142 research outputs found
An object that defies stereotypes : X-ray observations of SBS 1150+599A - the binary nucleus of PN G135.9+55.9
We present X-ray observations of the close binary nucleus of the planetary nebula (PN) PN G135.9+55.9 obtained with the XMM satellite. The nebula is the most oxygen-poor PN known to date and is located in the Galactic halo. It is known to harbor a close binary nucleus of which only one component can be observed in optical-UV range. New X-ray observations show that the invisible component is a very hot compact star. This finding allows us to reconstruct the immediate past of the object and predict its future. The parameters of the binary components we determine strongly suggest that the precursor was a symbiotic supersoft X-ray source that finished its life by Roche lobe overflow. PN G135.9+55.9 is an excellent candidate for a future type Ia supernova
HST Fine Guidance Sensor Astrometric Parallaxes for Three Dwarf Novae: SS Aurigae, SS Cygni, and U Geminorum
We report astrometric parallaxes for three well known dwarf novae obtained
using the Fine Guidance Sensors on the Hubble Space Telescope. We found a
parallax for SS Aurigae of Pi = 5.00 +/- 0.64 mas, for SS Cygni we found Pi =
6.02 +/- 0.46 mas, and for U Geminorum we obtained Pi = 10.37 +/- 0.50 mas.
These represent the first true trigonometric parallaxes of any dwarf novae. We
briefly compare these results with previous distance estimates. This program
demonstrates that with a very modest amount of HST observing time, the Fine
Guidance Sensors can deliver parallaxes of unrivaled precision.Comment: 15 pages, 2 Table
Composite Accretion Disk and White Dwarf Photosphere Analyses of the FUSE and HST Observations of EY Cygni
We explore the origin of FUSE and HST STIS far UV spectra of the dwarf nova,
EY Cyg, during its quiescence using \emph{combined} high gravity photosphere
and accretion disk models as well as model accretion belts. The best-fitting
single temperature white dwarf model to the FUSE plus HST STIS spectrum of EY
Cygni has TK, log , with an Si abundance of 0.1 x
solar and C abundance of 0.2 x solar but the distance is only 301 pc. The
best-fitting composite model consists of white dwarf with TK,
log , plus an accretion belt with TK covering 27% of
the white dwarf surface with V km/s. The accretion belt
contributes 63% of the FUV light and the cooler white dwarf latitudes
contribute 37%. This fit yields a distance of 351 pc which is within 100 pc of
our adopted distance of 450 pc. EY Cyg has very weak C {\sc iv} emission and
very strong N {\sc v} emission, which is atypical of the majority of dwarf
novae in quiescence. We also conducted a morphological study of the
surroundings of EY Cyg using direct imaging in narrow nebular filters from
ground-based telescopes. We report the possible detection of nebular material^M
associated with EY Cygni. Possible origins of the apparently large N {\scv}/C
{\sc iv} emission ratio are discussed in the context of nova explosions,
contamination of the secondary star and accretion of nova abundance-enriched
matter back to the white dwarf via the accretion disk or as a descendant of a
precursor binary that survived thermal timescale mass transfer. The scenario
involving pollution of the secondary by past novae may be supported by the
possible presence of a nova remnant-like nebula around EY Cyg.Comment: To appear in AJ, Oct. 2004. 5 figures, including 2 color ones (2D
pictures
High speed photometry of faint Cataclysmic Variables: IV. V356 Aql, Aqr1, FIRST J1023+0038, Ha 0242-2802, GI Mon, AO Oct, V972 Oph, SDSS 0155+00, SDSS 0233+00, SDSS 1240-01, SDSS 1556-00, SDSS 2050-05, FH Ser
We present results from high speed photometry of a further thirteen faint
cataclysmic variables. V356 Aql (Nova Aql 1936) shows flare-like outbursts with
recurrence time scales ~ 3000 s, but no coherent periodicities. Aqr1 is an
intermediate polar with a spin period of 6.7284 min and a probable orbital
