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The low-resolution, Cassegrain mounted, FORS spectropolarimeter of the ESO Very Large Telescope is being extensively used for magnetic field surveys. Some of the new discoveries suggest that relatively strong magnetic fields may play an important role in numerous physical phenomena observed in the atmospheres as well as in the circumstellar environments of certain kinds of stars. We show in detail how small instabilities or data-reduction inaccuracies represent an alternative explanation for the origin of certain signals of circular polarisation published in recent years. With the help of analytical calculations we simulate the observation of a spectral line in spectropolarimetric mode, adding very small spurious wavelength shifts, which may mimic the effects of seeing variations, rapid variations of the stellar radial velocity, or instrument instabilities. As a case study, we then re-visit the FORS2 measurements that have been used to claim the discovery of a magnetic field in the A0 supergiant HD 92207. In addition, we present new observations of this star obtained with the HARPSpol instrument. Both calibration and science data show compelling evidence that photon-noise is not the only source of error in magnetic field measurements, especially in sharp spectral lines. Non-photon noise may be kept under control by accurate data reduction and quality controls. Our re-analysis of FORS2 observations of HD 92207 shows no evidence of a magnetic field, and we are able to reproduce the previous FORS detection only by degrading the quality of our wavelength calibration. Our HARPSpol spectropolarimetric measurements show no evidence of a magnetic field at the level of 10 G.
In this State of the Profession Consideration, we will discuss the state of hands-on observing within the profession, including: information about professional observing trends; student telescope training, beginning at the undergraduate and graduate
Cassiopeia A (Cas A) is one of the best studied young Galactic supernova remnants. While providing a rare opportunity to study in detail the remnant of a Type IIb supernova, questions remain regarding the nature of its progenitor, its mass-loss histo
This paper offers a general and comprehensive definition of the day-of-the-week effect. Using symbolic dynamics, we develop a unique test based on ordinal patterns in order to detect it. This test uncovers the fact that the so-called day-of-the-week
Stellar Intensity Interferometry is a technique based on the measurement of the second order spatial correlation of the light emitted from a star. The physical information provided by these measurements is the angular size and structure of the emitti
Our recent search for the presence of a magnetic field in the bright early A-type supergiant HD92207 using FORS2 in spectropolarimetric mode revealed the presence of a longitudinal magnetic field of the order of a few hundred Gauss. However, the defi