Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-29T15:38:11.608Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Spiral structure of the Galaxy Derived from the Hat Creek survey of neutral hydrogen

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 August 2015

H. Weaver
H. Weaver*
Affiliation:
Radio Astronomy Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, Calif., U.S.A.

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The extensive Hat Creek survey of neutral hydrogen combined with southern observations provides the basis for a new discussion of the spiral structure of the galaxy. The purpose of this investigation is to provide a general picture of the galaxy. It is found that the pitch of the spiral arms is approximately 12°.5 and that there are many spurs and interarm features as we observe in external galaxies.

The sun is not located in a major spiral arm, but rather in a spur or offshoot originating near or at the Sagittarius arm, which is a major structure in the galaxy. The young stars in the general vicinity of the sun delineate this spur, not a major arm structure. The stars and the gas are in agreement in indicating a large pitch angle (20°–25°) for this local structure, which differs from the smaller pitch angle for the arms which form the system as a whole.

In the presentation a computer-produced movie of the galaxy based on Hat Creek hydrogen contour maps similar to those in Figure 1 was shown. It was used to illustrate generally the complexity of the gas structure and, in particular, to show (i) observational aspects of the spur in which the sun is located and (ii) the point of origin of the so-called Perseus arm.

Type
Part II/Observations of Spiral Structure in Our Galaxy
Information
Symposium - International Astronomical Union , Volume 38: The Spiral Structure of our Galaxy , 1970 , pp. 126 - 139
Copyright
Copyright © Reidel 1970 

References

Kerr, F. J.: 1969, Australian. J. Phys. Astrophys. Suppl. 9, 1.Google Scholar
Mathewson, D. S., Healey, J. R., and Rome, J. M.: 1961, Australian. J. Phys. 15, 354.Google Scholar
Sandage, A.: 1961, The Hubble Atlas of Galaxies, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington.Google Scholar
Schmidt, M.: 1965, Stars and Stellar Systems 5, 528.Google Scholar
Schmidt-Kaler, T.: 1964, Trans. IAU 12B, 416.Google Scholar
Varsavsky, C.: 1969, private communication.Google Scholar
Weaver, H.: 1969, in preparation.Google Scholar
Weaver, H. and Williams, D. R. W.: 1969, in preparation.Google Scholar
Westerhout, G.: 1958, Bull. Astron. Inst. Netherl. 14, 215.Google Scholar
Wilson, T.: 1969, Ph.D. Thesis, M.I.T. Google Scholar