Category Archives: Uncategorized

RCT PHOTOMETRIC CALIBRATIONS

Accurate calibrations for RCT photometry have been determined and will shortly appear in the Astronomical Journal (Strolger et al. 2014, in press), as shown in these excerpted filter response curvesrctfiltercurves and zero points. Click for a sharper view of the figure or table.

 

zeropoints

ACTIVE GALAXIES

A-BlazarJet-lg

Blazars and other galaxies with active nuclei have been a significant focus of RCT research, as queue scheduled observations have facilitated monitoring the variable energy output of these sources. These data are then combined with observations by collaborators at other wavelengths, providing a clearer picture of the behavior of the material in the relativistic jet and central engine.

ZW229WHITEa130605105crop

Composite light curve for the well-known AGN II ZW 229.015, showing data from the RCT (red),  Barth et al. (2011, yellow), and the Kepler satellite. RCT image of II ZW 229.015 to the right taken on 06/05/2013.

Best fit plot

The complete data set analyzed by Williams and Carini (2013) yields a break in the slope of the Power Spectrum Density (PSD) which implies a central black hole mass of 12 million solar masses, as shown in the above graph.

TRACKING COMETS AND ASTEROIDS

2013ev9_20130430_695

Comet P/2013 EV9 observed with the RCT on April 30, 2013. 54 120-second exposures were stacked to produce this composite. Click for sharper image.

Minor solar system bodies are a routine part of RCT observations, and  results have appeared in numerous Minor Planet Circulars. Motions up to 3.5”/min. are readily tracked.