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Decay of Planetary Debris Disks
We report new Spitzer 24 μm photometry of 76 main-sequence A-typestars. We combine these results with previously reported Spitzer 24μm data and 24 and 25 μm photometry from the Infrared SpaceObservatory and the Infrared Astronomy Satellite. The result is a sampleof 266 stars with mass close to 2.5 Msolar, all detected toat least the ~7 σ level relative to their photospheric emission.We culled ages for the entire sample from the literature and/orestimated them using the H-R diagram and isochrones; they range from 5to 850 Myr. We identified excess thermal emission using an internallyderived K-24 (or 25) μm photospheric color and then compared allstars in the sample to that color. Because we have excluded stars withstrong emission lines or extended emission (associated with nearbyinterstellar gas), these excesses are likely to be generated by debrisdisks. Younger stars in the sample exhibit excess thermal emission morefrequently and with higher fractional excess than do the older stars.However, as many as 50% of the younger stars do not show excessemission. The decline in the magnitude of excess emission, for thosestars that show it, has a roughly t0/time dependence, witht0~150 Myr. If anything, stars in binary systems (includingAlgol-type stars) and λ Boo stars show less excess emission thanthe other members of the sample. Our results indicate that (1) there issubstantial variety among debris disks, including that a significantnumber of stars emerge from the protoplanetary stage of evolution withlittle remaining disk in the 10-60 AU region and (2) in addition, it islikely that much of the dust we detect is generated episodically bycollisions of large planetesimals during the planet accretion end game,and that individual events often dominate the radiometric properties ofa debris system. This latter behavior agrees generally with what we knowabout the evolution of the solar system, and also with theoreticalmodels of planetary system formation.

Abundances of a sample of A and F-type dwarf members of the Ursa Major Group
Abundances of 11 chemical elements have been determined for 10 F and 12A dwarfs ("normal" and chemically peculiar) bona-fide and probablemembers of the Ursa Major Group (age about 500 Myr). The abundances weredetermined in a uniform manner using a model atmosphere analysis byminimising the chi-square of grids of synthetic spectra to observed highresolution high S/N (R ≃ 25 000 and R ≃ 70 000 ) spectraobtained in three narrow spectral regions centered around 5075 Å,5525 Å and 6160 Å. Specifically, Takeda's (1995)semi-automated procedure was used to derive the abundances of C, O, Na,Mg, Si, Ca, Sc, Fe, Ni, Y, and Ba, the projected rotational velocityve sin i and the microturbulent velocity for each staranalysed. In graphs [X/H] versus T_eff, the A stars exhibit largerstar-to-star variations in [Fe/H], [Ni/H], and [Si/H] than the F dwarfsdo. The abundance of nickel is the only one that appears to becorrelated with that of iron.

CHARM2: An updated Catalog of High Angular Resolution Measurements
We present an update of the Catalog of High Angular ResolutionMeasurements (CHARM, Richichi & Percheron \cite{CHARM}, A&A,386, 492), which includes results available until July 2004. CHARM2 is acompilation of direct measurements by high angular resolution methods,as well as indirect estimates of stellar diameters. Its main goal is toprovide a reference list of sources which can be used for calibrationand verification observations with long-baseline optical and near-IRinterferometers. Single and binary stars are included, as are complexobjects from circumstellar shells to extragalactic sources. The presentupdate provides an increase of almost a factor of two over the previousedition. Additionally, it includes several corrections and improvements,as well as a cross-check with the valuable public release observationsof the ESO Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI). A total of 8231entries for 3238 unique sources are now present in CHARM2. Thisrepresents an increase of a factor of 3.4 and 2.0, respectively, overthe contents of the previous version of CHARM.The catalog is only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/431/773

A near-infrared stellar spectral library: I. H-band spectra.
This paper presents the H band near-infrared (NIR) spectral library of135 solar type stars covering spectral types O5-M3 and luminosityclasses I-V as per MK classification. The observations were carried outwith 1.2 meter Gurushikhar Infrared Telescope (GIRT), at Mt. Abu, Indiausing a NICMOS3 HgCdTe 256 x 256 NIR array based spectrometer. Thespectra have a moderate resolution of 1000 (about 16 A) at the H bandand have been continuum shape corrected to their respective effectivetemperatures. This library and the remaining ones in J and K bands oncereleased will serve as an important database for stellar populationsynthesis and other applications in conjunction with the newly formedlarge optical coude feed stellar spectral library of Valdes et al.(2004). The complete H-Band library is available online at: http://vo.iucaa.ernet.in/~voi/NIR_Header.html

