A Trigonometric Parallax of Sgr B2

@article{Reid2009ATP,
  title={A Trigonometric Parallax of Sgr B2},
  author={Mark J. Reid and Karl M. Menten and X. W. Zheng and Andreas Brunthaler and Y. Xu},
  journal={The Astrophysical Journal},
  year={2009},
  volume={705},
  pages={1548-1553}
}
We have measured the positions of H(2)O masers in Sgr B2, a massive star-forming region in the Galactic center, relative to an extragalactic radio source with the Very Long Baseline Array. The positions measured at 12 epochs over a time span of one year yield the trigonometric parallax of Sgr B2 and hence a distance to the Galactic center of R(0) = 7.9(-0.7)(+0.8) kpc. The proper motion of Sgr B2 relative to Sgr A* suggests that Sgr B2 is approximate to 0.13 kpc nearer than the Galactic center… Expand
View PDF on arXiv
170 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
70
Background Citations
74
Methods Citations
52
Results Citations
12

Figures and Tables from this paper

170 Citations

Citation Type

Citation Type

Galactic structure from trigonometric parallaxes of star-forming regions
  • M. Reid
  • Physics
  • Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
  • 2012
Abstract Recently, astrometric accuracy approaching ~ 10 μas has become routinely possible with Very Long Baseline Interferometry. Since, unlike at optical wavelengths, interstellar dust is… Expand
TRIGONOMETRIC PARALLAX OF W51 MAIN/SOUTH
We report measurement of the trigonometric parallax of W51 Main/South using the Very Long Baseline Array. We measure a value of 0.185 ± 0.010 mas corresponding to a distance of 5.41+0.31 –0.28 kpc.… Expand
Astrometry of Galactic Star-Forming Region ON2N with VERA: Estimation of the Galactic Constants
We performed the astrometry of H2O masers in the Galactic star-forming region Onsala 2 North (ON 2 N) with the VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry (VERA). We obtained a trigonometric parallax of… Expand
TRIGONOMETRIC PARALLAXES OF HIGH MASS STAR FORMING REGIONS: THE STRUCTURE AND KINEMATICS OF THE MILKY WAY
Over 100 trigonometric parallaxes and proper motions for masers associated with young, high- mass stars have been measured with the Bar and Spiral Structure Legacy Survey, a Very Long Baseline Array… Expand
Trigonometric Parallaxes of High-mass Star-forming Regions: Our View of the Milky Way
We compile and analyze ~200 trigonometric parallaxes and proper motions of molecular masers associated with very young high-mass stars. These measurements strongly suggest that the Milky Way is a… Expand
Maser Astrometry: from Galactic Structure to Local Group Cosmology
  • M. Reid
  • Physics
  • Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
  • 2012
Abstract This review summarizes current advances in astrometry of masers as they pertain to large-scale Galactic structure and dynamics and Local Group cosmology. Parallaxes and proper motions have… Expand
PSR J1756-2251: a pulsar with a low-mass neutron star companion
The pulsar PSR J1756$-$2251 resides in a relativistic double neutron star (DNS) binary system with a 7.67-hr orbit. We have conducted long-term precision timing on more than 9 years of data acquired… Expand
VLBI astrometry of a water maser source in the Sgr B2 complex with VERA
Abstract We have conducted astrometric observations toward a 22 GHz water maser source associated with the Sgr B2 complex in the Galactic center region with VERA (VLBI exploration of Radio… Expand
SAGITTARIUS B2 MAIN: A CLUSTER OF ULTRA-COMPACT H II REGIONS AND MASSIVE PROTOSTELLAR CORES
The ionized core in the Sgr B2 Main star-forming region was imaged using the Submillimeter Array archival data observed for the H26α line and continuum emission at 0.86 mm with an angular resolution… Expand
The blue supergiant MN18 and its bipolar circumstellar nebula
We report the results of spectrophotometric observations of the massive star MN18 revealed via discovery of a bipolar nebula around it with the Spitzer Space Telescope. Using the optical spectrum… Expand
...
1
2
3
4
5
...

References

SHOWING 1-10 OF 31 REFERENCES
The Proper Motion of Sagittarius A*. II. The Mass of Sagittarius A*
We report measurements with the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) of the position of Sgr A* with respect to two extragalactic radio sources over a period of 8 yr. The apparent proper motion of Sgr A*… Expand
The Proper Motion of Sagittarius A*. I. First VLBA Results
We observed Sgr A* and two extragalactic radio sources nearby in angle with the VLBA over a period of 2 yr and measured relative positions with an accuracy approaching 0.1 mas. The apparent proper… Expand
TRIGONOMETRIC PARALLAXES OF MASSIVE STAR-FORMING REGIONS. VI. GALACTIC STRUCTURE, FUNDAMENTAL PARAMETERS, AND NONCIRCULAR MOTIONS
We are using the Very Long Baseline Array and the Japanese VLBI Exploration of Radio Astronomy project to measure trigonometric parallaxes and proper motions of masers found in high-mass star-forming… Expand
The distance to the center of the Galaxy - H2O maser proper motions in Sagittarius B2(N)
Onsala Space Observatory The distance to a star forming region can be determined by measuring the proper motions within H 2 0 maser clusters. If the motions of the maser spots are random, the… Expand
Astrometry of Galactic Star-Forming Region Sharpless 269 with VERA : Parallax Measurements and Constraint on Outer Rotation Curve
We have performed high-precision astrometry of H2O maser sources in the Galactic star-forming region Sharpless 269 (S269) with VERA. We successfully detected a trigonometric parallax of 189 ˙ 8� as,… Expand
H2O masers in W49 North and Sagittarius B2 (Mcgrath+, 2004)
Using the Very Large Array (VLA) of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in the A and B configurations, we have obtained simultaneous high-resolution observations of both the 22 GHz H2O maser… Expand
TRIGONOMETRIC PARALLAXES OF MASSIVE STAR-FORMING REGIONS. I. S 252 & G232.6+1.0
We are conducting a large program with the NRAO Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) to measure trigonometric parallaxes of massive star-forming regions across the Milky Way. Here we report measurement of… Expand
VLBA Observations of Astrometric Reference Sources in the Galactic Center
We report here on multifrequency VLBA observations of three extragalactic sources within 1° of the Galactic center. These sources have been used as astrometric reference sources for VLA and VLBA… Expand
The distance to a star forming region in the Outer arm of the Galaxy
We performed astrometric observations with the VLBA of WB89 437, an H2O maser source in the Outer spiral arm of the Galaxy. We measure an annual parallax of 0.167±0.006 mas, corresponding to a… Expand
A New Cepheid Distance to the Maser-Host Galaxy NGC 4258 and Its Implications for the Hubble Constant*
We present initial results from a time series BVI survey of two fields in NGC 4258 using the HST ACS. This galaxy was selected because of its accurate maser-based distance, which is anticipated to… Expand
...
1
2
3
4
...