DISCOVERY OF A WOLF-RAYET STAR THROUGH DETECTION OF ITS PHOTOMETRIC VARIABILITY
- Law School, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States)
- Physics Department, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States)
- Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)
- Department of Optics, University of Szeged (Hungary)
- Astronomy Department, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712 (United States)
We report the serendipitous discovery of a heavily reddened Wolf-Rayet star that we name WR 142b. While photometrically monitoring a cataclysmic variable, we detected weak variability in a nearby field star. Low-resolution spectroscopy revealed a strong emission line at 7100 A, suggesting an unusual object and prompting further study. A spectrum taken with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope confirms strong He II emission and an N IV 7112 A line consistent with a nitrogen-rich Wolf-Rayet star of spectral class WN6. Analysis of the He II line strengths reveals no detectable hydrogen in WR 142b. A blue-sensitive spectrum obtained with the Large Binocular Telescope shows no evidence for a hot companion star. The continuum shape and emission line ratios imply a reddening of E(B - V) = 2.2-2.6 mag. We estimate that the distance to WR 142b is 1.4 {+-} 0.3 kpc.
- OSTI ID:
- 22034453
- Journal Information:
- Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online), Vol. 143, Issue 6; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1538-3881
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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