We present a sample of 705 local giant stars observed using the New Mexico State University 1m telescope with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-III/Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) spectrograph, for which we estimate stellar ages and the local star formation history (SFH). The high-resolution (R~22500), near infrared (1.51-1.7{mu}m) APOGEE spectra provide measurements of stellar atmospheric parameters (temperature, surface gravity, [M/H], and [{alpha}/M]). Due to the smaller uncertainties in surface gravity possible with high-resolution spectra and accurate Hipparcos distance measurements, we are able to calculate the stellar masses to within 30%. For giants, the relatively rapid evolution up the red giant branch allows the age to be constrained by the mass. We examine methods of estimating age using both the mass-age relation directly and a Bayesian isochrone matching of measured parameters, assuming a constant SFH. To improve the SFH prior, we use a hierarchical modeling approach to constrain the parameters of the model SFH using the age probability distribution functions of the data. The results of an {alpha}-dependent Gaussian SFH model show a clear age-[{alpha}/M] relation at all ages. Using this SFH model as the prior for an empirical Bayesian analysis, we determine ages for individual stars. The resulting age-metallicity relation is flat, with a slight decrease in [M/H] at the oldest ages and a ~0.5 dex spread in metallicity across most ages. For stars with ages <~1Gyr we find a smaller spread, consistent with radial migration having a smaller effect on these young stars than on the older stars.
We report HI-observations of a sample of 43 optically selected galaxies from the Heidelberg-void project. Only emission-line galaxies have been selected. The HI-detection rate was 67%. The observed sample is a mix in late-type morphology objects with a spread in luminosity. They were compared to other samples with similar selection effects and mixtures. The detected galaxies have a high HI content and their M_HI_/L_B_ values are systematically higher than expected from a local field comparison sample. Especially, for the 10 dwarfs in our sample (8.2<=logL_B_<=9.2) which appear to be highly isolated, a mean M_HI_/L_B_=1.8 was derived which is higher than for all comparison samples, including those with the same restricted luminosity range. We discuss a trend in our data between the relative HI-content and the surrounding galaxy density holding from very high densities (Virgo-cluster) to the very isolated objects at the rims of the voids. We also present HI observations of 7 HII-galaxies of the University of Michigan (UM) sample.
HIPPARCOS astrometric and kinematical data together with radial velocities from other sources are used to calibrate both luminosity and kinematics parameters of Ba stars and to classify them. Five distinct classes have been found i.e. some halo stars (H) and four groups belonging to disk population: roughly super-giants (S), two groups of giants (one on the giant branch (G), the other at the clump location(C)) and dwarfs (D). Individual distances and luminosities are estimated.
We compare the absolute visual magnitude of the majority of bright O stars in the sky as predicted from their spectral type with the absolute magnitude calculated from their apparent magnitude and the Hipparcos parallax. We find that many stars appear to be much fainter than expected, up to five magnitudes. We find no evidence for a correlation between magnitude differences and the stellar rotational velocity as suggested for OB stars by Lamers et al. (1997A&A...325L..25L), whose small sample of stars is partly included in ours.
The data known as the Hipparcos Photometry obtained with the Hipparcos satellite have been investigated to find those stars which are least variable. Such stars are excellent candidates to serve as standards for photometric systems. Their spectral types suggest in which parts of the HR diagrams stars are most constant. In some cases these values strongly indicate that previous ground based studies claiming photometric variability are incorrect or that the level of stellar activity has changed.
This catalogue (file "mean") contains homogeneous data in the photoelectric photometric system of Kron and Smith. The R magnitude and the R-I colour index have been collected from the literature published before January 1982. The homogenization method used in file "mean" has been described by Nicolet B. (1978, Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. 34,1).
We use a sample of 65 redshifts to study the kinematics and dynamics of the cluster Abell 151. Data on individual galaxies are presented, and the accuracy of the determined velocities are discussed as well as some properties of the cluster. The velocity data reveal a foreground group and a background population at the same redshifts as the closely projected cluster A 166.
We present 1428 individual astrometric measurements of 256 trans-Neptunian objects made with Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The observations were collected over three years with two instruments, the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 and the Advanced Camera for Surveys High Resolution Camera, as part of four HST programs. We briefly describe the data and our analysis procedures. The submission of these measurements to the Minor Planet Center increased the individual arc length of objects by 1.83 days to 8.11 years. Of the 256 total objects, 62 (24.2%) had arc length increases of >=3 years. The arc length for 60 objects (23.4%) was increased by a factor of 2 or greater.
Table 4 contains the parameters of the PSPC pointings which form the medium deep survey in HS 47.5/22, table 5 is the final X-ray source catalogue, and table 6 gives the results of the optical follow-up observations.
UV stellar photometry is presented for 1563 stars within a 40' circular field in the LMC, excluding the 10'x10' field centered on R136 investigated earlier by Hill et al. (1993). Magnitudes are computed from images obtained by the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope in bands centered at 1615A and 2558A. Stellar masses and extinctions are estimated for the stars in associations using the evolutionary models of Schaerer et al. (1993), assuming the age is 4Myr and that the local LMC extinction follows the Fitzpatrick (1985) 30 Dor extinction curve. The estimated slope of the initial mass function (IMF) for massive stars (>15M_{sun}_) within the Lucke and Hodge (LH) associations is {gamma}=-1.08+/-0.2. Initial masses and extinctions for stars not within LH associations are estimated assuming that the stellar age is either 4Myr or half the stellar lifetime, whichever is larger. The estimated slope of the IMF for massive stars not within LH associations is {gamma}=-1.74+/-0.3 (assuming continuous star formation), compared with {gamma}=-1.35, and {gamma}=-1.7+/-0.5, obtained for the Galaxy by Salpeter (1955) and Scalo (1986), respectively, and {gamma}=-1.6 obtained for massive stars in the Galaxy by Garmany, Conti, & Chiosi (1982). The shallower slope of the association IMF suggests that not only is the star formation rate higher in associations, but that the local conditions favor the formation of higher mass stars there. We make no corrections for binaries or incompleteness.
