Disk Detective Talk
This one is probably contaminated by the galaxy, but looks like it might have a bit of its own excess as well.
It does appear to have another object in the DSS images.
#mote of dust on the plate
The object in the middle has more cool dust; probably interacting galaxies with an #AGN supermassive black hole.
This is just another object in the field of view. Both parts of a binary will be inside the circle.
Three #galaxies in the field, but just one inside the circle.
yes, #galaxy. Thanks!
It generally means that the star has some asteroids in orbit around it that have collided, producing dust. John Debes is an expert.
No, it is extended in DSS Blue, so probably a #galaxy. Thanks!
Looks like a couple of colliding barred spiral galaxies - nice!
It's faint, so probably an #AGN. However, for now #goodcandidate. Thanks!
yes - looks like #goodcandidate
The DSS IR oddball is probably an asteroid. 2MASS J is most sensitive so that extra source is probably lost in noise in the other images.
Red companion near bright star - thanks for catching it!
That SED screams variability to me - a common characteristic of quasars. The 2MASS data was obtained years before WISE flew.
Most of the really faint ones at short wavelengths are galaxies, but only spectroscopy can tell. Young stellar objects look the same.
@silviug - Could be but can't tell without spectroscopy.
@onetimegolfer - #galaxy
@onetimegolfer - it's probably a galaxy, but it is hard to tell in the the short wavelengths whether it is resolved or just poor seeing.
@onetimegolfer - this is an ultra-luminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG); a very rare beast. WISE essentially finds the all!
@biggsrex - the images might suggest #goodcandidate since barely resolved. However, getting a spectrum trumps imaging. Good work!
@biggsrex - Could be a Mira star (red giant ejecting dust). However, with only one paper on variability, it's hard to say. #needsspectra !
@biggsjrex - good #galaxy. Also, #multiplesources
@WizardHowl - could be the #quasar or perhaps a blend of a star and nearby quasar. Those are annoying!
#diffractionspike #artifact
@Vinokurov - it is very difficult to distinguish cool stars with debris disks from red galaxies. This looks a little extended DSS blue.
@Vinokurov - this is what we call an ultra-luminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG). They have enormous dust quantities compared to normal galaxies.
@Jacko99 - no, this is unusual; #imageissues
@voyager1682002 - looks like a binary star in SDSS Z
@Pini2013 - I'm a bit worried that the center is wandering off.
@artman40 - It does, but the light from the nearby star peaks in the short WISE bands and drowns it out the way the image is displayed.
@Pini2013 - #goodcandidate, but bad atmosphere...
@Pini2013 - that's a pretty bright star to not be in SIMBAD, but it does happen! #goodcandidate, although perhaps saturated.
@Pini2013 - note that the star at the left changed shape too. That's caused by atmospheric distortions ("seeing"). #goodcandidate
@Pini2013 - #mirastar ; it's a old red giant blowing off shells of dust.
@DNiergarth - It's ok, too far away to cause #contamination.
@JasonJason - #goodcandidate ; SIMBAD says it is a star which is always good.
@DNiergarth - it's ok if the fuzzy outer parts go a bit outside the circle. Bright object is far away so that #contamination small.
@silviug - looks like a star in Tycho. Good one!
@silviug - this is perhaps a saturated star. The #shifting can be noted in the classification. Thanks!
@silviug - yes, looks good. Looks like a faint blue companion (or may be moving - look at DSS IR). However, if it isn't red, no problem.
@silviug - When it is this faint, it is probably a #galaxy. However, faint things will show the noise more in the images so the shape is odd
@TED91 - Object only appearing in one band may be #asteroid or #artifact (probably the former).
I think it is just very faint in DSS blue and IR. That's ok. #goodcandidate (except that it is identified as a Seyfert 2 in SIMBAD). #AGN
Objects on the edge of the circle are getting faint at long wavelength, so #goodcandidate
@wtaskew = #seyferthunter !
@jules - if it is only there for the shortest wavelength, it probably doesn't affect the infrared bands. It might be an artifact.
@TED91 - Are you seeing the diffraction spike in the first image? It's pretty faint on my screen.
@njc - the brightest part is inside the circle, so it is mostly ok. The telescope images get fuzzier at the longest wavelength.
