Stuff to do

• Reading ALFALFA catalogs:     ALFALFA produces catalogs containing a source name, the AGC number (where there is one), the HI centroid and the position of the optical counterpart, and then various parameters measured from the HI line. Write yourself a short IDL routine to read this test catalog (this is the one Kim is also using), and try to calculate the HI mass from the parameter SintP (which is the HI line flux density in units of Jy-km/s). The column labeled "v50" is the heliocentric recessional velocity in km/s. If you have questions, you might ask Kim (but she is away in Durham for the year!), since she is also using this file.

• Learn about the local flow field and record the major points, links to references, etc. on your web page. A few questions to get you started:
  • What do we mean by "local flow field"?
  • What do we mean by "peculiar velocity"?
  • What is the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation?
  • What is the dipole anisotropy of the CMB?
  • What is the Sun's motion in the CMB rest frame?
  • What is the local standard of rest (LSR)? What is the Sun's motion in the LSR rest frame?
  • What is the galactocentric standard of rest (GSR)? What is the Sun's motion in the GSR rest frame?
  • What is the Local Group? What galaxies are in the Local Group?
  • What is the Sun's motion with respect to the Local Group?
  • What is the recessional velocity of the Andromeda galaxy?

• Learn about how distances are measured to galaxies by primary and secondary methods. Make a summary of these methods, how they work and give links to references on your web page. Indicate which is a primary and which is a secondary method.
  • Cepheid Variables
  • Globular cluster luminosity function
  • Brightest star in a galaxy
  • Tip of the Red Giant branch
  • Surface brightness fluctuations
  • Main-Sequence Fitting
  • Planetary nebulae
  • Eclipsing binaries
  • Tully-Fisher Method
  • Fundamental Plane

• The NGC 3165/6/9 group: This is the group Katie will be investigating, and we hope you will help her figure out its distance. So, read some papers, starting with:    
  1. Haynes 1981 Astro. J. 86, 1126.

• The EGGIDL distance utilities:
  1. Read the EGG IDL documentation. Note: Type in your browser: file:///home/dorado3/galaxy/eggidl/gen/README_DISTANCES.html. and then bookmark the link, rather than using the one above.

• NED:     Check out how to use the NED NASA Extragalactic Database.

• Collaborative assignment for March 10th:     I won't be here next week, so Katie and Hong should work together to investigate some questions about how we should calculate distances to the NGC 3166/69 group. I'll expect a progress report on March 10th.
  1. Read the paper by Klypin et al. and be prepared to summarize it to me.
  2. Figure out how to calculate the supergalactic coordinates of the NGC 3166/9 group. Obviously, you also need to know what that coordinate system is, what its origin is, etc.
  3. Research distance estimates to members of the NGC 3166/9 group. Can you find any primary distances? Secondary distances? Make sure to note the errors on the distances as well as the distances themselves, and of course, keep track of references.
  4. Check out the brand-new Extragalactic Distance Database. Write a (web page) summary of how it might be useful to us. Plan to contribute your summary to other EGG documentation (i.e. subject to critique by the senior grad EGGS).