Astrometry of 6.7GHz Methanol Maser toward W 3(OH) with Japanese VLBI Network
Abstract
We present the results of multiepoch VLBI observations for a 6.7 GHz methanol maser toward the UC H II region of W 3(OH) with Japanese VLBI Network (JVN). Based on phase-referencing VLBI astrometry, we derived the trigonometric annual parallax to be 0.598 ± 0.067 mas, corresponding to a distance of 1.67+0.21-0.17 kpc. This is the first detection of parallax for a 6.7 GHz methanol maser with JVN, and demonstrates that JVN/VERA is capable of conducting VLBI astrometry for 6.7 GHz methanol maser sources within few kpc from the Sun. Based on in-beam mapping of the W 3(OH) methanol maser, we also measured the internal proper motions of its 6.7 GHz methanol maser for the first time. The internal proper motions basically show north-south expansion with a velocity of few km s-1, being similar to OH masers. The spatial distribution and the internal proper motions of 6.7 GHz methanol masers suggest a rotating and expanding torus structure surrounding the UC H II region.
- Publication:
-
Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan
- Pub Date:
- December 2011
- DOI:
- 10.1093/pasj/63.6.1345
- Bibcode:
- 2011PASJ...63.1345M
- Keywords:
-
- astrometry;
- ISM: individual (Westerhout 3(OH));
- masers;
- stars: distances;
- stars: kinematics