We present a detailed investigation of the radial distribution of blue
straggler star and binary populations in the Galactic globular cluster NGC
5466, over the entire extension of the system. We used a combination of data
acquired with the ACS on board the Hubble Space Telescope, the LBC-blue mounted
on the Large Binocular Telescope, and MEGACAM on the Canadian-France-Hawaii
Telescope. Blue straggler stars show a bimodal distribution with a mild central
peak and a quite internal minimum. This feature is interpreted in terms of a
relatively young dynamical age in the framework of the "dynamical clock"
concept proposed by Ferraro et al. (2012). The estimated fraction of binaries
is 6-7% in the central region (r<90") and slightly lower (5.5%) in the
outskirts, at r>200". Quite interestingly, the comparison with the results of
Milone et al. (2012) suggests that also binary systems may display a bimodal
radial distribution, with the position of the minimum consistent with that of
blue straggler stars. If confirmed, this feature would give additional support
to the scenario where the radial distribution of objects more massive than the
average cluster stars is primarily shaped by the effect of dynamical friction.
Moreover, this would also be consistent with the idea that the unperturbed
evolution of primordial binaries could be the dominant BSS formation process in
low-density environments.Comment: Accepted for publication on Ap
