Discovery and characterization of the highest-redshift barred spiral galaxy candidate at z=5.102, with bar length ~4.5 kpc, stellar mass 10^10.45 solar masses, SFR 144 solar masses per year, and evidence for AGN and interaction.
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The Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) on the James Webb Space Telescope I. Overview of the instrument and its capabilities
53 Pith papers cite this work, alongside 612 external citations. Polarity classification is still indexing.
53
Pith papers citing it
612
external citations · Pith
abstract
We provide an overview of the design and capabilities of the near-infrared spectrograph (NIRSpec) onboard the James Webb Space Telescope. NIRSpec is designed to be capable of carrying out low-resolution ($R\!=30\!-330$) prism spectroscopy over the wavelength range $0.6-5.3\!~\mu$m and higher resolution ($R\!=500\!-1340$ or $R\!=1320\!-3600$) grating spectroscopy over $0.7-5.2\!~\mu$m, both in single-object mode employing any one of five fixed slits, or a 3.1$\times$3.2 arcsec$^2$ integral field unit, or in multiobject mode employing a novel programmable micro-shutter device covering a 3.6$\times$3.4~arcmin$^2$ field of view. The all-reflective optical chain of NIRSpec and the performance of its different components are described, and some of the trade-offs made in designing the instrument are touched upon. The faint-end spectrophotometric sensitivity expected of NIRSpec, as well as its dependency on the energetic particle environment that its two detector arrays are likely to be subjected to in orbit are also discussed.
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representative citing papers
First JWST spectroscopy of GJ 504 b detects multiple molecules, retrieves atmospheric parameters including super-solar metallicity, and finds tentative support for planet-like formation.
Four faint red point sources near critical curves in JWST images of Abell S1063 are interpreted as extremely magnified AGB stars and a yellow supergiant at cosmic noon.
JWST nebular spectra detect cooling ~400 K carbonaceous dust emission in normal SN Ia 2023qov at +276 and +363 days, modeled as pre-existing circumstellar dust with mass ~10^{-4} M_sun located within ~1 light year.
LRD host galaxies show average metallicity 0.08 Z_sun with narrow stable range, challenging pristine-gas formation models while ruling out typical local AGN.
First statistically significant detection of dayside silicate clouds on a Neptunian-mass exoplanet, with CO and CO2 detections and C/O ratio of 0.984 from JWST spectra.
JWST data on 3C305 shows the compact radio jet efficiently drives kiloparsec-scale multiphase outflows via shocks, with high coupling to the observed gas kinetic power and radiative losses.
Transit spectrum of TOI-6894b indicates 3-10x solar metallicity with solar C/O, N/O, and S/O ratios, similar to Jupiter and Saturn.
JWST MIRI observations of 634 galaxies at 0.2<z<2 yield IR luminosity functions with faint-end slope α≈0.147, implying lower dust-obscured SFRD than previous ALMA/Herschel/Spitzer studies.
Filter-substrate refraction causes dominant lateral shifts yielding 0.3-0.4% PSF size and ellipticity residuals across most Roman bands that exceed weak lensing requirements by an order of magnitude, while longitudinal defocus shifts remain negligible.
JWST spectra of six z=5-9 galaxies show low-ionization covering fractions of 0.2-0.9 and diverse kinematics including blueshifted outflows, indicating heterogeneous multiphase ISM.
ROSSINI achieves integral field spectroscopy without IFUs via rotational slitless imaging combined with tomographic reconstruction, recovering input datacubes to percent-level accuracy in numerical simulations.
Detection of a stellar bar in the extreme gas-rich galaxy GN20 at z=4.055 shows that gas-rich disks support rapid bar formation in the early universe.
457P shows dust activity without detectable H2O, CO, CO2, or CH3OH, with Q(H2O) < 2e24 molecules/s, indicating it may be more volatile-depleted than other main-belt comets.
JWST data reconstructs the inner ejecta of SNR 0540-69.3 as two similar-sized fragmented lobes, implying a ~300 km/s pulsar kick under symmetry assumption and confirming low-velocity hydrogen mixing in a Type II explosion.
A JWST census detects neutral ISM absorption in 76 of 309 galaxies at 0.6<z<4 and outflows in 26, indicating AGN-driven neutral outflows dominate in quiescent systems at cosmic noon.
