• 천문학회보
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.30.3-31
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• 2016

The M81 Group is the nearest among the known groups of galaxies. HI maps show that all main galaxies of this group are interacting, indicating that this group is in the active phase of formation. On the other hand, wide field imaging shows that globular cluster candidates are found not only in the member galaxies but also between the galaxies in this group. In this study we present preliminary results based on MMT/Hectospec spectroscopy of the globular cluster candidates in this group. We find that the intragroup globular clusters have mostly low metallicity, while the globular clusters in M81 have mostly high metallicity. We will discuss the implication of this result and the kinematics of the globular clusters in relation with the formation history of the M81 Group.

• 천문학논총
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.1-24
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• 2011

Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) has constructed online database of the Korean Astronomical Almanac as a part of the 'Knowledge and Information Business Project 2009' supported by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy. Throughout this project, KASI provides both digitized images and extracted text from the almanac covering approximately 240 years. The primary purpose of this paper is to serve as a reference for users of the almanac database. Hence, we introduce the calendar history and kinds of the astronomical almanac used in Korea, and explain the contents of the almanacs according to its appearance time. We also briefly mention the steps employed in constructing the database system and Web site. Since ancient times, astronomical almanacs have been an essential part of daily life. We, therefore, believe that the astronomical almanac database constructed by KASI will prove its usefulness in various fields, and particularly in the study of historical astronomy.

• 우주기술과 응용
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• 제1권3호
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• pp.283-301
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• 2021

미국 NASA(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)와 유럽의 ESA(European Space Agency)에서는 미지의 세계를 탐구하려는 인류의 지적 호기심을 충족하는 목적과 더불어, 우주를 안전하고 지속가능한 환경으로 개척하려는 원대한 꿈을 모토로 하여 다양한 연구개발에 착수하고 있다. 2020-30 년대에는 10 미터급 우주망원경이 개발되는 등 첨단 거대관측장비가 가동될 것으로 예상하며, 한국에서도 0.15 m 급 NISS(near-infrared imaging spectrometer for star formation history) 개발에 이어 0.2 m급 SPHEREx(spectro-photometer for the history of the universe, epoch of reionization, and ices explorer) 등 소형탐사망원경에 국제협력 파트너로 참여하고 있다. 그러나, 아직 우주망원경의 개발과 운영에 있어 국내 경험은 부족하고, 한국에서 주도하여 망원경을 개발하기 위한 장기적인 계획이 부재한 상황이다. 우리 손으로 만든 장비를 사용하여 인류가 경험하지 못한 미지의 세계에 대한 질문에 답하려면, 산학연관 관계자 간 긴밀한 협력을 통해 우주망원경 건설의 기획과 준비가 절실히 필요하다. 본 연구에서는 한국형우주망원경 개발의 필요성, 배경과 개발목표 및 기대효과를 개념적으로 정리하며, 장기적 안목에서 기획을 준비하는 워킹그룹을 제안한다. 이를 통하여 한국형 우주망원경 개발계획을 우리나라가 주도하여 수립하고, 우주개발 기술연구 분야에서 국가의 방향성을 수립하기 위한 소중한 발걸음을 시작하며, 한국형 우주망원경 워킹그룹이 우리나라의 우주천문학의 이정표를 세우는 기점이 되기를 기대한다.

• 천문학회보
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• 제42권2호
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• pp.58.1-58.1
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• 2017

The NISS (Near-infrared Imaging Spectrometer for Star formation history) is the near-infrared spectro-photometric instrument optimized to the first Next Generation of small satellite (NEXTSat-1). The off-axis optics was developed to cover a wide field of view with 2 deg. ${\times}$ 2 deg. as well as a wide wavelength range from 0.95 to $2.5{\mu}m$. Considering the simple alignment scheme, afocal system was adapted in the optical components. The mechanical structures were tested under the space environment. We have obtained the accurate calibration data using our test facilities under the operational condition. After the final integration of flight model into the satellite, the communication with the satellite and the functional test were passed. The NISS will be launched in early 2018. During around 2-year operation, the spectro-photometric survey covering more than 100 square degree will be performed. To achieve the major scientific objectives for the study of the cosmic star formation in local and distant universe, the main observational targets will be nearby galaxies, galaxy clusters, star-forming regions and low background regions. Here, we report the final performance of the flight model of the NISS.

• 천문학논총
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• 제39권2호
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• pp.69-87
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• 2024

This study analyzes the characteristics of the Angbu-ilgu, a Korean sundial resembling a concave hemisphere, which was crafted in 1434 during the sixteenth reign of King Sejong (r. 1418-1450) of the Joseon Dynasty, although no remains of it exist today. We draw upon historical documents, such as the Sejong-Sillok (Veritable Records of King Sejong), Donggyeong-Jiji (Chorography of the Joseon Dynasty), and Yuanshi (History of the Yuan Dynasty), as well as related extant relics. The primary features of King Sejong's Angbu-ilgu were as follows. First, celestial-circumference degrees were intricately engraved along the meridian line. Second, 12 double-hours were represented by images corresponding to their respective animal divinities. Third, a plate was affixed to the end of the gnomon, which stood perpendicular to the alidade, serving as a handle, rotated along two axes, and included a pinhole. Fourth, the diameter of the hemisphere measured 414 mm, approximately 1.5-2.1 times larger than extant Angbu-ilgu relics. Finally, four pillars supporting the Angbu-ilgu were positioned at four cardinal points. In conclusion, this study holds significance for restoring the Angbu-ilgu from the era of King Sejong.

