Blue stragglers as remnants of stellar mergers - The discovery of short-period eclipsing binaries in the globular cluster NGC 5466

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Astronomical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/115530· OSTI ID:6593020

Mateo, M; Harris, H C; Nemec, J; Olszewski, E W ^[1]

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1. Mount Wilson and Las Campanas Observatories, Pasadena, CA (USA) Naval Observatory, Flagstaff, AZ (USA) British Columbia Univ., Vancouver (Canada) Steward Observatory, Tucson, AZ (USA)

Results are reported from a search for short-period variables among blue stragglers in the central region of NGC 5466, based on analysis of 248 B and V CCD images obtained with the U.S. Naval Observatory 1-m, Palomar Observatory 1.5-m, and Steward Observatory 2.3-m telescopes during 1987-1989. The data are presented in extensive tables and graphs and characterized in detail. Nine variable blue stragglers are identified, of which three are eclipsing binaries with periods 0.298-0.511 d (two contact binaries of W UMa type and one detached or semidetached binary) and six are pulsating SX Phe stars. Theoretical models indicate that all of the noneclipsing blue stragglers could be merged close binaries, although other formation mechanisms cannot be completely ruled out. 111 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6593020
• Journal Information: Astronomical Journal; (USA), Vol. 100; ISSN 0004-6256
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BINARY STARS
ECLIPSE
STAR CLUSTERS
CHARGE-COUPLED DEVICES
GRAVITATIONAL INTERACTIONS
MILKY WAY
PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTOMETRY
STAR EVOLUTION
STAR MODELS
VARIABLE STARS
BASIC INTERACTIONS
GALAXIES
INTERACTIONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
STARS
640102* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources