ABSTRACT
We present the results of photometric reverberation mapping observations on the changing look active galactic nucleus Mrk 590 at z = 0.026. The observations were carried out from 2018 July ...to December using broad-bandB-,R-, and narrow-band H α and S ii filters. The B band traces the continuum emission from the accretion disc, the R band encompasses both the continuum emission from the accretion disc and the redshifted H α line from the broad-line region (BLR), the S ii band contains the redshifted H α emission and the H α band traces the continuum emission underneath the S ii band. All the light curves showed strong variation with a fractional root-mean-square variation of 0.132 ± 0.001 in the B band and 0.321 ± 0.001 in H α line. From cross-correlation function analysis, we obtained a delayed response of H α line emission to the opticalB-band continuum emission of $21.44^{+1.49}_{-2.11}$ d in the rest frame of the source, corresponding to a linear size of the BLR of 0.018 pc. This is consistent with previous estimates using H β. By combining the BLR size with the H α line full width at half-maximum of 6478 ± 240 km s−1 measured from a single-epoch spectrum obtained with the Subaru telescope, we derived a black hole mass of $1.96^{+0.15}_{-0.21}\times 10^8 {\rm M}_{\odot }$.
We report the discovery of KELT-10b, the first transiting exoplanet discovered using the KELT-South telescope. KELT-10b is a highly inflated sub-Jupiter mass planet transiting a relatively bright V = ...10.7 star (TYC 8378-64-1), with T
eff = 5948 ± 74 K, log g =
$4.319_{-0.030}^{+0.020}$
and Fe/H =
$0.09_{-0.10}^{+0.11}$
, an inferred mass M
* =
$1.112_{-0.061}^{+0.055}$
M⊙ and radius R
* =
$1.209_{-0.035}^{+0.047}$
R⊙. The planet has a radius R
p =
$1.399_{-0.049}^{+0.069}$
R
J and mass M
p =
$0.679_{-0.038}^{+0.039}$
M
J. The planet has an eccentricity consistent with zero and a semimajor axis a =
$0.052\,50_{-0.000\,97}^{+0.000\,86}$
au. The best-fitting linear ephemeris is T
0 = 2457 066.720 45 ± 0.000 27 BJDTDB and P = 4.166 2739 ± 0.000 0063 d. This planet joins a group of highly inflated transiting exoplanets with a larger radius and smaller mass than that of Jupiter. The planet, which boasts deep transits of 1.4 per cent, has a relatively high equilibrium temperature of T
eq =
$1377_{-23}^{+28}$
K, assuming zero albedo and perfect heat redistribution. KELT-10b receives an estimated insolation of
$0.817_{-0.054}^{+0.068}$
× 109 erg s−1 cm−2, which places it far above the insolation threshold above which hot Jupiters exhibit increasing amounts of radius inflation. Evolutionary analysis of the host star suggests that KELT-10b may not survive beyond the current subgiant phase, depending on the rate of in-spiral of the planet over the next few Gyr. The planet transits a relatively bright star and exhibits the third largest transit depth of all transiting exoplanets with V < 11 in the Southern hemisphere, making it a promising candidate for future atmospheric characterization studies.
Skynet’s New Observing Mode: The Campaign Manager Dutton, Dylan A.; Reichart, Daniel E.; Haislip, Joshua B. ...
Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific,
01/2022, Letnik:
134, Številka:
1031
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Abstract
Built in 2004, the Skynet robotic telescope network originally consisted of six 0.4 m telescopes located at the Cerro-Tololo Inter-American Observatory in the Chilean Andes. The network was ...designed to carry out simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) when they are only tens of seconds old. To date, the network has been expanded to ≈20 telescopes, including a 20 m radio telescope, that span four continents and five countries. The Campaign Manager (CM) is a new observing mode that has been developed for Skynet. Available to all Skynet observers, the CM semi-autonomously and indefinitely scales and schedules exposures on the observer’s behalf while allowing for modification to scaling parameters in real time. The CM is useful for follow up to various transient phenomena including gravitational-wave events, GRB localizations, young supernovae, and eventually, sufficiently bright Argus Optical Array and Large Synoptic Survey Telescope events.
ABSTRACT We present multiwavelength observations of the persistent Fermi-Large Area Telescope unidentified γ-ray source 1FGL J1417.7-4407, showing it is likely to be associated with a newly ...discovered X-ray binary containing a massive neutron star (nearly ) and a giant secondary with a 5.4 day period. SOAR optical spectroscopy at a range of orbital phases reveals variable double-peaked H emission, consistent with the presence of an accretion disk. The lack of radio emission and evidence for a disk suggests the γ-ray emission is unlikely to originate in a pulsar magnetosphere, but could instead be associated with a pulsar wind, relativistic jet, or could be due to synchrotron self-Compton at the disk-magnetosphere boundary. Assuming a wind or jet, the high ratio of γ-ray to X-ray luminosity (∼20) suggests efficient production of γ-rays, perhaps due to the giant companion. The system appears to be a low-mass X-ray binary that has not yet completed the pulsar recycling process. This system is a good candidate to monitor for a future transition between accretion-powered and rotational-powered states, but in the context of a giant secondary.
