HD 69686: A MYSTERIOUS HIGH VELOCITY B STAR
- Department of Astronomy, University of Washington, Box 351580, Seattle, WA 98195-1580 (United States)
- Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 4106, Atlanta, GA 30302-4106 (United States)
We report on the discovery of a high velocity B star, HD 69686. We estimate its space velocity, distance, surface temperature, gravity, and age. With these data, we are able to reconstruct the trajectory of the star and to trace it back to its birthplace. We use evolutionary tracks for single stars to estimate that HD 69686 was born 73 Myr ago in the outer part of our Galaxy (r {approx} 12 kpc) at a position well below the Galactic plane (z {approx} -1.8 kpc), a very unusual birthplace for a B star. Along the star's projected path in the sky, we also find about 12 other stars having similar proper motions, and their photometry data suggest that they are located at the same distance as HD 69686 and probably have the same age. We speculate on the origin of this group by star formation in a high velocity cloud or as a Galactic merger fragment.
- OSTI ID:
- 21372037
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 703, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/703/1/81; ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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