Galaxy Zoo Talk

Bright blue area on spiral arm

  • Abaedan by Abaedan

    Viewing this in DECaLS browser (select the DR3 images option)

    http://legacysurvey.org/viewer?ra=196.68102697893764&dec=19.99829067636843&zoom=14&layer=decals-dr2

    shows strong blue starforming activity. The bright flare, is this a star juxtaposed in front or perhaps a supernova? (newb question) - it looks to me like the 'flare' is associated with the blue of the arm overall, or perhaps it might be a star in front with the same spectra? Skyserver has a cosmic ray flag on it which of course could be due to a black hole but nova events also create strong gamma rays if I recall correctly...

    Posted

  • Budgieye by Budgieye moderator

    Your last guess is correct. It is a star in our galaxy. It is present in both DECaLS and SDSS and the pictures are taken 10 years apart, so it it is not a supernova, which would have faded in that time.

    The cosmic ray hit is just a guess by computer software about a bright area, and I can't see any bright cosmic ray hits. Computers need people to help them out.

    Cosmic ray hits can come from any direction, usually the Sun. Not necessarily from the object we are looking at.

    My first two newbie questions were on a supernova, and a cosmic ray hit. 😃

    see

    Page 8 Artifacts, our Solar System, Fun Things http://talk.galaxyzoo.org/#/boards/BGZ0000001/discussions/DGZ0000wrb?page=8

    8.1 Artifacts, cosmic rays http://talk.galaxyzoo.org/#/boards/BGZ0000001/discussions/DGZ0000wrb?page=8&comment_id=53d8bbef0d43f77bd600103f

    Posted