New JWST and Keck data on off-nuclear TDE 2025abcr show shifting emission-line velocities from a changing reprocessing layer and an IR power-law slope of -2.13 that is consistent with either reprocessing gas or a young stellar cluster of mass ~10^7.6 solar masses.
SN 2025ogs is a spectroscopically normal Type Ia supernova at z=2.05 whose luminosity distance and properties are consistent with low-z standards and current LambdaCDM constraints.
JWST spectroscopy of 295 galaxies at 5.5 < z < 14.3 shows UV slope beta reddening at z > 9.5, with lack of dust as the main driver of bluer values and nebular continuum at T > 15,000 K able to reproduce the observed range without dust.
Measures a new nebular attenuation curve from 1400-9550 Å for galaxy GOODSN-17940 at z=4.41 that is steeper than Milky Way/SMC/Calzetti at long wavelengths, similar in blue-optical, and shallower in UV with no 2175 Å bump.
JWST-NIRSpec data reveal AGN photoionization dominating gas excitation within 300 pc of NGC7469's nucleus, with shock signatures from a compact radio jet and complex kinematics indicating inflows and outflows in a self-regulating cycle.
JWST spectra of SN 2022acko reveal CO masses of 1.55e-4 and 2.47e-4 solar masses, IME velocities ~300 km/s vs ~100 km/s for H/He/IGEs suggesting bipolar outflow, and substantially less molecule formation than higher-mass Type II SNe.
In 3<z<8 galaxies, 12 of 26 systems with significant [OIII]/Hβ peaks show spatial offsets between the ionization peak and the stellar continuum center, consistent with—but not uniquely proving—off-center or wandering black holes.
Galaxy interactions at z~5 trigger star-formation bursts responsible for ~42% of stellar mass growth, half from new stars formed during the interaction.
citing papers explorer
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A massive barred spiral galaxy at z = 5.102 discovered by JWST
Discovery and characterization of the highest-redshift barred spiral galaxy candidate at z=5.102, with bar length ~4.5 kpc, stellar mass 10^10.45 solar masses, SFR 144 solar masses per year, and evidence for AGN and interaction.
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JWST-TST High Contrast: First Direct Spectroscopy of GJ 504 b reveals Clouds and Possible Metal Enrichment
First JWST spectroscopy of GJ 504 b detects multiple molecules, retrieves atmospheric parameters including super-solar metallicity, and finds tentative support for planet-like formation.
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Other red dots: A possible GLIMPSE of normal AGB stars at Cosmic Noon through extreme lensing
Four faint red point sources near critical curves in JWST images of Abell S1063 are interpreted as extremely magnified AGB stars and a yellow supergiant at cosmic noon.
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JWST Nebular Spectroscopy of SN 2023qov: Circumstellar Dust Emission in a Normal Type Ia Supernova
JWST nebular spectra detect cooling ~400 K carbonaceous dust emission in normal SN Ia 2023qov at +276 and +363 days, modeled as pre-existing circumstellar dust with mass ~10^{-4} M_sun located within ~1 light year.
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The metallicities of little red dot host galaxies: LRDs are metal poor, but not pristine
LRD host galaxies show average metallicity 0.08 Z_sun with narrow stable range, challenging pristine-gas formation models while ruling out typical local AGN.
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Glossy Silicate Clouds on the Scorched Dayside of LTT9779b
First statistically significant detection of dayside silicate clouds on a Neptunian-mass exoplanet, with CO and CO2 detections and C/O ratio of 0.984 from JWST spectra.
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JWST resolves jet-driven H2 and ionized outflows in radio galaxy 3C305
JWST data on 3C305 shows the compact radio jet efficiently drives kiloparsec-scale multiphase outflows via shocks, with high coupling to the observed gas kinetic power and radiative losses.
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C, N, O, S, and photochemistry in a temperate giant planet orbiting a late M dwarf
Transit spectrum of TOI-6894b indicates 3-10x solar metallicity with solar C/O, N/O, and S/O ratios, similar to Jupiter and Saturn.
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MEGA and SMILES Find Fewer Dusty Galaxies than Expected at Cosmic Noon
JWST MIRI observations of 634 galaxies at 0.2<z<2 yield IR luminosity functions with faint-end slope α≈0.147, implying lower dust-obscured SFRD than previous ALMA/Herschel/Spitzer studies.
