Photometric observations of recent comets
Infrared observations of comet Bennett, Kohoutek, Bradfield, and Encke are analyzed with emphasis on the detection of the silicate emission feature. Results are summarized.
Ney, E. P.↗
Engineering topics
Ney, E. P.
Publications and source records attributed to Ney, E. P..
Studies of the infrared source CRL 2688
Infrared, optical, and radio observation are described of a newly discovered galactic infrared source. Most of the radiation comes from a 1.''5 diameter infrared source at a temperature of about 150 K, but some visible emission in the form of a symmetrical highly polarized reflection nebulosity is also seen. The object could represent either a very early or a very late stage in stellar evolution.
Ney, E. P.↗
Visual and infrared observations of late-type supergiants in the southern sky
Spectral types and photometry ranging from 0.4 to 18 microns are given for 54 late-type stars, including 21 supergiants. The infrared observations of the supergiants confirm the dependence of the strength of the 10-micron silicate emission feature on the spectral type and luminosity class of the star. The long-wavelength data are also used to determine the interstellar extinction by fitting an appropriate blackbody to the infrared observations. The deviation from the blackbody at the shorter wavelengths is then attributed to interstellar absorption and absorption by TiO. This method is particularly useful when the short-wavelength photometry is contaminated by a close companion. The M supergiant AH Sco has excess radiation between 1.5 and 8 microns similar to the NML Tauri-type infrared stars. This excess energy resembles free-free emission.
Humphreys, R. M.↗
0.9-18-micron photometry of the 14 CIT objects
Infrared (0.9- to 18-micron) photometric magnitudes are tabulated for all 14 CIT objects as a group. NML Cyg, NML Tau, and IRC + 10216 are also included. Comparisons between the CIT sources and other infrared objects are briefly discussed.
Strecker, D. W.↗
Multiband photometry of Comets Kohoutek, Bennett, Bradfield, and Encke
Observations of Comets Kohoutek (1973f), Bradfield (1974b), and P/Encke have been made at a number of wavelengths between 0.55 and 18 microns. The silicate feature first observed in Comet Bennett (1969i) seems to be a common characteristic of cometary material. The comas of these comets radiate infrared with an effective temperature higher than the black-body temperature at the given distance from the sun. The albedo of the dust particles is between 0.10 and 0.20. The particles in the coma and tail are small, but the particles in the anti-tail of Comet Kohoutek must be larger than about 10 microns diameter. The observations give an absolute upper limit to the diameter of Comet Kohoutek of 30 km. A consistent interpretation would indicate that Comets Kohoutek and Bradfield have nuclear diameters of 5 to 10 km, that Bennett was several times larger, and that P/Encke is 10 times smaller. The peculiar behavior of Bradfield showed that the coma of a single comet can abruptly change its dust composition.
Ney, E. P.↗
The optical absorption of solid grains in astrophysical environments
The optical absorptivity of grains of solid material in infrared sources is investigated by the comparison of calculated and observed temperatures and distances of the grains from the source of illumination. It is found that for the few sources for which appropriate measurements have been made, the calculated distances of blackbody particles agree well with the measured values - a result which could lead to misleading conclusions about grain properties. The ratio of optical absorptivity to infrared emissivity is calculated for several sources taking into account expected effects of real grain materials. The measured angular size of dust shells surrounding stars can lead to information about the optical properties of grains under astrophysical conditions.
Stein, W. A.↗
IRC +60370 and the infrared radiation from luminous G and K supergiants
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Humphreys, R. M.↗
Infrared observations of anonymous IRC sources
Infrared (0.9 to 18 microns) observations of 232 anonymous 2-micron Sky survey (IRC) sources are reported. Most of the objects appear to be late-type stars with little or no long-wave excess. About ten percent exhibit large excesses. Thirty-one of the brightest 11-micron sources have been remeasured to determine variability. These brighter objects appear to fall into two groups; one group resembles NML Tauri, while the other is like NML Cygni.
