Galaxy Identification in the Taurus Field

This project is not directly related to the IC 2118 research. However, as with the IC 2118 project, it is an attempt to involve high school students in meaningful, real-time, astronomical research. A 44-square-degree area of the Taurus cloud was mapped by the Spitzer Space Telescope using the IRAC and MIPS cameras. The primary reason for mapping the Taurus region is to identify YSO's. There are many resolved galaxies in this field that have been captured. Having trained students analyze these images and identify galaxies serves two purposes. First it will allow the primary research team to more easily distinguish candidate Taurus association members from resolved galaxies. And second, where galaxies lack classification data, students will assist by providing thumbnail images at multiple wavelengths and offer a Hubble Sequence classification recommendation based on their analysis of the data.

The Spitzer data is publicly available, because the Taurus program is a Legacy project, but this project also has many many Gigabytes of supporting optical data, which is proprietary, and which the team has generously agreed to share with the students.

This area of the Wiki is devoted to information and discussions concerning this ongoing analysis of the Taurus field.

Useful links:

• General description of Legacy projects in general
• Available legacy products for the Taurus team
• General, simple page on Taurus project
• General introductory information on galaxy classification using Spitzer data

12/02/07_1554 est

...DANIELLEYEAGER....

Jennifer, good job on posting, but from now on, please try to open up a new thread unless what you are posting applys directly to the previous post. Did you have any problems posting?

[END OF DANIELLEYEAGER POST.]

12/3/07_2048 est ....JENNIFERBUTCHART....2048EST

Today, stayed after with Alexis, Danielle, Cale, and Alix in Mr. Spuck's room. Took notes on basics of things for the Austin trip. Parents signed the permission slip and are pleased with the trip. Mom's meeting with Mr. Spuck went well, obviously.

2:40-5:10, worked on galaxy research.

Tomorrow, doing notes on the book Mr. Spuck gave me.

I officially have my hours as of today. :)

--Spuck 11:29, 4 December 2007 (PST) Jennifer, I'll need to see the log of your hours sometime before friday. Also, why don't you type up the notes from our discussion and get them posted on to the galaxy classification board. You can make the graphics in paint, or draw and scan them in, or use a digital camera to take pics of your notes and upload the graphics. Either way is fine with me.

[END JENNIFERBUTCHART POST.]

.. DANIELLEYEAGER 12/04/07 ..

Jennifer, again, good job on posting, but please post in the Galaxy section, if you need a refresher on how to get to it, from the main page go to Future Research Projects and then from there Galaxy then discussion. I beleive that is the route.

--Spuck 11:25, 4 December 2007 (PST) FYI ... here is the link again to the Go to the discussion page off of the Galaxy Clasification Page.

[END OF DANIELLEYEAGER POST.]

....JENNIFERBUTCHART.... 1500EST

TODAY I HAVE BEEN ON GALAXY ZOO IDENTIFYING GALAXIES. ALSO, I HAVE STARTED WORKING ON NAMING THE .FITS FILES THAT MR. SPUCK GAVE ME. I AM STILL HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE WITH THE Sb GALAXIES BUT OTHER THAN THAT, EVERYTHING IS OKAY.

--Spuck 11:07, 4 December 2007 (PST) Jennifer, FYI discussions on the Taurus Galaxy project will now take place in a different part of the Wiki. Go to the discussion page off of the Galaxy Clasification Page. And know you should not have known that at this point :). Thanks.

[END JENNIFERBUTCHART POST.]

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