALs) among AGN selected with this method, perhaps a sign of quasar feedback. From X-ray observations and Balmer decrement measurements, the obscuring dust is most likely located in a cold absorber such as the host galaxy, rather than from a torus near the AGN. Hubble ACS imaging of a sub-sample of these sources showed a very high fraction of interacting and merging systems. The quasars appear to be very young in which dust from the merging galaxies is still settling in. Spitzer IRS and MIPS data show star formation signatures and deep Silicate absorption features in these objects, but overall the quasar is the dominant source in the Mid-infrared

Introduction and Expression of a Rabbit β-globin Gene in Mouse Fibroblasts

The cloned chromosomal rabbit ß-globin gene has been introduced into mouse fibroblasts by DNA-mediated gene transfer (transformation). In this report, we examine the expression of the rabbit gene in six independent transformants that contain from 1 to 20 copies of the cloned globin gene. Rabbit globin transcripts were detected in two of these transformants at steady-state concentrations of 5 and 2 copies per cell. The globin transcripts from one cell line are polyadenylylated and migrate as 9S RNA on methylmercury gels. These transcripts reflect correct processing of the two intervening sequences but lack 48 ± 5 nucleotides present at the 5' terminus of rabbit erythrocyte globin mRNA

High-Frequency Measurements Of The Spectrum Of Sagittarius A*

We report near-simultaneous interferometric measurements of the spectrum of Sagittarius A* over the 5-354 GHz range and single-dish observations that have yielded the first detection of Sgr A* at 850 GHz. We confirm that Sgr A*'s spectrum rises more steeply at short millimeter wavelengths than at centimeter wavelengths, leading to a near-millimeter/submillimeter excess that dominates its luminosity. Below 900 GHz, Sgr A*'s observed luminosity is 70 +/- 30 L.. A new upper limit to Sgr A*'s 24.3 mu m flux, together with a compilation of other extant IR data, imply a far-infrared spectral turnover, which can result from either an intrinsic synchrotron cutoff or excess extinction near Sgr A*. If the former applies, Sgr A*'s total synchrotron luminosity is <10(3) L., while in the latter case it is <3 x 10(4) L. if spherical symmetry also applies.NSF AST96-15025, AST96-13717Astronom

Spectral energy distributions of quasars selected in the mid-infrared

We present preliminary results on fitting of SEDs to 142 z>1 quasars selected in the mid-infrared. Our quasar selection finds objects ranging in extinction from highly obscured, type-2 quasars, through more lightly reddened type-1 quasars and normal type-1s. We find a weak tendency for the objects with the highest far-infrared emission to be obscured quasars, but no bulk systematic offset between the far-infrared properties of dusty and normal quasars as might be expected in the most naive evolutionary schemes. The hosts of the type-2 quasars have stellar masses comparable to those of radio galaxies at similar redshifts. Many of the type-1s, and possibly one of the type-2s require a very hot dust component in addition to the normal torus emission.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the proceedings of The Spectral Energy Distribution of Galaxies, Preston, September 2011, eds R.J. Tuffs & C.C. Popesc

High spectral and spatial resolution observations of the 12.28 micron emission from H2 in the Orion molecular cloud

The pure rotational S(2) line of molecular hydrogen at 12.28 microns was looked for in 44 positions in the Orion moleular cloud with 6 in. beams and 35 km/s spectral resolution; it was detected in 27 positions. Emission was observed over a velocity range of + or - 100 km/s. The lines are approximately symmetric, and have full widths at half maximum ranging from 100 km/s down to the resolution limit. The distribution of intensities and line shapes is largely consistent with that seen in the 2 micron hydrogen transitions. However, unexpectedly complex line profiles and point-to-point variations in linear shapes appear, particularly in the region near IRc9

The abundances of ethane to acetylene in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn

The present determination of the stratospheric abundances of ethane and acetylene on Jupiter and Saturn on the basis of IR spectra near 780/cm uses atmospheric models whose thermal and density profiles have constant mixing ratios. The ratio of ethane to acetylene is noted to be insensitive to model atmosphere assumptions; it is 55 + or - 31 for Jupiter and 23 + or - 12 where model mixing ratios are uniform. Atmospheric model density profiles adapted from theoretical photochemical models are noted to also yield a higher ethane/acetylene ratios for Jupiter

The Infrared Array Camera Dark Field: Far-Infrared to X-ray Data

We present 20 band photometry from the far-IR to X-ray in the Spitzer Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) dark field. The bias for the near-IR camera on Spitzer is calibrated by observing a ~20' diameter "dark" field near the north ecliptic pole roughly every two-to-three weeks throughout the mission duration of Spitzer. The field is unique for its extreme depth, low background, high quality imaging, time-series information, and accompanying photometry including data taken with Akari, Palomar, MMT, KPNO, Hubble, and Chandra. This serendipitous survey contains the deepest mid-IR data taken to date. This data set is well suited for studies of intermediate-redshift galaxy clusters, high-redshift galaxies, the first generation of stars, and the lowest mass brown dwarfs, among others. This paper provides a summary of the data characteristics and catalog generation from all bands collected to date as well as a discussion of photometric redshifts and initial and expected science results and goals. To illustrate the scientific potential of this unique data set, we also present here IRAC color-color diagrams

Bα and Ne II line spectroscopy in the vicinity of the Galactic center source IRS 16

Bα(4.05μm) and (Ne II) (12.81 μm) line spectra at spatial resolutions of ~3" and spectral resolutions of 80 km s^(−1) have been obtained on a grid of positions surrounding IRS 16, which may be at the Galactic center. The Bα and (Ne II) line profiles agree within the uncertainties and neither set of spectra shows evidence of ionized gas associated with IRS 16 over a velocity range of −500 to +450 km s^(−1). A spectrum of Bα from an 8" beam centered on IRS 16 and covering −7500 to +6500 km s^(−1) with 500 km s^(−1) resolution shows marginal evidence for a broad‐line component. These data imply that no concentration of moderate velocity gas (|v|<300 km s−^(1)) is directly associated with IRS 16 and that the ionized gas near IRS 16 is for the most part neither very dense nor of very high velocity