Strecker, D. W.↗
Is the zodiacal light intensity steady
It is pointed out that conclusions reported by Sparrow and Ney (1972, 1973) could be confirmed in an investigation involving the refinement of OSO-5 data on zodiacal light. It had been found by Sparrow and Ney that the absolute value of both the surface brightness and polarization of the zodiacal cloud varied by less than 10% over the 4-yr period from January 1969 to January 1973.
Burnett, G. B.↗
Infrared stars in binary systems
The peculiar F-type supergiant HD 101584, which has a large and unusual infrared excess, is discussed along with the possibility that the infrared radiation could be accounted for by a cool companion. The peculiar F supergiants 89 Her, v Sgr, and R CrB are also considered as possible binary systems containing an infrared star. It is pointed out that all four of these stars have infrared excesses with characteristics similar to the infrared radiation from several cool objects which are known single stars.
Humphreys, R. M.↗
BM Scorpii and a possible cluster of infrared sources
BM Sco and six other infrared sources near the cluster M6 were observed at infrared wavelengths. BM Sco has the flat free-free spectrum between 1.5 and 8 microns with a small silicate emission feature typical of the NML Tauri-type objects. IRC-30308 is also an infrared star of the NML Tauri type, and IRC-30312 has long wavelength radiation characteristic of the luminous M supergiants. The remaining four sources resemble reddened long-period variables. The presence of these infrared sources near M6 is not statistically significant and is not sufficient to associate them with the cluster.
Ney, E. P.↗
Infrared observations of comet Kohoutek near perihelion
Observations between 0.55 and 18 microns show that after perihelion passage, comet Kohoutek possessed an infrared tail and antitail. The coma and the tail have the silicate signature and contain 'black material' which acquires a temperature higher than the blackbody temperature at the given distance from the sun. The antitail shows the colors of a blackbody at a lower temperature, suggesting that the particles are larger than those in the coma and the tail.
Ney, E. P.↗
Supergiant binary stars
It is pointed out that the energy radiated by HD 101584 (F2e Iap) at IR frequencies cannot be convincingly explained by thermal reradiation from atmospheric grains. It is theorized that this energy emission can be explained by assuming that the F supergiant has an M supergiant companion responsible for IR radiation. Other possible binaries containing an IR star are discussed.
Humphreys, R. M.↗
Infrared observations of HD 65750, a red giant in a reflection nebula
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Humphreys, R. M.↗
Photometer dewar system for NASA C141 airborne telescope (Kuiper Flying Observatory)
The design, calibration, and testing of a photometer to be used in an airborne telescope is described. A description of the cryogenics of the photometer is given, and photographs and blueprints of the photometer are included. The photometer is designed with a focal plane beam switching system so that the airplane telescope can be used in a normal optical mode at the bent Cassegrain focus and with the photometer operating in the pressurized cabin of the airplane. The concept was to produce a system which could be used in almost the same manner as ground based infrared photometers and dewars of the O'Brien Observatory at the University of Minnesota.
Ney, E. P.↗
Cygnids and Taurids - Two classes of infrared objects.
In a study of the anonymous objects from the IRC Survey, we have found that about 10 percent have large long wave excesses. These infrared stars seem to belong to two classes, one group like NML Cygni (Cygnids) and the other like NML Tauri (Taurids).
Strecker, D. W.↗
Dust emission nebulae around Orion O and B stars.
The intense long-wave radiation is discussed that has been found to arise from regions surrounding six early stars in the Orion Nebula. The emission regions are very red and have angular sizes up to 25 seconds of arc. Twenty other early stars were observed, and none showed the long-wave excess.
Ney, E. P.↗
The infrared spectrum and angular size of Eta Carinae.
The angular size of the infrared source associated with the peculiar optical object Eta Carinae was measured at wavelengths from 2.2 to 18 microns. The angular diameter, which is 2 arc sec at 2.2 microns, is found to increase with increasing wavelength to 6 arc sec at 10 to 18 microns. The solid materials responsible for the thermal radiation have a temperature of roughly 425 K in the inner shell, and 250 K in the outer region. The observed bolometric magnitude of -11.5 is mostly produced by the cool shell, which in turn must be powered by absorption of shortwave radiation emitted by a central object of corresponding bolometric magnitude.
Gehrz, R. D.↗