@lovermann - #galaxy, edge-on spiral
#galaxy
Yes, 118 arcsec is too large an offset. Less than 10 arcsec makes it plausible, but anything larger isn't the same object.
@akayama - The images are not lined up quite right. The kind of motion to flag would be between the different WISE bands. #goodcandidate
We can eliminate these true astrophysical mimics later in an automated way. Only look at SIMBAD if you are really interested in the source.
@TED91 - nice spiral
Look for the number in gray at the beginning of the SIMBAD listing - distance in arcseconds from center.
@ollylockett - Yes, some super bright source just off the image is making diffraction spikes near our source #artifact
@wtaskew - These compact AGNs are a nuisance. The SED is relatively flat, however, unlike most disks.
@Vinokurov - #contamination, although it might be ok at a different display of the image
@dtolman - Thanks for the suggestion. This is a #goodcandidate
@dtolman - That's because the sky itself is brighter at those wavelengths.
@marko112kg - This one is a pair of stars. In fact, it is a white dwarf-red dwarf pair, according to the references. Click "SIMBAD" button.
@Tiger Nova - it's amazing how many resolved galaxies are completely unknown
@wtaskew - one person's science is another person's "vermin" 😉
@Vinokurov - spirals are our biggest source of astronomical mimics.
#goodcandidate
@wtaskew - it looks compact, but the dust around the supermassive black hole in the middle glows at long wavelengths. This one is known.
@dhcox - That is most likely a dust speck on the big photographic plate scanned for the Digital Sky Survey #artifact
To be a good SIMBAD match, look for an object less than 10 arcseconds away.
SIMBAD shows a paper on a jet and radio source in this galaxy. Thus, WISE is seeing the dust circling the central supermassive black hole.
@chrisawesomewright - the target here may be part of a tidal tail for that nice galaxy. The light at long wavelengths is shifting toward it.
@chrisawesomewright - the "plus signs" are an artifact of the digitization process for the photographic plates. The source likely #galaxy
@TED91 - That's a nice barred spiral!
@TED91 - If just one of the short wavelength images is shifted, it shouldn't be a problem. Worry more about the longest. Thanks!
@Capella05 - yes, that's what it looks like to me, too.
Star-forming galaxies are brighter than stars at long wavelengths due to all the glowing cool dust.
The ability of the telescope to separate neighboring sources (resolution) decreases with increasing wavelength. Thus, they appear to merge.
@TED91 - Exactly; probably a satellite, although could be a meteor on DSS plates.
@TED91 - yes, galaxy. Watch that bright star go away at long wavelengths while galaxy gets brighter!
@TED91 - agree; artifact or perhaps asteroid
@TED91 - interacting pair. The spiral is brighter in the infrared due to its star formation.
@TED91 - hmm, big one or maybe interacting ones.
@Pin2013 - not so bad. Some stars could move in the time between the DSS, 2MASS, and WISE missions. Watch for motion between the WISE bands.
@TED91 - that's an asymmetric spiral one. Spiral galaxies were originally thought to be circumstellar disks where planets were forming.
@TED91 - nice little group of them!
@Monhegan0713 - it certainly is multiple at DSS Red. Thanks for your help!
@TED91 - thanks for helping us sort these out!
@TED91 - That's a known #galaxy according to SIMBAD.
@TED91 - it is contaminated at the short wavelengths, but looks dominant at long wavelengths. Tricky but #goodcandidate .
@voyager1682002 - I agree. This looks like a star + galaxy although the star brighter at long wavelengths. May be #goodcandidate but tricky.
@TED91 - Nice, edge-on spiral #galaxy
@Blutch_c - Looks like one! However, dark center and in just one pic makes me think it is another dust speck or reflection. #goodcandidate
@Pin2013 - DSS is scanned from a big glass plate. The dark spot looks like a speck of dust most likely.
@TED91 - looks like a galaxy to me too.
@TED91 - bright source to to the upper left is drowning out the picture of our object at W1 and W2. #goodcandidate, but bit off-centered.
@TED91 - right, probably a satellite or airplane trail. We have ladybug trails on the 2MASS images!
@ElizabethB - looks like one to me as well.
@ElizabethB - Thanks for your help! Yes, I agree this one is a spiral #galaxy although I wish we had SDSS to be sure.