J - K DENIS photometry of a VLTI-selected sample of bright southern stars
We present a photometric survey of bright southern stars carried outusing the DENIS instrument equipped with attenuating filters. Theobservations were carried out not using the survey mode of DENIS, butwith individual target pointings. This project was stimulated by theneed to obtain near-infrared photometry of stars to be used in earlycommissioning observations of the ESO Very Large TelescopeInterferometer, and in particular to establish a network of brightcalibrator sources.We stress that near-infrared photometry is peculiarly lacking for manybright stars. These stars are saturated in 2MASS as well as in regularDENIS observations. The only other observations available for brightinfrared stars are those of the Two Micron Sky Survey dating from overthirty years ago. These were restricted to declinations above≈-30°, and thus cover only about half of the sky accessible fromthe VLTI site.We note that the final 2MASS data release includes photometry of brightstars, obtained by means of point-spread function fitting. However, thismethod only achieves about 30% accuracy, which is not sufficient formost applications.In this work, we present photometry for over 600 stars, each with atleast one and up to eight measurements, in the J and K filters. Typicalaccuracy is at the level of 0\fm05 and 0\fm04 in the J and K_s bands,respectively.Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, LaSilla.Tables 1 and 2 are only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/413/1037

Stellar Kinematic Groups. II. A Reexamination of the Membership, Activity, and Age of the Ursa Major Group
Utilizing Hipparcos parallaxes, original radial velocities and recentliterature values, new Ca II H and K emission measurements,literature-based abundance estimates, and updated photometry (includingrecent resolved measurements of close doubles), we revisit the UrsaMajor moving group membership status of some 220 stars to produce afinal clean list of nearly 60 assured members, based on kinematic andphotometric criteria. Scatter in the velocity dispersions and H-Rdiagram is correlated with trial activity-based membership assignments,indicating the usefulness of criteria based on photometric andchromospheric emission to examine membership. Closer inspection,however, shows that activity is considerably more robust at excludingmembership, failing to do so only for <=15% of objects, perhapsconsiderably less. Our UMa members demonstrate nonzero vertex deviationin the Bottlinger diagram, behavior seen in older and recent studies ofnearby young disk stars and perhaps related to Galactic spiralstructure. Comparison of isochrones and our final UMa group membersindicates an age of 500+/-100 Myr, some 200 Myr older than thecanonically quoted UMa age. Our UMa kinematic/photometric members' meanchromospheric emission levels, rotational velocities, and scattertherein are indistinguishable from values in the Hyades and smaller thanthose evinced by members of the younger Pleiades and M34 clusters,suggesting these characteristics decline rapidly with age over 200-500Myr. None of our UMa members demonstrate inordinately low absolutevalues of chromospheric emission, but several may show residual fluxes afactor of >=2 below a Hyades-defined lower envelope. If one defines aMaunder-like minimum in a relative sense, then the UMa results maysuggest that solar-type stars spend 10% of their entire main-sequencelives in periods of precipitously low activity, which is consistent withestimates from older field stars. As related asides, we note six evolvedstars (among our UMa nonmembers) with distinctive kinematics that liealong a 2 Gyr isochrone and appear to be late-type counterparts to diskF stars defining intermediate-age star streams in previous studies,identify a small number of potentially very young but isolated fieldstars, note that active stars (whether UMa members or not) in our samplelie very close to the solar composition zero-age main sequence, unlikeHipparcos-based positions in the H-R diagram of Pleiades dwarfs, andargue that some extant transformations of activity indices are notadequate for cool dwarfs, for which Ca II infrared triplet emissionseems to be a better proxy than Hα-based values for Ca II H and Kindices.