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Modeling the impact of filter-substrate refraction in the Roman point spread function
Filter-substrate refraction causes dominant lateral shifts yielding 0.3-0.4% PSF size and ellipticity residuals across most Roman bands that exceed weak lensing requirements by an order of magnitude, while longitudinal defocus shifts remain negligible.
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JWST absorption line spectroscopy with SPURS: ISM covering fractions and kinematics in individual galaxies at $z=5-9$
JWST spectra of six z=5-9 galaxies show low-ionization covering fractions of 0.2-0.9 and diverse kinematics including blueshifted outflows, indicating heterogeneous multiphase ISM.
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Integral field spectroscopy with no IFUs: combining wide-field rotational slitless spectroscopy with tomographic reconstruction
ROSSINI achieves integral field spectroscopy without IFUs via rotational slitless imaging combined with tomographic reconstruction, recovering input datacubes to percent-level accuracy in numerical simulations.
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A stellar bar hidden in an extreme gas-rich disk galaxy at z=4.055
Detection of a stellar bar in the extreme gas-rich galaxy GN20 at z=4.055 shows that gas-rich disks support rapid bar formation in the early universe.
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Emerging Diversity Among the Main-Belt Comets: Insights from JWST and Ground-Based Observations of 457P/Lemmon-PANSTARRS
457P shows dust activity without detectable H2O, CO, CO2, or CH3OH, with Q(H2O) < 2e24 molecules/s, indicating it may be more volatile-depleted than other main-belt comets.
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Exploring the central region of SNR 0540-69.3 with JWST I: 3D morphology
JWST data reconstructs the inner ejecta of SNR 0540-69.3 as two similar-sized fragmented lobes, implying a ~300 km/s pulsar kick under symmetry assumption and confirming low-velocity hydrogen mixing in a Type II explosion.
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A Census of Na D-traced neutral ISM and outflows at $0.6<z<4$
A JWST census detects neutral ISM absorption in 76 of 309 galaxies at 0.6<z<4 and outflows in 26, indicating AGN-driven neutral outflows dominate in quiescent systems at cosmic noon.
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JWST and Keck observations of the off-nuclear tidal disruption event TDE 2025abcr: An evolving reprocessing layer
New JWST and Keck data on off-nuclear TDE 2025abcr show shifting emission-line velocities from a changing reprocessing layer and an IR power-law slope of -2.13 that is consistent with either reprocessing gas or a young stellar cluster of mass ~10^7.6 solar masses.
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SN 2025ogs: A Spectroscopically-Normal Type Ia Supernova at z = 2 as a Benchmark for Redshift Evolution
SN 2025ogs is a spectroscopically normal Type Ia supernova at z=2.05 whose luminosity distance and properties are consistent with low-z standards and current LambdaCDM constraints.
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Hitting the slopes: A spectroscopic view of UV continuum slopes of galaxies reveals a reddening at z > 9.5
JWST spectroscopy of 295 galaxies at 5.5 < z < 14.3 shows UV slope beta reddening at z > 9.5, with lack of dust as the main driver of bluer values and nebular continuum at T > 15,000 K able to reproduce the observed range without dust.
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The AURORA Survey: The Nebular Attenuation Curve of a Galaxy at z=4.41 from Ultraviolet to Near-Infrared Wavelengths
Measures a new nebular attenuation curve from 1400-9550 Å for galaxy GOODSN-17940 at z=4.41 that is steeper than Milky Way/SMC/Calzetti at long wavelengths, similar in blue-optical, and shallower in UV with no 2175 Å bump.
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GOALS-JWST: Gas Dynamics and Excitation in NGC7469 revealed by NIRSpec
JWST-NIRSpec data reveal AGN photoionization dominating gas excitation within 300 pc of NGC7469's nucleus, with shock signatures from a compact radio jet and complex kinematics indicating inflows and outflows in a self-regulating cycle.
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JWST Medium-Resolution Infrared Spectroscopy of SN 2022acko: Tracing Molecule Formation in the Nebular Phase
JWST spectra of SN 2022acko reveal CO masses of 1.55e-4 and 2.47e-4 solar masses, IME velocities ~300 km/s vs ~100 km/s for H/He/IGEs suggesting bipolar outflow, and substantially less molecule formation than higher-mass Type II SNe.