@TED91 - most likely a galaxy. Wish we had a sharper picture at short wavelengths. However, not a disk.
@TED91 - yes, a #galaxy. It's star/planet formation, just a little further away than we would like...
Good work, Detective!
The main source looks extended. I would guess that these may be interacting galaxies or a star with a #galaxy in the background.
Looks like another spiral #galaxy with central star formation or supermassive black hole. They are the main imitators of the disks we want.
@brainell - yes, another spiral.
The galaxy looks more compact at 2MASS since those wavelengths trace old red stars in the bulge rather than young blue stars in spiral arms
Looks like the long wavelengths are centered on the nucleus. There is probably a supermassive black hole + accretion disk there.
Nice spiral.
Most probably #galaxy although might be a binary star system.
Nice one! Notice how the star disappears at 22 microns. The sky is mostly galaxies and nebulae there. And disks!
Yes, warped spiral #galaxy
The neighbor is very bright at short wavelengths, but the one in the middle has the stronger spotlight at the long ones!
In the individual WISE pictures, I have seen up to 6 satellite trails at once in the geosynchronous belt.
Usually we don't see trails, since images from several orbits are combined to make the final one displayed here.
#galaxy seems most likely here.
Yes, 2 spirals. Notice that the one on the left disappears at long WISE wavelength - less star formation or perhaps smaller AGN.
Looks right - wish we had SDSS for higher resolution.
@Vinokurov - yes, classic spiral #galaxy
@brainell: Yes - classic spiral #galaxy.
Thanks - just coming up to speed on the responses. Still sleepy here on the East Coast of the US.
@TED91 - You are right! It is most likely a satellite trail, although it also could be a diffraction spike #artifact.
@vrooje - the misshapen part is just noise and is ok. #goodcandidate
The main problem is that the brighter source affects how the image is displayed at those wavelengths.
Hi TED91. It looks like a galaxy at the short wavelengths. It certainly is contaminated at the shorter WISE bands by something nearby.
#artifact - Since it is DSS, might be a scratch on the glass plate.
Looks good to me.
This one is probably contaminated by the galaxy, but looks like it might have a bit of its own excess as well.
It does appear to have another object in the DSS images.
#mote of dust on the plate
The object in the middle has more cool dust; probably interacting galaxies with an #AGN supermassive black hole.
This is just another object in the field of view. Both parts of a binary will be inside the circle.
Three #galaxies in the field, but just one inside the circle.
yes, #galaxy. Thanks!
It generally means that the star has some asteroids in orbit around it that have collided, producing dust. John Debes is an expert.
No, it is extended in DSS Blue, so probably a #galaxy. Thanks!
Looks like a couple of colliding barred spiral galaxies - nice!
It's faint, so probably an #AGN. However, for now #goodcandidate. Thanks!
yes - looks like #goodcandidate
The DSS IR oddball is probably an asteroid. 2MASS J is most sensitive so that extra source is probably lost in noise in the other images.
Red companion near bright star - thanks for catching it!
That SED screams variability to me - a common characteristic of quasars. The 2MASS data was obtained years before WISE flew.
Most of the really faint ones at short wavelengths are galaxies, but only spectroscopy can tell. Young stellar objects look the same.
@silviug - Could be but can't tell without spectroscopy.
@onetimegolfer - #galaxy
@onetimegolfer - it's probably a galaxy, but it is hard to tell in the the short wavelengths whether it is resolved or just poor seeing.
@onetimegolfer - this is an ultra-luminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG); a very rare beast. WISE essentially finds the all!
@biggsrex - the images might suggest #goodcandidate since barely resolved. However, getting a spectrum trumps imaging. Good work!
@biggsrex - Could be a Mira star (red giant ejecting dust). However, with only one paper on variability, it's hard to say. #needsspectra !
@biggsjrex - good #galaxy. Also, #multiplesources
@WizardHowl - could be the #quasar or perhaps a blend of a star and nearby quasar. Those are annoying!
#diffractionspike #artifact
@Vinokurov - it is very difficult to distinguish cool stars with debris disks from red galaxies. This looks a little extended DSS blue.
@Vinokurov - this is what we call an ultra-luminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG). They have enormous dust quantities compared to normal galaxies.
