Using Spitzer Data to Teach About Active Galactic Nuclei
Abstract
The combined Spitzer Space Telescope and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) Research Program for Teachers and Students developed through a partnership between the Spitzer Science Center (SSC), the WISE EPO program, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) provides teachers and students the opportunity to do research using data collected by the Spitzer Space Telescope and eventually the WISE mission. The NGC 4051 team is studying variability in this active galactic nucleus in order to place limits on the dust distribution around its nucleus. The team of 26 teachers and students met at the SSC in August 2008 to analyze data collected by Spitzer's IRAC camera as well as optical data collected by team members using remote ground based telescopes. The team is mentored by Spitzer scientist Dr. Varoujan Gorjian. In this poster we will describe the tools used for data reduction. In addition, we describe how the relationship between optical and infrared signals can be obtained through cross-correlation analysis. We start with very simple examples and then show how this technique is used to obtain the time lag for Markarian 744 from published optical and infrared data. For the science results please see our companion poster, Gorjian, et al.
- Publication:
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American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #213
- Pub Date:
- January 2009
- Bibcode:
- 2009AAS...21346304S