Catalogue of averaged stellar effective magnetic fields. I. Chemically peculiar A and B type stars
This paper presents the catalogue and the method of determination ofaveraged quadratic effective magnetic fields < B_e > for 596 mainsequence and giant stars. The catalogue is based on measurements of thestellar effective (or mean longitudinal) magnetic field strengths B_e,which were compiled from the existing literature.We analysed the properties of 352 chemically peculiar A and B stars inthe catalogue, including Am, ApSi, He-weak, He-rich, HgMn, ApSrCrEu, andall ApSr type stars. We have found that the number distribution of allchemically peculiar (CP) stars vs. averaged magnetic field strength isdescribed by a decreasing exponential function. Relations of this typehold also for stars of all the analysed subclasses of chemicalpeculiarity. The exponential form of the above distribution function canbreak down below about 100 G, the latter value representingapproximately the resolution of our analysis for A type stars.Table A.1 and its references are only available in electronic form atthe CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/407/631 and Tables 3 to 9are only available in electronic form at http://www.edpsciences.org

Magnetic survey of bright northern main sequence stars
The first results of a systematic search for magnetic fields in thebrightest upper main sequence (MS) stars are presented. The main goal isto survey the stars with about the same detection limit and to improveexisting statistics of their magnetism. The target list contains 57upper MS stars and represents well B0.5-F9 stars. High-resolution Zeemanspectra were obtained for 30 stars of the list. The accuracy of themagnetic field measurements ranges from 20 to 300 G depending mainly onspectral class. In the majority of studied stars we did not detectmagnetic fields. In some stars we suspect the presence of a weakmagnetic field. These are the best candidates for more extensivestudies. A particular case is the star chi Dra where we probablydetected the global magnetic field. The longitudinal field strength isB_l= -54+/-12 G. Further observations of this star are needed to confirmthe detection and to ascertain if the magnetic field is variable withthe period of rotation. Based on observations collected at the 1 mtelescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory (Nizhnij Arkhyz,Russia).

Rotational velocities of A-type stars in the northern hemisphere. II. Measurement of v sin i
This work is the second part of the set of measurements of v sin i forA-type stars, begun by Royer et al. (\cite{Ror_02a}). Spectra of 249 B8to F2-type stars brighter than V=7 have been collected at Observatoirede Haute-Provence (OHP). Fourier transforms of several line profiles inthe range 4200-4600 Å are used to derive v sin i from thefrequency of the first zero. Statistical analysis of the sampleindicates that measurement error mainly depends on v sin i and thisrelative error of the rotational velocity is found to be about 5% onaverage. The systematic shift with respect to standard values fromSlettebak et al. (\cite{Slk_75}), previously found in the first paper,is here confirmed. Comparisons with data from the literature agree withour findings: v sin i values from Slettebak et al. are underestimatedand the relation between both scales follows a linear law ensuremath vsin inew = 1.03 v sin iold+7.7. Finally, thesedata are combined with those from the previous paper (Royer et al.\cite{Ror_02a}), together with the catalogue of Abt & Morrell(\cite{AbtMol95}). The resulting sample includes some 2150 stars withhomogenized rotational velocities. Based on observations made atObservatoire de Haute Provence (CNRS), France. Tables \ref{results} and\ref{merging} are only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.125.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/393/897

Do dusty A stars exhibit accretion signatures in their photospheres?
We determined abundances of O, Ca, Fe, Ba and Y for a sample of dustyand dust-free A stars, taken from the list of Cheng et al.(\cite{Cheng92}). Five of the stars have an infrared-excess due tocircumstellar dust. Ongoing accretion from their circumstellarsurroundings might have modified the abundances in the photospheres ofthese stars, but our results clearly show, that there is no differencein the photospheric composition of the dusty and dust-free stars.Instead all of them show the typical diffusion pattern which diminishestowards larger rotational velocities.

CHARM: A Catalog of High Angular Resolution Measurements
The Catalog of High Angular Resolution Measurements (CHARM) includesmost of the measurements obtained by the techniques of lunaroccultations and long-baseline interferometry at visual and infraredwavelengths, which have appeared in the literature or have otherwisebeen made public until mid-2001. A total of 2432 measurements of 1625sources are included, along with extensive auxiliary information. Inparticular, visual and infrared photometry is included for almost allthe sources. This has been partly extracted from currently availablecatalogs, and partly obtained specifically for CHARM. The main aim is toprovide a compilation of sources which could be used as calibrators orfor science verification purposes by the new generation of largeground-based facilities such as the ESO Very Large Interferometer andthe Keck Interferometer. The Catalog is available in electronic form atthe CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/386/492, and from theauthors on CD-Rom.

