[vsnet-chat 3077] (fwd) Extragalactic Variables [chat] (Greaves)

[Taichi Kato <tkato>]

(fwd) Extragalactic Variables [chat] (Greaves)

Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2000 23:11:10 +0000
From: JG <jgts@jgws.totalserve.co.uk>
Subject: Extragalactic Variables [chat]

I'd been wondering for some time whether or not the big telescope people
would be interested in extragalactic variables.  This will mostly amount
to LMC objects, as exemplified by Andrew Pearce's question re LMC V1341,
as well as SMC... ...but some northern local group galaxies are also
included [though these variables will be _very_ faint].

NOW, to the best of my knowledge the GCVS people intend to stick to the
numbering system devised for the GCVS Volume V subsection on
extragalactic variables, whilst keeping older designations as a cross
reference.

So, here's a TDF for Guide 7 users in the southern hemisphere who wish a
bit of assistance in finding LMC and SMC variables [amongst others], but
can't get at the obscure literature/charts.

First, go to http://ftp.sai.msu.su/pub/groups/cluster/gcvs/gcvs/v/ and
download the file evs_cat.dat into your Guide home directory.

You will also need the remarks and reference files.  The density of
stars in these fields and the nature of the datafiles means you will
also need to check the files with ascii readers.  References to charts
and literature will have to be done in this way [evs_ref.dat], as will
the remarks [evs_rem.dat].  The readme and v.txt file will also be
useful.  Download them all.

Copy the appended TDF into your Guide directory also. The data is
automatically "on" plotted as stars to max mag and visible for fields
smaller than 15 degrees.  Some of your normal settings and zoom levels
may have to be tweaked to allow for these cramped fields.  USNO A2 data
may need to be downloaded from a suitable site and imported into Guide 7
to make the fields more recognisable on occasion [www.projectpluto.com
for these sorts of details].  However, for time series CCD images,
charts generated with included Guide 7 data and the evs_cat.dat dataset
will probably give sufficient pattern for the varying objects to be
located.  The same will apply visually for brighter objects in less
cluttered fields.

GO TO TDF "Extragalactic Variables" will work, the input format will
need to be something like "lmc v1341" or "LMC V1341" to find the
recurrent nova mentioned by Andrew.  GO TO TDF "N6822 V0003" will go to
variable 3 in NGC 6822, as a further example.

IMPORTANT : use of this TDF will help people find and identify the large
number of ASAS variables in the LMC that were already known, but not
noted in the standard GCVS Vols I to III adn thus not identified by the
authors of said, a point I believe Brian Skiff made some time ago.  That
is, these stars already had non-ASAS identities, both in GCVS vol V and
before.  You'll need Taichi Kato's NEWVAR.CAT and an earlier posted TDF
to do this.  Use of the search facility in the VSNET homepage sidebar
[www.kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp/vsnet/] should find these easily enough.

I've tested it, it seems okay.  The following TDF has each line
_beginning_ and _ending_ with a superfluous ! character.  These are so
you know which lines have been wrapped via email transmission.  Use
these to ensure no lines are wrapped, and then delete them, they are not
part of the code!

===============start snip
!file evs_cat.dat!
!title Extragalactic Variables!
!RA H  22  2!
!RA M  24  2!
!RA S  26  4!
!de d  31  3!
!de m  34  2!
!de s  36  2!
!mag   49  5!
!text  9 12!
!~b  9  12 %s\n!
!~b 41   6 Var. Type:  %s\n\n!
!~r 22   8 RA2000    %R\n!
!~r 31   7 Dec2000  %D\n\n!
!~b 49   5 Max Mag:  %s\n!
!~r 54 0 : maximum magnitude uncertain\n!
!~b 62 0 ) Amplitude :!
!~b 62 0   Min Mag :!
!~b 55 0 < <!
!~b 56   5   %s\n!
!~r 61 0 : minimum magnitude uncertain\n!
!~b 63   1 Passband :  %s\n!
!~r 64  13 Epoch : JD 24%s\n!
!~b 78  13 Period :  %s days\n!
!~b 77 0 ( outburst timescale.!
!~b 91 0 : uncertain\n!
!~b 97   6 \nSpectral Type :  %s\n!
!~r111  25 \nCross IDs :  %s\n!
!~b137   8 GCVS/NSV = %s\n!
!~b147 0 : possible-!
!~b146 0 n nonmember\n\n!
!~r 21 0 * \nSee Remarks File\n!
!!
!epoch 1950!
!type   6!
!goto spaces!
!goto case!
!label spaces!
!field 0 150!
!mag lim 13!
!shown 3!
!end!
=============end snip


Cheers

John

JG, UK

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