BVRIJHK Photometry: What Do the Letters Stand For?

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In summary, the letters BVR,VI in the context of the journal article refer to specific wavebands in Johnson photometric systems, with B-V increasing in wavelength. Google search results mainly provide articles describing results, without explaining what the technique actually is. The link provided gives more information on the subject. The relative reflectance of 1.00 in the R and I filters suggests that the object is most reflective in those bands. However, the term "relative reflectance" is not explicitly defined in the context.
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tony873004
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What do the letters stand for? Blue, Violet, Red, Indego?

Does anyone have a link explaining the process? Google only seems to give articles describing results from using the technique without explaining what the technique is.
 
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tony873004 said:
What do the letters stand for? Blue, Violet, Red, Indego?

The quick and dirty answer is that those letters refer to specific wavebands in Johnson photometric systems. They run in order of increasing wavelength. The first four are optical wavebands and the last three are infrared ones. More information here:

http://www.starlink.rl.ac.uk/star/docs/sc6.htx/node10.html" [Broken]


Does anyone have a link explaining the process? Google only seems to give articles describing results from using the technique without explaining what the technique is.

What process are you referring to exactly? The process of applying filters?
 
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Thanks, ST.

The quick and dirty answer and that link was all I needed :smile: . I was reading the journal on the discovery of 2003UB313. ( http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0508633 ) Based on the context I had a good idea what this was, but I had never heard of it and didn't know what bands the letters represented.

It states that the brightness is highest through the R and I filters, each with a relative reflectance of 1.00. Am I correct to assume that whatever filter gives the highest value will be considered to be 1.00?
 
  • #4
tony873004 said:
Am I correct to assume that whatever filter gives the highest value will be considered to be 1.00?

That's what it looks like, though I've never seen the term explicitly defined. I think that table is just telling you how reflective the object is in the different bands (relatively speaking).
 

1. What does BVRIJHK photometry measure?

BVRIJHK photometry measures the brightness of objects in different wavelengths of light, including blue (B), visible (V), red (R), near-infrared (I), infrared (J), H-band (H), and K-band (K).

2. What is the purpose of BVRIJHK photometry?

The purpose of BVRIJHK photometry is to provide a comprehensive view of an object's brightness across a wide range of wavelengths. This can help scientists study the properties of the object such as its temperature, composition, and distance.

3. How is BVRIJHK photometry conducted?

BVRIJHK photometry is conducted by using filters that only allow specific wavelengths of light to pass through and then measuring the amount of light that passes through the filter. This is typically done using specialized instruments such as CCD cameras or photometers.

4. What is the difference between BVRIJHK photometry and other types of photometry?

The main difference between BVRIJHK photometry and other types of photometry is the range of wavelengths that are measured. BVRIJHK photometry covers a wider range of wavelengths compared to other types, such as UBV photometry which only covers ultraviolet, blue, and visible wavelengths.

5. What are some applications of BVRIJHK photometry?

BVRIJHK photometry has many applications in astronomy and astrophysics, including studying the properties of stars, galaxies, and other celestial objects. It is also used in exoplanet research to detect and characterize planets orbiting other stars. Additionally, BVRIJHK photometry is used in the field of cosmology to study the expansion of the universe and the properties of dark matter and dark energy.

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