Radio Galaxy Zoo Talk

Seeking guidance on how to classify, mark up (and tag) an hourglass shaped source

  • Tobend by Tobend

    I guessed this was two separate radio objects when classifying it. The top (hourglass shaped) one with an IR source which I marked near the waist of the hourglass and the bottom with no IR source. However presumably the two could be, or once have been, connected, with both originating in the bright IR source near the bottom lobe of the hourglass. Being relatively new to this I would appreciate any comments.
    Other, more general questions I have are:
    1: Does it matter where in the IR source I place the circle, or does it just need to overlap with some part of it?
    2: What reasoning or additional evidence might I have used to guide my decision based on what is available during the classification process?
    3:Should I tagged it and if so as what and by what means?

    Sorry if this all seems a bit rambling, but it seems that interpreting what is going on is as much an art as a science. Perhaps I shouldn't try.

    Posted

  • HAndernach by HAndernach scientist, translator

    this one is best classified as a triple, here the central radio source coincides with the IR object, but is closer to
    the northern radio component, so it is asymmetric. Sometimes the IR object does not show a radio emission
    (called "core") which then appears as a double radio source, either making a straight line with the IR object
    or showing bends. Here the situation is quite clear, but there are others where we simply need better radio and/or
    better optical or IR data.

    Posted

  • akapinska by akapinska scientist

    one more thing I should add here also is that whether the contours seem to be "connected" or "not connected" sometimes depends on how bright/powerful the radio galaxy is. the three blobs here are one source so they really are physically connected, we just can't see that with this telescope (sensitivity, frequency etc)

    edit:
    and other times, two radio blobs will look connected in the radio image, but in reality they will be two completely separate, and perhaps far away from each other, sources.

    Posted