Abstract
We present time-series CCD photometry in the
BVRI
passbands of the recently identified symbiotic nova V1835 Aquilae (NSV 11749) over an interval of 5.1 yr with 7–14 day cadence, observed ...during its quiescence. We find slow light variations with a range of ∼0.9 mag in
V
and ∼0.3 mag in
I
. Analysis of these data show strong periodicity at 419 ± 10 days, which we interpret to be the system’s orbital period. A dip in the otherwise-sinusoidal phased light curve suggests a weak ellipsoidal effect due to tidal distortion of the giant star, which in turn opens the possibility that V1835 Aql transfers some of its mass to the hot component via Roche lobe overflow rather than via a stellar wind. We also find evidence that V1835 Aql is an S-type symbiotic star, relatively free of circumstellar dust, and include it among the nuclear burning group of symbiotics. Finally, we provide photometry, periods, and light curve classifications for 22 variable stars in the field around V1835 Aql, about half of which are newly identified.
Abstract
YZ Phe is a very short-period contact binary (Sp. = K2 V) with an orbital period of 0.2347 d near the short period limit (0.22 d). We present the complete light curves which photometric data ...were obtained from the 60 cm telescope of PROMPT-8 at CTIO in Chile during 2016 June to October and 2017 August. The photometric solutions were determined by using the Wilson & Devinney code and the results reveal that YZ Phe is a W-subtype shallow contact binary ($f\sim 10\,$, q = 2.635, or 1/q = 0.379 for W subtype) with rotational motion of a large hot spot on the more massive component, showing a strong O’Connell effect with variation of maxima in photometric time series at period of 4.20 yr and stellar cycle at period of 1.28 yr. By compiling all available eclipse times, the result shows a long-term period decrease at a rate of dP/dt = −2.64(±0.02) × 10−8 d yr−1, superimposed on a cyclic variation (A3 = 0.0081 d and P3 = 40.76 yr). This variation cannot be explained by the Applegate mechanism. Thus, the cyclic change may be interpreted as the light-travel time effect via the presence of a cool third body. Based on photometric solutions, the third light was detected as $2\,$ of the total light in V and I bands. These results support the existence of a third body. The long-term period decrease can be explained by mass transfer from the more massive component ($M_2 \sim 0.74\, M_{\odot }$) to the less massive one ($M_1 \sim 0.28\, M_{\odot }$) or plus angular momentum loss (AML) via magnetic braking. With 1/q < 0.4 and long-term period decrease, all factors suggest that YZ Phe is on the AML-controlled state and its fill-out factor will increase, as well as the system evolving into a deeper normal contact binary.
We present broad-band observations and analysis of Swift gamma-ray burst (GRB) 120119A. Our early-time afterglow detections began under 15 s after the burst in the host frame (redshift z = 1.73), and ...they yield constraints on the burst energetics and local environment. Late-time afterglow observations of the burst show evidence for a moderate column of dust (A
V 1.1 mag) similar to, but statistically distinct from, dust seen along Small Magellanic Cloud sightlines. Deep late-time observations reveal a dusty, rapidly star-forming host galaxy. Most notably, our early-time observations exhibit a significant red-to-blue colour change in the first ∼200 s after the trigger at levels heretofore unseen in GRB afterglows. This colour change, which is coincident with the final phases of the prompt emission, is a hallmark prediction of the photodestruction of dust in GRB afterglows. We test whether dust-destruction signatures are significantly distinct from other sources of colour change, namely a change in the intrinsic spectral index β. We find that a time-varying power-law spectrum alone cannot adequately describe the observed colour change, and allowing for dust destruction (via a time-varying A
V) significantly improves the fit. While not definitively ruling out other possibilities, this event provides the best support yet for the direct detection of dust destruction in the local environment of a GRB.
We present ultraviolet, optical and near-infrared observations of the interacting transient SN 2009ip, covering the period from the start of the outburst in 2012 October until the end of the 2012 ...observing season. The transient reached a peak magnitude of M
V
= −17.7 mag, with a total integrated luminosity of 1.9 × 1049 erg over the period of 2012 August-December. The light curve fades rapidly, dropping by 4.5 mag from the V-band peak in 100 d. The optical and near-infrared spectra are dominated by narrow emission lines with broad electron scattering wings, signalling a dense circumstellar environment, together with multiple components of broad emission and absorption in H and He at velocities in the range 0.5-1.2 × 104 km s−1. We see no evidence for nucleosynthesized material in SN 2009ip, even in late-time pseudo-nebular spectra. We set a limit of <0.02 M on the mass of any possible synthesized 56Ni from the late-time light curve. A simple model for the narrow Balmer lines is presented and used to derive number densities for the circumstellar medium in the range ∼109-1010 cm−3. Our near-infrared data do not show any excess at longer wavelengths, and we see no other signs of dust formation. Our last data, taken in 2012 December, show that SN 2009ip has spectroscopically evolved to something quite similar to its appearance in late 2009, albeit with higher velocities. It is possible that neither of the eruptive and high-luminosity events of SN 2009ip were induced by a core collapse. We show that the peak and total integrated luminosity can be due to the efficient conversion of kinetic energy from colliding ejecta, and that around 0.05-0.1 M of material moving at 0.5-1 × 104 km s−1 could comfortably produce the observed luminosity. We discuss the possibility that these shells were ejected by the pulsational pair instability mechanism, in which case the progenitor star may still exist, and will be observed after the current outburst fades. The long-term monitoring of SN 2009ip, due to its proximity, has given the most extensive data set yet gathered of a high-luminosity interacting transient and its progenitor. It is possible that some purported Type IIn supernovae are in fact analogues of the 2012b event and that pre-explosion outbursts have gone undetected.
