2014/11/11 by V. V. Bobylev, В. В. Бобылев, A. T. Bajkova
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astronomy #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Celestial sphere #Declination #Galactic plane #Geodesy #Geology #Geometry #Latitude #Longitude #Mathematics #Orientation (vector space) #Physics #Right ascension #Spiral galaxy #Stars #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph.GA
paper · pdf · doi:10.1134/s1063773714120020
published as Astronomy Letters, 2014, Vol. 40, No. 12, pp. 783-792 · 14 pages, 5 figures
arxiv created 2014/11/11 · arxiv updated 2014/11/12 · openalex publication_date 2014/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Based on masers with measured trigonometric parallaxes, we have redetermined the spatial orientation parameters of the Local (Orion) arm. Using 23 sources (the Gould Belt objects were excluded), we have found that their spatial distribution can be approximated by a very narrow ellipsoid elongated in the direction L 1 = 77.1° ± 2.9° whose symmetry plane is inclined to the Galactic plane at an angle of 5.6° ± 0.2°. The longitude of the ascending node of the symmetry plane is lΩ = 70^∘ ± 3^∘ . A newestimate for the pitch angle of the Local spiral arm has been obtained by an independent method: i = 12.9° ± 2.9°. Previously, a belt of young B stars, the de Vaucouleurs-Dolidze belt, was pointed out on the celestial sphere with parameters close to such an orientation. We have refined the spatial orientation parameters of this belt based on a homogeneous sample of protostars. The de Vaucouleurs-Dolidze belt can be identified with the Local arm, with the belt proper as a continuous band on the celestial sphere like the Gould Belt being absent due to the peculiarities of the spatial orientation of the Local arm. Using the entire sample of 119 Galactic masers, we have shown that the third axis of their position ellipsoid has no deviation from the direction to the Galactic pole: B 3 = 89.7° ± 0.1°.