• 천문학회지
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• 제56권2호
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• pp.137-147
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• 2023

Shoushili was the official calendrical method promulgated in 1280 CE by the Yuan dynasty. It contains a list of the angular spans in right ascensions for the 28 lunar lodges. They are known to have been measured by Guo Shoujing with his advanced instruments with an unprecedented precision or reading error of 5'. Such precise data are useful to determine their observational epoch with an error range which is narrow enough to pinpoint on which historical occasion they were observed. Using the precise SIMBAD data based on eDR3 of GAIA and carefully identified determinative stars and considering the precession of equinoxes and proper motions, we apply linear regression methods to those data and obtain the observational epoch of 1271 ± 16 CE and the measurement error of 4.1'. We also have polar distances corresponding to declinations written in another manuscript of the Ming dynasty. Since the two data sets have similar significant digits, they were suggested to have the same origin. However, we obtain their observational epoch of 1364±5 CE and the measurement error of 5.7'. They must have been measured with different instruments and on a different occasion from the observations related to Shoushili. We review the history of the calendrical reform during the 13th century in the Yuan dynasty. We conclude that the observational epoch obtained from lodge spans in Shoushili agrees with the period of observations led by Guo Shoujing or 1276-1279 CE, which is also supported by the fact that the ecliptic lodge span values listed in Shoushili were calculated from the equatorial lodge spans.

• 건축역사연구
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.7-19
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• 2001

Ip-am valley, located at the eastern remote part of Korean peninsular was the place where a remarkable Confucian scholar Chang Hyon-gwang spent his secluded days. A large upright stone, called Ip-am, and undulating streams nearby were surrounded by mountains, which formed a large enclosed valley. After selecting 28 natural and artificial places, Chang named each of them. Chang compared the relationship between Ip-am and the 28 places with that of the Polestar and 28 Lunar Lodgings, which were known as the ancient Chinese astronomical concept. Also, Chang regarded the valley as a place where the Taoistic Deity could stay. Chang, who had deep knowledge of astronomy, wrote some books on it. It could be said that the comparison of his hermitages with the Polestar and the 28 Lunar Lodgings resulted from his deep passion for astronomy. He considered the Ip-am valley to be the core of the universe like the Polestar is the core of the celestial world. Some stars like the Polestar or the Dipper were regarded as the Deities of Taoism. We can find that Confucian scholars of the middle Choseon, like Chang Hyon-gwang, also tended to have some concern about Taoism.

• 천문학논총
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.169-171
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• 2015

NGC147 and NGC185, paired satellites of the Andromeda galaxy, possess the same order of mass and analogous structures, but they show different star formation and different amounts of interstellar gas and dust. Therefore, we present the first reconstruction of the star formation history of NGC147 and NGC185. Asymptotic Giant Branch stars are highly evolved stars that are brightest in K-band. This maximum K-band magnitude is related to the birth mass of stars. As a result, we have found a 9.9 Gyr old single star formation epoch for NGC185 followed by relatively continuous star formation. NGC147, however, has passed through two star formation episodes; one is as old as ~6 Gyr and the other is as recent as ~850 Myr. Asymptotic Giant Branch stars are also important dust factories; by fitting Spectral Energy Distributions to observed near and mid infrared data for each star, we were able to measure the dust production rates of individual stars; on order of $10^{-5}M_{\odot}yr^{-1}$. Hence, we estimate the total mass entering the interstellar medium to be $1.06{\times}10^{-4}M_{\odot}yr^{-1}$ and $2.89{\times}10^{-4}M_{\odot}yr^{-1}$ for NGC147 and NGC185.

• 천문학회지
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• 제49권6호
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• pp.233-238
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• 2016

The missing historical record of the Cassiopeia A (Cas A) supernova (SN) event implies a large extinction to the SN, possibly greater than the interstellar extinction to the current SN remnant. Here we investigate the possibility that the guest star that appeared near Cas A in 1592-1593 in Korean history books could have been an 'impostor' of the Cas A SN, i.e., a luminous transient that appeared to be a SN but did not destroy the progenitor star, with strong mass loss to have provided extra circumstellar extinction. We first review the Korean records and show that a spatial coincidence between the guest star and Cas A cannot be ruled out, as opposed to previous studies. Based on modern astrophysical findings on core-collapse SN, we argue that Cas A could have had an impostor and derive its anticipated properties. It turned out that the Cas A SN impostor must have been bright ($M_V=-14.7{\pm}2.2mag$) and an amount of dust with visual extinction of ${\geq}2.8{\pm}2.2mag$ should have formed in the ejected envelope and/or in a strong wind afterwards. The mass loss needs to have been spherically asymmetric in order to see the light echo from the SN event but not the one from the impostor event.

• 천문학회보
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.48.1-48.1
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• 2013

We present galaxy luminosity functions (LFs) of subgroups in the Ursa Major cluster. The membership of galaxies is determined by radial velocities which are compiled from the SDSS and NED. We found that the faint end slope (${\alpha}$) of the LF of all sample galaxies in Ursa Major is ${\alpha}=-1.13$. This is consistent with previous result, but shallower than that of the Virgo cluster. Interestingly, the subgroups in Ursa Major show different slopes in their LFs. The NGC 3992 and NGC 4111, the massive subgroups in the Ursa Major cluster, exhibit steep slopes of their LFs comparable to that of the Virgo cluster. On the other hand, less massive group (NGC 3877) shows a very shallow slope of -0.84. Based on the results, we discuss the evolution of galaxies and the assembly history of the Ursa Major cluster.