The Use of Infrared Color-Color Plots to Identify Rare Objects in the Galatic Mid-Plane

GLIMPSE

This research project will use data from a Galactic Survey called GLIMPSE (Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire). Using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, GLIMPSE surveys the mid-plane in four infrared bands: 3.6 microns, 4.5 microns, 5.8 microns, and 8.0 microns.The survey will cover 220 square degrees of the mid-plane and is expected to find at least 10 million point sources.

Colors in Astronomy

By using color-color plots, we can identify distinguishing properties of objects that otherwise may appear to be the same when seen in visual light as opposed to the infrared by the patterns which these objects do or do not form.
More objects in the galactic mid-plane can be analyzed due to the fact that infrared light can see beyond extinction which surrounds many stars and other celestial bodies whereas other types of light cannot.

Current Research

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So far...

Useful links

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SIMBAD (Stellar database)

NED (Extragalactic database)

UNIX tutorial

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NASA Astrophysics Data Service