Using a global network of small telescopes, we have obtained light curves of Proxima Centauri at 329 observation epochs from 2006 to 2017. The planet Proxima b discovered by Anglada-Escudé et al. ...with an orbital period of 11.186 days has an a priori transit probability of ∼1.5%; if it transits, the predicted transit depth is about 5 mmag. In Blank et al., we analyzed 96 of our light curves that overlapped with predicted transit ephemerides from previously published tentative transit detections and found no evidence in our data that would corroborate claims of transits with a period of 11.186 days. Here we broaden our analysis, using 262 high-quality light curves from our data set to search for any periodic transit-like events over a range of periods from 1 to 30 days. We also inject a series of simulated planet transits and find that our data are sufficiently sensitive to have detected transits of 5 mmag depth, with recoverability ranging from ∼100% for an orbital period of 1 day to ∼20% for an orbital period of 20 days for the parameter spaces tested. Specifically, at the 11.186-day period and 5 mmag transit depth, we rule out transits in our data with high confidence. We are able to rule out virtually all transits of other planets at periods shorter than 5 days and depths greater than 3 mmag; however, we cannot confidently rule out transits at the period of Proxima b due to incomplete orbital phase coverage and a lack of sensitivity to transits shallower than 4 mmag.
► Radar observations reveal that NEA 1994 CC is the second-to-date confirmed triple system. ► The primary looks similar to 1999 KW4 Alpha with sloped hemispheres and an equatorial ridge. ► The inner ...satellite appears to be in spin–orbit lock, while the outer satellite is rotating asynchronously. ► At least 25% of the binaries/triples with D
>
200
m have a satellite that is asynchronous.
We report radar, photometric, and spectroscopic observations of near-Earth Asteroid (136617) 1994 CC. The radar measurements were obtained at Goldstone (8560
MHz, 3.5
cm) and Arecibo (2380
MHz, 12.6
cm) on 9
days following the asteroid’s approach within 0.0168
AU on June 10, 2009. 1994 CC was also observed with the Panchromatic Robotic Optical Monitoring and Polarimetry Telescopes (PROMPT) on May 21 and June 1–3. Visible-wavelength spectroscopy was obtained with the 5-m Hale telescope at Palomar on August 25. Delay-Doppler radar images reveal that 1994 CC is a triple system; along with (153591) 2001 SN263, this is only the second confirmed triple in the near-Earth population. Photometry obtained with PROMPT yields a rotation period for the primary
P
=
2.38860
±
0.00009
h and a lightcurve amplitude of ∼0.1
mag suggesting a shape with low elongation. Hale telescope spectroscopy indicates that 1994 CC is an Sq-class object. Delay-Doppler radar images and shape modeling reveal that the primary has an effective diameter of 0.62
±
0.06
km, low pole-on elongation, few obvious surface features, and a prominent equatorial ridge and sloped hemispheres that closely resemble those seen on the primary of binary near-Earth Asteroid (66391) 1999 KW4. Detailed orbit fitting reported separately by Fang et al. (Fang, J., Margot, J.-L., Brozovic, M., Nolan, M.C., Benner, L.A.M., Taylor, P.A. 2011. Astron. J. 141, 154–168) gives a mass of the primary of 2.6
×
10
11
kg that, coupled with the effective diameter, yields a bulk density of 2.1
±
0.6
g
cm
−3. The images constrain the diameters of the inner and outer satellites to be 113
±
30
m and 80
±
30
m, respectively. The inner satellite has a semimajor axis of ∼1.7
km (∼5.5 primary radii), an orbital period of ∼30
h, and its Doppler dispersion suggests relatively slow rotation, 26
±
12
h, consistent with spin–orbit lock. The outer satellite has an orbital period of ∼9
days and a rotation period of 14
±
7
h, establishing that the rotation is not spin–orbit locked. Among all binary and triple systems observed by radar, at least 25% (7/28) have a satellite that rotates more rapidly than its orbital period. This suggests that asynchronous configurations with
P
rotation
<
P
orbital are relatively common among multiple systems in the near-Earth population. 1994 CC’s outer satellite has an observed maximum separation from the primary of ∼5.7
km (∼18.4 primary radii) that is the largest separation relative to primary radius seen to date among all 36 known binary and triple NEA systems. 1994 CC, (153591) 2001 SN263, and 1998 ST27 are the only triple and binary systems known with satellite separations >10 primary radii, suggesting either a detection bias, or that such widely-separated satellites are relatively uncommon in NEA multiple systems.