7th of June 2021 |
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First ASKAP observations of the Galactic Plane |
by Umana et al. |
Umana et al. have reported the first radio observations toward the Galactic
Plane using ASKAP. The region
mapped includes the entire area of the Stellar
Continuum Originating from Radio Physics In Ourgalaxy (SCORPIO)
survey, one of the exploration projects of the EMU (Evolutionary Map of the
Universe) Survey Science Program.
The leader of the EMU project, Andrew Hopkins of Macquarie University,
explains: “Even data taken at that early stage in the commissioning of
ASKAP demonstrates its excellent sensitivity to extended radio
emission. This is critical in enabling the detection of these
important structures in the Milky Way, enabling new insights into the
formation and evolution of its stars”.
The ASKAP image above shows the SCORPIO field at afrequency of 912 MHz. The mosaic covers a region of about 40 square degrees. The silhouette of the Galactic equator is defined by a series of compact sources and bright H II regions. Several Supernova Remnants are also visible. Some representative objects have been highlighted in the insets: clockwise, an SNR, a star-forming region with a Massive Young Stellar Object, another star-forming region, and a couple of SNRs. (Image credits: G. Umana/INAF) |