@Jacko99 - no, this is unusual; #imageissues
@voyager1682002 - looks like a binary star in SDSS Z
@Pini2013 - I'm a bit worried that the center is wandering off.
@artman40 - It does, but the light from the nearby star peaks in the short WISE bands and drowns it out the way the image is displayed.
@Pini2013 - #goodcandidate, but bad atmosphere...
@Pini2013 - that's a pretty bright star to not be in SIMBAD, but it does happen! #goodcandidate, although perhaps saturated.
@Pini2013 - note that the star at the left changed shape too. That's caused by atmospheric distortions ("seeing"). #goodcandidate
@Pini2013 - #mirastar ; it's a old red giant blowing off shells of dust.
@DNiergarth - It's ok, too far away to cause #contamination.
@JasonJason - #goodcandidate ; SIMBAD says it is a star which is always good.
@DNiergarth - it's ok if the fuzzy outer parts go a bit outside the circle. Bright object is far away so that #contamination small.
@silviug - looks like a star in Tycho. Good one!
@silviug - this is perhaps a saturated star. The #shifting can be noted in the classification. Thanks!
@silviug - yes, looks good. Looks like a faint blue companion (or may be moving - look at DSS IR). However, if it isn't red, no problem.
@silviug - When it is this faint, it is probably a #galaxy. However, faint things will show the noise more in the images so the shape is odd
@TED91 - Object only appearing in one band may be #asteroid or #artifact (probably the former).
I think it is just very faint in DSS blue and IR. That's ok. #goodcandidate (except that it is identified as a Seyfert 2 in SIMBAD). #AGN
Objects on the edge of the circle are getting faint at long wavelength, so #goodcandidate
@wtaskew = #seyferthunter !
@jules - if it is only there for the shortest wavelength, it probably doesn't affect the infrared bands. It might be an artifact.
@TED91 - Are you seeing the diffraction spike in the first image? It's pretty faint on my screen.
@njc - the brightest part is inside the circle, so it is mostly ok. The telescope images get fuzzier at the longest wavelength.
@lovermann - #galaxy, edge-on spiral
#galaxy
Yes, 118 arcsec is too large an offset. Less than 10 arcsec makes it plausible, but anything larger isn't the same object.
@akayama - The images are not lined up quite right. The kind of motion to flag would be between the different WISE bands. #goodcandidate
We can eliminate these true astrophysical mimics later in an automated way. Only look at SIMBAD if you are really interested in the source.
@TED91 - nice spiral
Look for the number in gray at the beginning of the SIMBAD listing - distance in arcseconds from center.
@ollylockett - Yes, some super bright source just off the image is making diffraction spikes near our source #artifact
@wtaskew - These compact AGNs are a nuisance. The SED is relatively flat, however, unlike most disks.
@Vinokurov - #contamination, although it might be ok at a different display of the image
@dtolman - Thanks for the suggestion. This is a #goodcandidate
@dtolman - That's because the sky itself is brighter at those wavelengths.
@marko112kg - This one is a pair of stars. In fact, it is a white dwarf-red dwarf pair, according to the references. Click "SIMBAD" button.
@Tiger Nova - it's amazing how many resolved galaxies are completely unknown
@wtaskew - one person's science is another person's "vermin" 😉
@Vinokurov - spirals are our biggest source of astronomical mimics.
#goodcandidate
@wtaskew - it looks compact, but the dust around the supermassive black hole in the middle glows at long wavelengths. This one is known.
@dhcox - That is most likely a dust speck on the big photographic plate scanned for the Digital Sky Survey #artifact
To be a good SIMBAD match, look for an object less than 10 arcseconds away.
SIMBAD shows a paper on a jet and radio source in this galaxy. Thus, WISE is seeing the dust circling the central supermassive black hole.
@chrisawesomewright - the target here may be part of a tidal tail for that nice galaxy. The light at long wavelengths is shifting toward it.
@chrisawesomewright - the "plus signs" are an artifact of the digitization process for the photographic plates. The source likely #galaxy
@TED91 - That's a nice barred spiral!
@TED91 - If just one of the short wavelength images is shifted, it shouldn't be a problem. Worry more about the longest. Thanks!