Statistics of spectroscopic sub-systems in visual multiple stars
A large sample of visual multiples of spectral types F5-M has beensurveyed for the presence of spectroscopic sub-systems. Some 4200 radialvelocities of 574 components were measured in 1994-2000 with thecorrelation radial velocity meter. A total of 46 new spectroscopicorbits were computed for this sample. Physical relations are establishedfor most of the visual systems and several optical components areidentified as well. The period distribution of sub-systems has a maximumat periods from 2 to 7 days, likely explained by a combination of tidaldissipation with triple-star dynamics. The fraction of spectroscopicsub-systems among the dwarf components of close visual binaries withknown orbits is similar to that of field dwarfs, from 11% to 18% percomponent. Sub-systems are more frequent among the components of widevisual binaries and among wide tertiary components to the known visualor spectroscopic binaries - 20% and 30%, respectively. In triple systemswith both outer (visual) and inner (spectroscopic) orbits known, we findan anti-correlation between the periods of inner sub-systems and theeccentricities of outer orbits which must be related to dynamicalstability constraints. Tables 1, 2, and 6 are only available inelectronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr(130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/382/118

Catalogue of Apparent Diameters and Absolute Radii of Stars (CADARS) - Third edition - Comments and statistics
The Catalogue, available at the Centre de Données Stellaires deStrasbourg, consists of 13 573 records concerning the results obtainedfrom different methods for 7778 stars, reported in the literature. Thefollowing data are listed for each star: identifications, apparentmagnitude, spectral type, apparent diameter in arcsec, absolute radiusin solar units, method of determination, reference, remarks. Commentsand statistics obtained from CADARS are given. The Catalogue isavailable in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp tocdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcar?J/A+A/367/521

Research Note Hipparcos photometry: The least variable stars
The data known as the Hipparcos Photometry obtained with the Hipparcossatellite have been investigated to find those stars which are leastvariable. Such stars are excellent candidates to serve as standards forphotometric systems. Their spectral types suggest in which parts of theHR diagrams stars are most constant. In some cases these values stronglyindicate that previous ground based studies claiming photometricvariability are incorrect or that the level of stellar activity haschanged. Table 2 is only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/367/297

The proper motions of fundamental stars. I. 1535 stars from the Basic FK5
A direct combination of the positions given in the HIPPARCOS cataloguewith astrometric ground-based catalogues having epochs later than 1939allows us to obtain new proper motions for the 1535 stars of the BasicFK5. The results are presented as the catalogue Proper Motions ofFundamental Stars (PMFS), Part I. The median precision of the propermotions is 0.5 mas/year for mu alpha cos delta and 0.7mas/year for mu delta . The non-linear motions of thephotocentres of a few hundred astrometric binaries are separated intotheir linear and elliptic motions. Since the PMFS proper motions do notinclude the information given by the proper motions from othercatalogues (HIPPARCOS, FK5, FK6, etc.) this catalogue can be used as anindependent source of the proper motions of the fundamental stars.Catalogue (Table 3) is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp tocdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strastg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/365/222

Dating Ptolemy's star catalogue through proper motions : the Hipparchan epoch.
Not Available

Stellar Angular Diameters of Late-Type Giants and Supergiants Measured with the Navy Prototype Optical Interferometer
We have measured the angular diameters of 50 F, G, K, and M giant andsupergiant stars using the Navy Prototype Optical Interferometer atwavelengths between 649 and 850 nm and using three baselines withlengths up to 37.5 m. Uniform-disk diameters, obtained from fits to thevisibility amplitude, were transformed to limb-darkened diametersthrough the use of limb-darkening coefficients for plane-parallelstellar atmosphere models. These limb-darkened diameters are comparedwith those measured with the Mark III optical interferometer and withthose computed by the infrared flux method. Sources of random andsystematic error in the observations are discussed.

Photometric Measurements of the Fields of More than 700 Nearby Stars
In preparation for optical/IR interferometric searches for substellarcompanions of nearby stars, we undertook to characterize the fields ofall nearby stars visible from the Northern Hemisphere to determinesuitable companions for interferometric phase referencing. Because theKeck Interferometer in particular will be able to phase-reference oncompanions within the isoplanatic patch (30") to about 17th magnitude atK, we took images at V, r, and i that were deep enough to determine iffield stars were present to this magnitude around nearby stars using aspot-coated CCD. We report on 733 fields containing 10,629 measurementsin up to three filters (Gunn i, r and Johnson V) of nearby stars down toabout 13th magnitude at V.