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Hunting Wandering 3<z<8 Black Holes: Spatial Offsets in Ionization Ratio and Continuum Emission
In 3<z<8 galaxies, 12 of 26 systems with significant [OIII]/Hβ peaks show spatial offsets between the ionization peak and the stellar continuum center, consistent with—but not uniquely proving—off-center or wandering black holes.
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Interaction-induced star formation boosts stellar mass assembly in $z\sim5$ galaxies
Galaxy interactions at z~5 trigger star-formation bursts responsible for ~42% of stellar mass growth, half from new stars formed during the interaction.
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The panchromatic JWST dayside spectrum of WASP-121 b reveals a refractory-rich formation
Panchromatic JWST spectrum of WASP-121 b detects SiO and measures refractory-to-volatile ratios 3x stellar, consistent with mixed solid-gas accretion or migration with continued solid accretion.
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JADES: the mass-metallicity relation at $z=1-10$. New calibrations, extremely metal-poor galaxies, and chemical diversity
New stack-based strong-line calibrations from ~1500 spectra yield mass-metallicity relations at z=1-10 with decreasing metallicity toward higher redshift and no slope change, plus 50 EMPG candidates at 1-4% solar metallicity showing large scatter and opposite sSFR trends.
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A $z \sim$ 6.2 Quasar on the Local M$_{\rm BH}$-$\sigma_{\rm \ast}$ Relation Quenching Its Host Galaxy from the Aether Survey
The quasar J1512+4422 at z~6.2 lies on the local M_BH-σ_* relation and powers an outflow whose mass and energy loss rates exceed the host's star formation rate, indicating negative feedback.
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JWST Reveals Large Reservoirs of Dust and Ongoing Circumstellar Interaction in SN Ibn/Icn 2023xgo over a Year Post-Explosion
Late-time JWST spectra of SN 2023xgo detect cool silicate or carbonaceous dust masses of order 0.01-0.03 solar masses plus narrow He I emission indicating ongoing circumstellar interaction at +377 days.
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JWST and Gemini Observations of the Active Centaur 450P/LONEOS: Nucleus and Coma Characterizations
New Gemini and JWST data show 450P/LONEOS has a 1.8 km nucleus, CO2 gas production of ~7e24 molec/s, water ice absorption, and activity consistent with CO2 release from crystallizing amorphous ice.
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Quenching of X-ray emission in little red dots by both Compton-thick gas and high accretion rates
X-ray non-detection of little red dots requires both Compton-thick gas columns (~1e25 cm^-2) and intrinsically weak X-ray emission with bolometric correction k_bol,X ≳ 30.
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Kinematic Stratification in Extremely Red Quasars Revealed by JWST
JWST observations of ERQs show stratified gas kinematics via deblended optical emission lines, with UV lines dominated by scattered light and optical lines mixing scattered and obscured emission.
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Near-infrared diagnostic diagrams of the gas ionization sources in nearby galaxies: a JWST NIRSpec view
New NIR diagnostic diagrams using [C I]/Paγ and H2 1-0 O(5)/PAH 3.3μm ratios correlate with radiation field hardness and distinguish star formation, AGN, and shock excitation in galaxy nuclei.
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SPURS: Bursty Star Formation in an Extremely Luminous Weak Emission Line Galaxy at $z=9.3$
A massive galaxy at z=9.3 shows bursty star formation with a recent downturn and sits in a small ionized bubble in a neutral IGM.
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Paschen Jumps in Little Red Dots: Evidence for Nebular Continua
Paschen jumps in Little Red Dots indicate their continua originate from free-bound recombination emission in low-temperature nebular gas rather than thermalized or AGN components.
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EPISODE IV: Ice Inventory in the Envelope of EC 53
No change detected in ice absorption bands of EC 53 between phases, with ice abundances higher than typical for embedded protostars.
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Deep Spectroscopic Follow-Up of Maisie's Galaxy -- A Typical Galaxy in the Early Universe
Deep JWST spectroscopy of Maisie's Galaxy at z=11.4 reveals moderate star formation, metallicity, and ionization consistent with a typical galaxy on the early star-formation main sequence rather than an extreme source.
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JWST spectroscopy of galaxies at $z>10$: Damped Ly$\alpha$ absorbers reveal efficient star formation and hidden redshift biases
Analysis of JWST/NIRSpec Prism spectra for 25 z>=10 galaxies finds burstiness correlates with strong UV lines, short depletion times, and DLA-induced redshift biases of 0.39 and 0.14 with marginal impact on UV luminosity density.
