A Preliminary Survey of the Radio Stars in the Northern Hemisphere

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Abstract
Observations with an interferometer of large resolving power have made it possible to locate 50 discrete sources of radio waves or “ radio stars ” in the Northern Hemisphere ; their positions and intensities (which cover a range of 7½ in apparent magnitude) are given. The positions of the more intense radio stars can be determined with an accuracy of about 5 minutes of arc, but most of them can only be located to within 1°. The angular distribution of the radio stars, unlike that of the general background radiation, shows no concentration in the galactic plane; this result suggests either that they are at distances small compared with the dimensions of the galaxy, or that they are situated outside the galaxy. Whilst there is evidence that a few of the weakest radio stars represent the total “ background ” radiation of some of the nearest extra-galactic nebulae, it is concluded that the majority of the radio stars must be situated within the galaxy. Estimates of the relative intensities of the radio stars and of the background radiation have suggested that they are distributed throughout the galaxy with an average population density comparable with that of visual stars. Attempts to identify the radio stars with various types of visual body have been unsuccessful; it is therefore concluded that the radio star represents a hitherto unobserved type of stellar body, distributed widely throughout the galaxy, and one which is equally numerous in other spiral nebulae.

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