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Register a new userSgr A* at low radio frequencies: GMRT observations
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The central region of the Galaxy has been observed at 580, 620 and 1010 MHz with the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT). We detect emission from Sgr-A*, the compact object at the dynamical centre of the Galaxy, and estimate its flux density at 620 MHz to be 0.5 +/- 0.1 Jy. This is the first detection of Sgr A* below 1 GHz (Roy & Rao 2002, 2003), which along with a possible detection at 330 MHz (Nord et al. 2004) provides its spectrum below 1 GHz. Comparison of the 620 MHz map with maps made at other frequencies indicates that most parts of the Sgr A West HII region have optical depth 2. However, Sgr A*, which is seen in the same region in projection, shows a slightly inverted spectral index between 1010 MHz and 620 MHz. This is consistent with its high frequency spectral index, and indicates that Sgr A* is located in front of the Sgr A West complex, and rules out any low frequency turnover around 1 GHz, as suggested by Davies et al. (1976).
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We present new, low-frequency images of the powerful FR I radio galaxy Hydra A (3C 218). Images were made with the Very Large Array (VLA) at frequencies of 1415, 330, and 74 MHz, with resolutions on the order of 20. The morphology of the source is seen to be more complex and even larger than previously known, and extends nearly 8 (530 kpc) in a North-South direction. The southern lobe is bent to the east and extends in that direction for nearly 3 (200 kpc). In addition, we find that the northern lobe has a flatter spectral slope than the southern lobe, consistent with the appearance of greater confinement to the south. We measure overall spectral indices alpha^{330}_{74} = -0.83 and alpha^{1415}_{330} = -0.89.
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