@Capella05 - yes, that's what it looks like to me, too.
Star-forming galaxies are brighter than stars at long wavelengths due to all the glowing cool dust.
The ability of the telescope to separate neighboring sources (resolution) decreases with increasing wavelength. Thus, they appear to merge.
@TED91 - Exactly; probably a satellite, although could be a meteor on DSS plates.
#goodcandidate
@TED91 - yes, galaxy. Watch that bright star go away at long wavelengths while galaxy gets brighter!
@TED91 - agree; artifact or perhaps asteroid
@TED91 - interacting pair. The spiral is brighter in the infrared due to its star formation.
@TED91 - hmm, big one or maybe interacting ones.
@Pin2013 - not so bad. Some stars could move in the time between the DSS, 2MASS, and WISE missions. Watch for motion between the WISE bands.
@TED91 - that's an asymmetric spiral one. Spiral galaxies were originally thought to be circumstellar disks where planets were forming.
@TED91 - nice little group of them!
@Monhegan0713 - it certainly is multiple at DSS Red. Thanks for your help!
@TED91 - thanks for helping us sort these out!
@TED91 - That's a known #galaxy according to SIMBAD.
@TED91 - it is contaminated at the short wavelengths, but looks dominant at long wavelengths. Tricky but #goodcandidate .
@voyager1682002 - I agree. This looks like a star + galaxy although the star brighter at long wavelengths. May be #goodcandidate but tricky.
@TED91 - Nice, edge-on spiral #galaxy
@Blutch_c - Looks like one! However, dark center and in just one pic makes me think it is another dust speck or reflection. #goodcandidate
@Pin2013 - DSS is scanned from a big glass plate. The dark spot looks like a speck of dust most likely.
@TED91 - looks like a galaxy to me too.
@TED91 - bright source to to the upper left is drowning out the picture of our object at W1 and W2. #goodcandidate, but bit off-centered.
@TED91 - right, probably a satellite or airplane trail. We have ladybug trails on the 2MASS images!
@ElizabethB - looks like one to me as well.
@ElizabethB - Thanks for your help! Yes, I agree this one is a spiral #galaxy although I wish we had SDSS to be sure.
@TED91 - most likely a galaxy. Wish we had a sharper picture at short wavelengths. However, not a disk.
@TED91 - yes, a #galaxy. It's star/planet formation, just a little further away than we would like...
Good work, Detective!
The main source looks extended. I would guess that these may be interacting galaxies or a star with a #galaxy in the background.
Looks like another spiral #galaxy with central star formation or supermassive black hole. They are the main imitators of the disks we want.
@brainell - yes, another spiral.
The galaxy looks more compact at 2MASS since those wavelengths trace old red stars in the bulge rather than young blue stars in spiral arms
Looks like the long wavelengths are centered on the nucleus. There is probably a supermassive black hole + accretion disk there.
Nice spiral.
Most probably #galaxy although might be a binary star system.
Nice one! Notice how the star disappears at 22 microns. The sky is mostly galaxies and nebulae there. And disks!
Yes, warped spiral #galaxy
The neighbor is very bright at short wavelengths, but the one in the middle has the stronger spotlight at the long ones!
In the individual WISE pictures, I have seen up to 6 satellite trails at once in the geosynchronous belt.
Usually we don't see trails, since images from several orbits are combined to make the final one displayed here.
#galaxy seems most likely here.
Yes, 2 spirals. Notice that the one on the left disappears at long WISE wavelength - less star formation or perhaps smaller AGN.
Looks right - wish we had SDSS for higher resolution.
@Vinokurov - yes, classic spiral #galaxy
@brainell: Yes - classic spiral #galaxy.
Thanks - just coming up to speed on the responses. Still sleepy here on the East Coast of the US.
@TED91 - You are right! It is most likely a satellite trail, although it also could be a diffraction spike #artifact.
@vrooje - the misshapen part is just noise and is ok. #goodcandidate
The main problem is that the brighter source affects how the image is displayed at those wavelengths.
Hi TED91. It looks like a galaxy at the short wavelengths. It certainly is contaminated at the shorter WISE bands by something nearby.
#artifact - Since it is DSS, might be a scratch on the glass plate.
#goodcandidate
Looks good to me.
#goodcandidate