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Cosmic evolution of the helium and oxygen abundances in type 2 Active Galactic Nuclei: Helium-loud AGNs
Abundance analysis of 84 type-2 AGNs finds oversolar He and subsolar O at z>2.8, including one object at z=6.26 with record He abundance of 12+log(He/H)=11.64, plus marginal trends of declining He/H and rising O/H toward z=0.
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Little Red and Blue Dots: AGN-excited narrow lines, Lyman-$\alpha$ emission, and resemblance to standard quasars
JWST data on LRDs and LBDs show AGN-like excitation, strong Lyα with broad components, and X-ray weakness, implying clumpy or equatorial geometries around growing black holes rather than complete gas envelopes.
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Between Degeneracy and Evolution: UV-to-optical Insights into the BH$^*$ Model in Little Red Dots
Bayesian continuum fitting of 66 LRDs shows the BH* model fits ~6% best, rising to ~40% under AGN-disfavoring priors, with most objects stellar/AGN-dominated and possible evolutionary trends.
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JWST Absorption-Line Analysis of UV-Bright Galaxies at $z=7.2-10.6$: Early Chemical Enrichment Traced by C, O, Mg, Al, Si, and Fe
JWST spectra reveal that two z~7 galaxies already show near-solar iron-to-silicon ratios with no strong odd-even effect, favoring early Type Ia supernovae over pair-instability supernovae as the source of iron enrichment.
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SDSS+JWST Census of Stellar and Nebular Dust Attenuation at $z \sim 0$-7: Mass Dependence and Redshift Evolution
Dust attenuation follows a universal mass-dependent relation from z=0 to 7 with a transition at 10^9 solar masses where nebular attenuation steepens relative to stellar.
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JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) Data Release 5: stellar population catalogue for galaxies in GOODS-N and GOODS-S
JADES DR5 delivers a public catalog of Bayesian-inferred stellar masses, SFRs, SFHs, dust, metallicities, and AGN contributions for ~500k galaxies via Prospector with an evolving SFMS prior.
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Characterization of the Volatile Properties of 133P/Elst-Pizarro and Other Main-Belt Comets with JWST and Ground-Based Observations
JWST observations of 133P/Elst-Pizarro yield water outgassing rates of (1.9 ± 0.6) × 10^25 and (1.4 ± 0.4) × 10^25 molecules/s at true anomalies 8° and 37.4°, with hypervolatile depletion Q(CO2)/Q(H2O) < 0.009 and an average log(Afrho/Q(H2O)) = -24.6 ± 0.2 across three MBCs.
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JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) Data Release 5: Photometrically Selected Galaxy Candidates at z > 8
JADES DR5 delivers 2081 z_phot > 8 galaxy candidates with UV slope trends, morphological evidence of clumpy growth, and improved photo-z methods tested on a spectroscopic subsample.
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Probing dense environments around Sgr A* with S-stars dynamics
Models apsidal precession and dynamical friction from extended matter to extend GRAVITY constraints on boson clouds around Sgr A* and assess impacts on S-star orbits.
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Unveiling the properties of galaxy cores excavated by supermassive black hole binaries with SHARP
Next-generation IFU instruments could detect core scouring and tangential anisotropy from MBH binaries up to z~0.14 for ~150 pc cores and higher redshifts for larger cores, expanding searchable volume by 30-40 times including lower-mass systems.
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The X-ray-to-UV relation does not evolve in homogeneous quasar samples
A bias-controlled quasar sample of ~2000 objects demonstrates that the X-ray-to-UV luminosity relation remains constant from redshift 0.7 to 5.
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Sky background accounting in spectral infrared observations of extended objects at the Caucasus Mountain Observatory of the SAI MSU
A method was developed to correctly account for variable atmospheric emission lines in near-IR spectra of extended objects that exceed the slit length, tested successfully on NGC 7538.
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Calibrating Photometric Mid-Infrared Star Formation Rates for JWST
Rest-frame 6-8um MIRI luminosity provides broken power-law SFR calibrations with 0.2-0.3 dex scatter and UV+IR composites at 0.15 dex, supporting robust use above log M* ~9 up to z~3.