period P(orb) = 3.226 h derived from orbital sidebands. Its orbital sideband
frequencies show very variable amplitudes. The published spectroscopic period
of 2.0 h suggests that Aqr1 is similar to GW Lib and FS Aur in having an
additional periodicity of unknown origin. FIRST J1023+0038 has P(orb) = 4.7548
h with an orbital modulation of range 0.45 mag, probably caused by reflection
effect from a hot white dwarf primary; as such it may have been a nova sometime
in the past few decades. Ha 0242 is a deeply eclipsing very low mass-transfer
rate system, probably a dwarf nova of very long outburst interval, with P(orb)
= 1.792 h. GI Mon, an old nova, has optical modulations at 4.325 h and possibly
also at 48.6 min and is thus a candidate intermediate polar. AO Oct, an SU UMa
type dwarf nova, shows orbital modulation at quiescence with P(orb) = 94.097
min. V972 Oph (Nova Ophiuchi 1957) showed no flickering activity during one set
of observations, but did so at a later time, confirming the correctness of the
identification of this object, but it shows no orbital modulation. SDSS 0155 is
a deeply eclipsing polar with an orbital period of 87.13 min. SDSS 0233 shows
flaring activity but no discernible periodicity. No periodicity was found in
the new AM CVn candidate SDSS 1240. SDSS 1556 shows a periodic modulation at
1.778 h which is possibly due to orbital motion. SDSS 2050 is an eclipsing
polar with P(orb) = 1.5702 h. FH Ser (Nova Serpentis 1970) has strong
flickering activity but no detectable orbital modulation.Comment: 12 pages, 22 figures (Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6 are available at higher
resolution upon request). Accepted for publication in MNRA
Astroclimatic Characterization of Vallecitos: A candidate site for the Cherenkov Telescope Array at San Pedro Martir
We conducted an 18 month long study of the weather conditions of the
Vallecitos, a proposed site in Mexico to harbor the northern array of the
Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). It is located in Sierra de San Pedro Martir
(SPM) a few kilometers away from Observatorio Astron\'omico Nacional. The study
is based on data collected by the ATMOSCOPE, a multi-sensor instrument
measuring the weather and sky conditions, which was commissioned and built by
the CTA Consortium. Additionally, we compare the weather conditions of the
optical observatory at SPM to the Vallecitos regarding temperature, humidity,
and wind distributions. It appears that the excellent conditions at the optical
observatory benefit from the presence of microclimate established in the
Vallecitos.Comment: 16 pages, 16 figures, Publication of the Astronomical Society of the
Pacific, accepte
Spectroscopy of Stellar-Like Objects Contained in the Second Byurakan Survey. I
The results of spectroscopic observations of 363 star-like objects from the
Second Byurakan Survey (SBS) are reported. This SBS's subsample has proven to
be a rich source of newly identified quasars, Seyfert type galaxies, degenerate
stars and hot subdwarfs. In the subsample here studied, we identified 35 new
QSOs, 142 White Dwarfs (WDs) the majority of which, 114 are of DA type, 55
subdwarfs (29 of which are sdB-type stars), 10 HBB, 16 NHB, 54 G-type and 25
F-type stars, two objects with composite spectra, four Cataclismic Variables
(CV), two peculiar emission line stars, 17 objects with continuous spectra, as
well as one planetary nebula. Among the 35 QSOs we have found two Broad
Absorption Line (BAL) QSOs, namely SBS 1423+500 and SBS 1435+500A. Magnitudes,
redshifts, and slit spectra for all QSOs, also some typical spectra of the
peculiar stars are presented. We estimate the minimum surface density of bright
QSOs in redshift range 0.3<z<2.2 to be 0.05 per sq. deg. for B<17.0 and 0.10
per sq. deg. for B<17.5.Comment: 22 pages, 3 tables, 4 figures, PASP in pres
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