We present a characterization of the main properties of the night-sky at the Calar Alto observatory for the time period between 2004 and 2007. We use optical spectrophotometric data, photometric calibrated images taken in moonless observing periods, together with the observing conditions regularly monitored at the observatory, such as atmospheric extinction and seeing. We derive, for the first ...

Context. Astronomical research dealing with accurate radial velocity measurements need reliable astronomical standards to calibrate the spectrographs and to assess possible systematics. Stellar radial velocity standards offer a reference at the level of a few hundred m s−1 and are not adequate for most present needs. Aims. We aim to show that sunlight reflected by asteroids is a fairly accessib...

Effective radio frequency interference (RFI) cancellation for spectroscopic applications can take place using time averaged spectra. An RFI “reference signal,” constructed from the cross power spectrum of the signals from the two polarizations of a reference horn pointed at the source of the RFI signal, in combination with cross power spectra with the signals from the Parkes telescope, allows c...

Many objects on the sky exhibit a centrosymmetric polarization pattern, particularly in cases involving single scattering around a central source. Utilizing a novel liquid crystal device (the “theta cell”) that transforms the coordinate system of linear polarization in an image plane from Cartesian to polar, the observation of centrosymmetric polarization patterns can be improved: instead of me...

Currently two query languages are defined as standards for the Virtual Observatory (VO). Astronomical Data Query Language (ADQL) is used for catalog data query and Simple Image Access Protocol (SIAP) is for image data query. As a result, when we query each data service, we need to know in advance which language is supported and then construct a query language accordingly. The construct of SIAP ...

We present a study of the kinematic and spectral ages of the GigahertzPeaked Spectrum (GPS) source CTD 93. Measurements of the hot spot separation over 8.5 yr show evidence of an increase. The separation rate along the source axis is 0.34±0.11c (H0=72 km s Mpc), which results in a kinematic age of 2200±700 yr. Assuming that two hot spots are moving apart at equal speeds, we derive an advance sp...

The astronomical database SIMBAD developed at the Centre de Donn ees de Strasbourg CDS currently contains about one million objects stellar and non stellar all described by heterogeneous data bibliographical references measurements and identi ers SIMBAD supplies the existing links between the di erent synonym names of one object and describes astronomical objects with information coming from th...

1 MIRA project, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, Japan e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] 2 Extrasolar Planet Project Office, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, Japan 3 Division of Optical and Infrared Astronomy, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, Japan 4 Max-Planc...

The infrared (IR) spectrum of protonated azulene (AzuH(+), C(10)H(9)(+)) has been measured in the fingerprint range (600-1800 cm(-1)) by means of IR multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy in a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization source using a free electron laser. The potential energy surface of AzuH(+) has been charact...