New Quasar Surveys With WIRO: Planning and Depth of Observations
Abstract
The Wyoming Infrared Observatory (WIRO) 2.3-meter telescope is used to observe a section of sky behind the outer regions of the galaxy M33 with the goal of identifying previously undiscovered quasar candidates. We choose the regions based on visibility during the time of year the observations are taken as well as regions in which few quasars have been detected by previous surveys. DS9 and Python are used to determine the coordinates of our desired field centers for photometric observations in the u, g, r, and i Sloan filters. Exposure times are chosen such that the depth in each filter is greater than an apparent magnitude of 21. This depth allows us to identify quasar candidates which are fainter than other quasar surveys in the same vicinity. Future spectroscopic observations will be able to confirm if the candidates are indeed quasars and spectra of the confirmed quasars can be used to study the extended gaseous region of M33. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under REU grant AST 1560461.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #229
- Pub Date:
- January 2017
- Bibcode:
- 2017AAS...22925004B