A search for circumstellar gas around normal A stars and Lambda Bootis stars
We have searched for interstellar or circumstellar absorption lines inthe center of Ca II K towards bright A-type stars that are mostly within80 pc of the Sun. Narrow absorption features are found in about 30 % ofthe 28 normal main-sequence A stars and 18 metal-deficient lambda Bootisstars studied. We have determined surface gravities and projectedrotational velocities. Most of the stars with detectable Ca K featureshave comparatively low gravities and high projected rotationalvelocities. This correlation with stellar properties implies that mostof the narrow absorption features are of circumstellar rather thaninterstellar origin. The preference of low gravity and rapid rotationfurthermore suggests that most of the gas shells around A stars developin the pre-main-sequence phase of evolution, and disappear largelybefore the star arrives at the ZAMS. Among the normal A stars studied,about 50 % are known to have dust disks. Unlike A stars withcircumstellar gas, these dusty stars do not prefer low log g and high vsin i. This results in an apparent lack of correlation between gas anddust, and indicates that normal A stars with gas shells and those withdust disks are not in the same evolutionary stage. We conjecture thatdust disks tend to develop after most of the gas has disappeared. Basedon observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, LaSilla, Chile

New binary stars discovered by lunar occultations. IV
We report on a total of 20 sources observed in the near infrared in thecourse of routine lunar occultation programs at the TIRGO and Calar Altoobservatories. The results consist either in discoveries of newbinaries, or in re-observations of known or suspected binaries whereonly incomplete information was previously available. For the firsttime, a companion has been detected around the following 6 stars:DO 2779, SAO 162001, SAO93083, IRC -20444, SAO162521, and GCVS 980. Additionally,SAO 93746 is discovered to be a triple system, withprojected separations at the 0farcs01 level. For the following 7 stars,our observations confirm previous reports of binarity and providecomplementary information in the infrared: SAO96746-A, SAO 161202, SAO94060, AG +16 403, SAO98270, SAO 93950 and SAO94554. Finally, for the following 4 stars, a companion hadbeen previously observed or suspected, but we could not detect it forvarious reasons: SAO 96810, SAO93961, SAO 93975 and SAO93981. The projected separations in our positive results rangefrom 0farcs01 to 0farcs57 , and the brightness ratios up to Delta K=4.4mag. In addition, two visual doubles, namely SAO184176 and SAO 94002, have also beenobserved and their projected angular separations and infrared brightnessratios are reported here. This paper is the fourth in a series, bringingto 58 the total number of binary sources studied by our group by meansof lunar occultations. Based on observations collected at TIRGO(Gornergrat, Switzerland), and at Calar Alto (Spain). TIRGO is operatedby CNR--CAISMI Arcetri, Italy. Calar Alto is operated by theGerman--Spanish Astronomical Center.

Identification of lambda Bootis stars using IUE spectra. II. High resolution data
Stars included in the catalogue of lambda Bootis stars by Paunzen et al.(\cite{Paunzen97}) with high resolution spectra (FWHM: 0.10-0.25 Ä)in the INES Archive of the International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite(IUE) are analyzed here in order to establish membership criteria forthe lambda Bootis group. Line-ratios of carbon to heavier elements (Si,Al, Ca) were adopted as criteria in the SWP range (1150-1980 Ä).For the LWP range (1850-3350 Ä), the intensity of metallic lines(Fe and Mg) was used. These criteria, together with those derived forlow resolution spectra, make the IUE Final Archive a powerful tool tofind new {lambda Bootis} candidates.

Dusty and dust-free A stars
We present preliminary results of our search for circumstellarabsorption features in the Ca K lines based on high S/N observationsobtained with the ESO CAT/CES system.

