No Arabic abstract
Three optical telescopes located at the San Pedro Martir National Observatory were used for the first time to obtain multi-filter defocused photometry of the transiting extrasolar planets WASP-39b and WASP-43b. We observed WASP-39b with the 2.12m telescope in the U filter for the first time, and additional observations were carried out in the R and I filters using the 0.84m telescope. WASP-43b was observed in VRI with the same instrument, and in the i filter with the robotic 1.50m telescope. We reduced the data using different pipelines and performed aperture photometry with the help of custom routines, in order to obtain the light curves. The fit of the light curves (1.5--2.5mmag rms), and of the period analysis, allowed a revision of the orbital and physical parameters, revealing for WASP-39b a period ($4.0552947 pm 9.65 times 10^{-7}$ days) which is $3.084 pm 0.774$ seconds larger than previously reported. Moreover, we find for WASP-43b a planet/star radius ($0.1738 pm 0.0033$) which is $0.01637 pm 0.00371$ larger in the i filter with respect to previous works, and that should be confirmed with additional observations. Finally, we confirm no evidence of constant period variations in WASP-43b.
Fast brightness variations are a unique tool to probe the innermost regions of active galactic nuclei (AGN). These variations are called microvariability or intra-night variability, and this phenomenon has been monitored in samples of blazars and unobscured AGNs. Detecting optical microvariations in targets hidden by the obscuring torus is a challenging task because the region responsible for the variations is hidden from our sight. However, there have been reports of fast variations in obscured Seyfert galaxies in X-rays, which rises the question whether microvariations can also be detected in obscured AGNs in the optical regime. Because the expected variations are very small and can easily be lost within the noise, the analysis requires a statistical approach. We report the use of a one-way analysis of variance, ANOVA, with which we searched for microvariability. ANOVA was successfully employed in previous studies of unobscured AGNs. As a result, we found microvariable events during three observing blocks: in two we observed the same object (Mrk 477), and in another, J0759+5050. The results on Mrk 477 confirm previous findings. However, since Mrk 477 is quite a peculiar target with hidden broad-line regions, we cannot rule out the possibility that we have serendipitously chosen a target prone to variations.
We present optical UBVRI zenith night sky brightness measurements collected on eighteen nights during 2013--2016 and SQM measurements obtained daily over twenty months during 2014--2016 at the Observatorio Astronomico Nacional on the Sierra San Pedro Martir (OAN-SPM) in Mexico. The UBVRI data is based upon CCD images obtained with the 0.84m and 2.12m telescopes, while the SQM data is obtained with a high-sensitivity, low-cost photometer. The typical moonless night sky brightness at zenith averaged over the whole period is U = 22.68, B = 23.10, V = 21.84, R = 21.04, I = 19.36, and SQM = 21.88 mag/square arcsec, once corrected for zodiacal light. We find no seasonal variation of the night sky brightness measured with the SQM. The typical night sky brightness values found at OAN-SPM are similar to those reported for other astronomical dark sites at a similar phase of the solar cycle. We find a trend of decreasing night sky brightness with decreasing solar activity during period of the observations. This trend implies that the sky has become darker by delta_U =0.7, delta_B =0.5, delta_V =0.3, delta_R =0.5 mag/square arcsec since early 2014 due to the present solar cycle.
We present low resolution reflectance spectra over the wavelength range 5000-10000AA for 4 asteroids (3 belonging to the Nysa family and one near-Earth asteroid) obtained at the San Pedro Martir Observatory (Mexico) using the 2.1 m telescope. Though the limited wavelength range covered often makes a classification difficult, the analysis of the available data reveals that two asteroids of the Nysa family, (2007) McCuskey and (3130) Hillary, are probably of F-type and (3384) Daliya of S-type. Near-Earth asteroid (3908) Nyx (Amor asteroid) shows a spectrum, within the limits of our signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), consistent with a V-type taxonomic classification and may be a fragment excavated from Vesta by an impact.
Motivated by the previously reported high orbital decay rate of the planet WASP-43b, eight newly transit light curves are obtained and presented. Together with other data in literature, we perform a self-consistent timing analysis with data covering a timescale of 1849 epochs. The results give an orbital decay rate dP/dt = -0.02890795pm 0.00772547 sec/year, which is one order smaller than previous values. This slow decay rate corresponds to a normally assumed theoretical value of stellar tidal dissipation factor. In addition, through the frequency analysis, the transit timing variations presented here are unlikely to be periodic, but could be signals of a slow orbital decay.
The San Pedro Martir kinematic catalogue of galactic planetary nebulae provides spatially resolved, long-slit Echelle spectra for about 600 planetary nebulae. The data are presented wavelength calibrated and corrected for heliocentric motion. For most objects multiple spectra have been acquired and images with accurate slit positions on the nebulae are also presented for each object. This is the most extensive and homogeneous single source of data concerning the internal kinematics of the ionized nebular material in planetary nebulae. Data can be retrieved for individual objects or selected by groups that share some common characteristics, such as by morphological classes, galactic population, binary cores, presence of fast outflows, etc. The catalogue is available through the world wide web at http://kincatpn.astrosen.unam.mx .