[vsnet-chat 2528] Re: Questions on polarimetry

[Gianluca Masi <gianmasi@fr.flashnet.it>]

Dear Timo,
I'm able to give a partial answer only to your second question.

Doing polarimetry is quite a delicate matter, especially as regards the calibration. You
have to be very careful as regards possible polarization induced by the instruments
(especially if there are reflecting parts along the light path). Under several aspects, I
think polarimetry is a special case of photometry.

This is a very extensive matter, of course. You can find more details on the following
books:

Jaap Tinbergen: "Astronomical Polarimetry", Cambridge University Press

Tom Gehrels (editor): "Planets, stars and nebulae studied with photopolarimetry",
University of Arizona Press


Regards,
Gianluca

Timo Kinnunen wrote:
> 
>   Hi all,
> 
>   My ignorance on polarimetry condensated
> into two questions.
> 
> - Polars are magnetic CVs, aren't they?
> What is the difference betw. polars and
> intermediate polars?
> 
> - If I put a pola-filter in front of a CCD,
> and rotate it betw. exposures, would I
> have polarimetry?
> 
> Regards,
> Timo Kinnunen

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