The Circumstellar Shell of the Post-Asymptotic Giant Branch Star HD 56126: ^12C^12C/^12C^13C Isotope Ratio and ^12C^16O Column Density
We have made the first detection of circumstellar absorption lines ofthe ^12C^13C A^1Pi_u-X^1Sigma^+_g (Phillips) system 1-0 band and the^12C^16O X^1Sigma^+ first-overtone 2-0 band in the spectrum of thepost-AGB star HD 56126 (IRAS 07134+1005). All current detections ofcircumstellar molecular absorption lines toward HD 56126 (^12C_2,^12C^13C, ^12C^14N, ^13C^14N, and ^12C^16O) yield the same heliocentricvelocity of V_CSE = 77.6 +/- 0.4 km s^-1. The ^12C_2, ^12C^13C, and^12C^16O lines give rotational temperatures and integrated columndensities of T_rot = 328 +/- 37 K, log N_int = 15.34 +/- 0.10 cm^-2,T_rot = 256 +/- 30 K, log N_int = 13.79 +/- 0.12 cm^-2, and T_rot = 51+/- 37 K, log N_int = 18.12 +/- 0.13 cm^-2, respectively. The rotationaltemperatures are lower for molecules with a higher permanent dipolemoment. Derived relative column densities ratios are ^12C_2/^12C^13C =36 +/- 13 and ^12C^16O/(^12C_2 + ^12C^13C) = 606 +/- 230. Combined withdata from a previous paper, we find relative column densities of^12C^16O/(^12C^14N + ^13C^14N) = 475 +/- 175 and ^12C^14N/^13C^14N = 38+/- 2. Under chemical equilibrium conditions, ^12C^13C is formed twiceas easily as ^12C_2. The isotopic exchange reaction for ^12C_2 is tooslow to significantly alter the ^12C_2/^12C^13C ratio, and the ^12C_2 to^12C^13C ratio is a good measure of half the carbon isotope ratio:^12C/^13C = 2 x ^12C_2/^12C^13C = 72 +/- 26. This is in agreement withour prediction that the isotopic exchange reaction for ^12C^14N isefficient and our observation in Paper III of ^12C^14N/^13C^14N = 38 +/-2. A fit of the C_2 excitation model of van Dishoeck & Black to therelative population distribution of C_2 yields n_csigma/I = 3.3 +/- 1.0x 10^-14. At r ~= 10^16 cm, this translates into n_c = 1.7 x 10^7 cm^-3and M~=2.5x10^-4 M_ȯ yr^-1.

The absolute magnitude of the early type MK standards from HIPPARCOS parallaxes
We analyse the standards of the MK system with the help of Hipparcosparallaxes, using only stars for which the error of the absolutemagnitude is <= 0.3 mag. We find that the main sequence is a wideband and that, although in general giants and dwarfs have differentabsolute magnitudes, the separation between luminosity classes V and IIIis not clear. Furthermore, there are a number of exceptions to thestrict relation between luminosity class and absolute magnitude. Weanalyse similarly the system of standards defined by Garrison & Gray(1994) separating low and high rotational velocity standards. We findsimilar effects as in the original MK system. We propose a revision ofthe MK standards, to eliminate the most deviant cases. Based on datafrom the ESA Hipparcos astrometry satellite

The Tokyo PMC catalog 90-93: Catalog of positions of 6649 stars observed in 1990 through 1993 with Tokyo photoelectric meridian circle
The sixth annual catalog of the Tokyo Photoelectric Meridian Circle(PMC) is presented for 6649 stars which were observed at least two timesin January 1990 through March 1993. The mean positions of the starsobserved are given in the catalog at the corresponding mean epochs ofobservations of individual stars. The coordinates of the catalog arebased on the FK5 system, and referred to the equinox and equator ofJ2000.0. The mean local deviations of the observed positions from theFK5 catalog positions are constructed for the basic FK5 stars to comparewith those of the Tokyo PMC Catalog 89 and preliminary Hipparcos resultsof H30.

