The SW Sex-type star 2MASS J01074282+4845188: an unusual bright accretion disk with non-steady emission and a hot white dwarf

We present new photometric and spectral observations of the newly discovered nova-like eclipsing star 2MASS J01074282+4845188. To obtain a light curve solution we used model of a nova-like star whose emission sources are a white dwarf surrounded by an accretion disk, a secondary star filling its Roche lobe, a hot spot and a hot line. 2MASS J01074282+4845188 shows the deepest permanent eclipse among the known nova-like stars. It is reproduced by covering the very bright accretion disk by the secondary component. The luminosity of the disk is much bigger than that of the rest light sources. The determined high temperature of the disk is typical for that observed during the outbursts of CVs. The primary of 2MASS J01074282+4845188 is one of the hottest white dwarfs in CVs. The temperature of 5090 K of its secondary is also quite high and more appropriate for a long-period SW Sex star. It might be explained by the intense heating from the hot white dwarf and the hot accretion disk of the target. The high mass accretion rate \dot{M} = 8\times 10^{-9} M_{\sun} yr$^{-1}$, the broad and single-peaked H$\alpha$ emission profile, and the presence of an S-wave are sure signs for the SW Sex classification of 2MASS J01074282+4845188. The obtained flat temperature distribution along the disk radius as well as the deviation of the energy distribution from the black-body law are evidence of the non-steady emission of the disk. The close values of the disk temperature and the parameter $\alpha_{g}$ of 2MASS J01074282+4845188 and those of the cataclysmic stars at eruptions might be considered as an additional argument for the permanent active state of nova-like stars.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures, 5 tables. Accepted for publication in A&

2MASSJ22560844+5954299: the newly discovered cataclysmic star with the deepest eclipse

Context: The SW Sex stars are assumed to represent a distinguished stage in CV evolution, making it especially important to study them. Aims: We discovered a new cataclysmic star and carried out prolonged and precise photometric observations, as well as medium-resolution spectral observations. Modelling these data allowed us to determine the psysical parameters and to establish its peculiarities. Results: The newly discovered vataclysmic variable 2MASSJ22560844+5954299 shows the deepest eclipse amongst the known nova-like stars. It was reproduced by totally covering a very luminous accretion disk by a red secondary component. The temperature distribution of the disk is flatter than that of steady-state disk. The target is unusual with the combination of a low mass ratio q~1.0 (considerably below the limit q=1.2 of stable mass transfer of CVs) and an M-star secondary. The intensity of the observed three emission lines, H_alpha, He 5875, and He 6678, sharply increases around phase 0.0, accompanied by a Doppler jump to the shorter wavelength. The absence of eclipses of the emission lines and their single-peaked profiles means that they originate mainly in a vertically extended hot-spot halo. The emission H_alpha line reveals S-wave wavelength shifts with semi-amplitude of around 210 km/s and phase lag of 0.03. Conclusions: The non-steady-state emission of the luminous accretion disk of 2MASSJ22560844+5954299 was attributed to the low viscosity of the disk matter caused by its unusually high temperature. The star shows all spectral properties of an SW Sex variable apart from the 0.5 central absorption.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics. 12 pages, 11 figures, 6 table

The Young Exoplanet Transit Initiative (YETI ) and results from the Bulgarian participation

Abstract. The paper presents the ideas of the international initiative YETI (Young Exoplanet Transit Initiative) for searching for young exoplanets in open clusters, information about the organization of the observational campaigns as well as the preliminary results from the observations of the first cluster Tr 37. It is noted the successful participation of the Bulgarian team in the observational campaigns of Tr 37 (27 observational nights with above 12000 images). Due to the interesting light curves of Tr 37-3132 obtained by the Rozhen telescopes this object was chosen for follow-up spectral observations with large telescopes in the framework of YETI

Departure from the constant-period ephemeris for the transiting exoplanet WASP-12 b

Most hot Jupiters are expected to spiral in towards their host stars due to transfering of the angular momentum of the orbital motion to the stellar spin. Their orbits can also precess due to planet-star interactions. Calculations show that both effects could be detected for the very-hot exoplanet WASP-12 b using the method of precise transit timing over a timespan of the order of 10 yr. We acquired new precise light curves for 29 transits of WASP-12 b, spannning 4 observing seasons from November 2012 to February 2016. New mid-transit times, together with literature ones, were used to refine the transit ephemeris and analyse the timing residuals. We find that the transit times of WASP-12 b do not follow a linear ephemeris with a 5 sigma confidence level. They may be approximated with a quadratic ephemeris that gives a rate of change in the orbital period of -2.56 +/- 0.40 x 10^{-2} s/yr. The tidal quality parameter of the host star was found to be equal to 2.5 x 10^5 that is comparable to theoretical predictions for Sun-like stars. We also consider a model, in which the observed timing residuals are interpreted as a result of the apsidal precession. We find, however, that this model is statistically less probable than the orbital decay.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A Letter

Transit Timing Analysis in the HAT-P-32 system

We present the results of 45 transit observations obtained for the transiting exoplanet HAT-P-32b. The transits have been observed using several telescopes mainly throughout the YETI network. In 25 cases, complete transit light curves with a timing precision better than $1.4\:$min have been obtained. These light curves have been used to refine the system properties, namely inclination $i$, planet-to-star radius ratio $R_\textrm{p}/R_\textrm{s}$, and the ratio between the semimajor axis and the stellar radius $a/R_\textrm{s}$. First analyses by Hartman et al. (2011) suggest the existence of a second planet in the system, thus we tried to find an additional body using the transit timing variation (TTV) technique. Taking also literature data points into account, we can explain all mid-transit times by refining the linear ephemeris by 21ms. Thus we can exclude TTV amplitudes of more than $\sim1.5$min.Comment: MNRAS accepted; 13 pages, 10 figure

Optical photometric and spectral study of the new FU Orionis object V2493 Cygni (HBC 722)

Aims. We present new results from optical photometric and spectroscopic observations of the eruptive pre-main sequence star V2493 Cyg (HBC 722). The object has continued to undergo significant brightness variations over the past few months and is an ideal target for follow-up observations. Methods. We carried out CCD BVRI photometric observations in the field of V2493 Cyg (“Gulf of Mexico”) from August 1994 to April 2012, i.e. at the pre-outburst states and during the phases of the outburst. We acquired high, medium, and low resolution spectroscopy of V2493 Cyg during the outburst. To study the pre-outburst variability of the target and construct its historical light curve, we searched for archival observations in photographic plate collections. Both CCD and photographic observations were analyzed using 15 comparison stars in the field of V2493 Cyg. Results. The pre-outburst photographic and CCD photometric observations of V2493 Cyg show low-amplitude light variations typical of T Tauri stars. The recent photometric data show a slow light decrease from October 2010 to June 2011 followed by an increase in brightness that continued until early 2012. The spectral observations of V2493 Cyg are typical of FU Orionis stars absorption spectra with strong P Cyg profiles of Hα and Na I D lines. On the basis of photometric monitoring performed over the past two years, the spectral properties at the maximal light, as well as the shape of long-term light curves, we confirm that the observed outburst of V2493 Cyg is of FU Orionis type