Astronomy & Astrophysics Division

Research Programmes - IR/OpticalResearch Programmes - IR/Optical

IS Matter & Star

Formation

Active

Galaxies

Sun; Solar Wind; Comets

Quasars & Pulsars

Research Programmes - RadioResearch Programmes - Radio

Comets

Stellar Evolution

Milky Way

• Observing facility

1.2 m Infrared Telescope at Gurushikhar, Mt. Abu

• Instrumentation NICMOS Imager/ Spectrometer 2 Channel Infrared Photometer Fabry-Perot Spectrometer Optical Polarimeter Fibre Linked Grating Spectrograph CCD Camera Imager

Astronomy and Astrophysics Division

Mt.Abu Infrared Observatory - Outside View

Mt.Abu Infrared Observatory - Inside View

of the 1.2 m telescope

Fibre-linked Grating Spectrograph

Imaging Fabry-Perot Spectrometer

NICMOS Imager/Spectrometer

2 - Channel IR Photometer Polarimeter

Aluminising Plant at Mt. Abu Observatory

CCD Camera

Focal Plane Instruments for 1.2m IR TelescopeAt Mt. Abu Infrared Observatory

Mirror Aluminisation

Infrared studies of Novae

Novae belong to a Class of Eruptive variable stars called Cataclysmic Variables (CVs)

Cataclysmic Variables are stars that have occasionaloutbursts caused by thermonuclear processes or accretion induced processes.

Different classes of CVs1. Classical Novae 2. Dwarf Novae 3. Recurrent Novae 4. Nova like variables5. Magnetic CVs

Brackett Series lines from 11 to 22

Hydrogen lines generally seen in Novae

Recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi (H band) NSgr 2001 (J band)MNRAS, 2006, in press

Infrared Spectra of V445 Puppis

Near Infrared Spectra from Mt. Abu ObservatoryHydrogen deficiency confirmed : Unusually rich in CI lines

FIRST OBSERVED HELIUM NOVA

(2003, A&A, 409, 1007)

Helium lines in V445 Pup

HeI line at 2.0581 microns. V445 Pup is the red object.The redness is because of dust formation after outburst.

From2003, Ap.J(L), 598, L312004, Ap.J(L), 604, L572004, Ap.J(L), 610, L292004, Ap.J(L), 615, L53

AlO Bands in IR Optical spectrum - unusually strong KI, NaI resonance lines

Water ice at 50K at 3 micronsRo-vibrational spectrum ofCO fundamental band

V4332 Sgr

Some results

Infrared water lines in V838 Mon - A rare eruptive variable with a light echo

Mt. Abu spectra from 2002-2004 and Model fits to the water lines

2005, ApJL, 627, L141

V838 Mon eruptedin 2002 and is now surrounded by acool water shell at 800K. Detectionof water lines is ingeneral rare in celes-tial objects and have not been seen earlier in a nova-like object.

Study of Starburst Galaxies

Prodigious starformation rate as compared to normal galaxiesLight dominated by HII regions- ionized by young stars

Aim: To study the morphology and origin of starburst phenomena

Optically selected sample of 19galaxies from Markarian catalogIncludes all Hubble types

BVRI, H and near IR imaging

1999 A&AS, 139, 1051999 A&A, 352, 1122001 JApA, 22, 155