The Angular Momentum of Main Sequence Stars and Its Relation to Stellar Activity
Rotational velocities are reported for intermediate-mass main sequencestars it the field. The measurements are based on new, high S/N CCDspectra from the Coudé Feed Telescope of the Kitt Peak NationalObservatory. We analyze these rotation rates for a dependence on bothmass and age. We compare the average rotation speeds of the field starswith mean velocities for young stars in Orion, the Alpha Persei cluster,the Pleiades, and the Hyades. The average rotation speeds of stars moremassive than $\sim1.6$ \msun\experience little or no change during theevolutionary lifetimes of these stars on the zero age main sequence orwithin the main sequence band. Less massive stars in the range betwee n1.6\msun\ and 1.3\msun\ also show little decline in mean rotation ratewhile they are on the main sequence, and at most a factor of 2 decreasein velocity as they evolve off the main sequence. The {\it e}-foldingtime for the loss of angular momentum b y the latter group of stars isat least 1--2 billion years. This inferred characteristic time scale forspindown is far longer than the established rotational braking time forsolar-type stars with masses below $\sim1.3$ \msun. We conclude from acomparison of the trends in rotation with trends in chromospheric andcoronal activity that the overall decline in mean rotation speed alongthe main sequence, from $\sim2$ \msun\ down to $\sim1.3$ \msun, isimposed during the pre-main sequence phase of evolution, and that thispattern changes little thereafter while the star resides on the mainsequence. The magnetic activity implicated in the rotational spindown ofthe Sun and of similar stars during their main sequence lifetimes mus ttherefore play only a minor role in determining the rotation rates ofthe intermediate mass stars, either because a solar-like dynamo is weakor absent, or else the geometry of the magnetic field is appreciablyless effective in removing angular momentu m from these stars. (SECTION:Stars)

Medium-Resolution Spectra of Normal Stars in the K Band
An Atlas of 115 medium-resolution K-band (2.0--2.4 mu m) stellarspectra, spanning spectral types O--M and luminosity types I--V, ispresented. K-band spectra are also presented for one N- and one J-typecarbon star. A time series of spectra is presented for an S-type Miravariable. All the spectra are at a resolution of ~3000 (1.4 cm-1) andhave had the terrestrial absorption removed by dividing by a featurelessspectrum. The spectra are plotted with the major spectral featuresidentified and are available digitally.

Intrinsic Energy Distribution in Stellar Spectra in the Wavelength Interval 320--760 NM
The intrinsic energy distributions in the interval 320--760 nm ofspectral types B5--G8 of luminosity V, F0--F5 of luminosity IV andG8--M2 of luminosity III, determined by authors, are intercompared withthe catalogue of the mean energy distribution data published bySviderskiene (1988).

New binary stars discovered by lunar occultations. II.
This paper is the second in a series, following the one by Richichi etal. (1994a, hereafter Paper I), reporting discoveries of new binarystars in the course of routine lunar occultation programs at the TIRGOand Calar Alto observatories, or re-observations of known or suspectedbinaries where only incomplete information was available. We report on atotal of 15 sources. In the following eight cases, we detected acompanion for the first time: SAO 93127, SAO 93195, SAO 95677, SAO96110, SAO 97246, SAO 97258, SAO 183637, AG +15 845. For two stars, SAO76131 and SAO 184822, we confirm previous reports of binarity, with ourIR measurements complementing existing visual information. In the caseof the five stars SAO 93484, SAO 96746, SAO 128467, SAO 157923 (αVir), and SAO 162413, a companion had also been previously observed, butwe could not detect it in our observation. Our negative detection inmost of these cases provides a constraint on the characteristics of thecompanion. The projected separations in our positive results range from0.79" to 0.006", and the range of brightness ratios from =~1:1 to 1:150.The faintest companion has K=~11. The performance of the lunaroccultations technique offers a valid complement to other more modernmethods such as speckle interferometry and long baseline interferometry,and in fact many of the stars in our list could not be resolved byprevious attempts using these latter techniques. In addition to standardobservations by fast photometers, in this paper we include and describethe routine use of an IR array detector to record lunar occultations,which offered significant improvement in sensitivity.

The Relation between Rotational Velocities and Spectral Peculiarities among A-Type Stars
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1995ApJS...99..135A&db_key=AST

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Observation and Astrometry data

Constellation:Δίδυμοι
Right ascension:07h18m05.60s
Declination:+16°32'25.0"
Apparent magnitude:3.58
Distance:28.91 parsecs
Proper motion RA:-45.9
Proper motion Dec:-37.1
B-T magnitude:3.709
V-T magnitude:3.575

Catalogs and designations:
Proper NamesLambda Geminorum
  (Edit)
Bayerλ Gem
Flamsteed54 Gem
HD 1989HD 56537
TYCHO-2 2000TYC 1346-1396-1
USNO-A2.0USNO-A2 1050-05000757
BSC 1991HR 2763
HIPHIP 35350

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