Adaptive Optics Photometry and Astrometry of Binary Stars. III. A Faint Companion Search of O-Star Systems

Abstract

We present the results of an adaptive optics survey for faint companions among Galactic O-type star systems (with V 8) using the Advanced Electro-Optical System (AEOS) 3.6 m telescope on Haleakala. We surveyed these O-star systems in the I -band, typically being able to detect a companion with a magnitude difference of deltam(sub I) < or ~ 6 in the projected separation range 0".5 < rho < 1".0, and deltam(sub I) < or ~ 9.5 in the range 1".0 < rho < 5".0. In the course of the survey, we discovered 40 new companions among 31 of the 116 objects examined and made astrometric and differential magnitude measurements of 24 additional known pairs, several of them being confirmation detections. We present new astrometric orbits for two binaries, BU 1032AB (WDS 05387- 0236; sigma Ori AB) and SEE 322 (WDS 17158-3344; HD 155889AB). We lack magnitude differences for other filter bands, so it is difficult to determine physical from line-of-sight companions, but we present empirical arguments for the limiting magnitude difference where field contamination is significant.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 2008
Accession Number
ADA486312

Entities

People

  • Brian D. Mason
  • Douglas R. Gies
  • Lewis C. Roberts
  • Nils H. Turner
  • Theo A. Brummelaar
  • William I. Hartkoff

Organizations

  • United States Naval Observatory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Adaptive Optics
  • Air Force
  • Binary Stars
  • Detection
  • Detectors
  • Dynamic Range
  • Frequency
  • Jet Propulsion
  • Measurement
  • Observation
  • Optics
  • Orbital Elements
  • Radial Velocity
  • Space Surveillance
  • Stars
  • United States
  • V Band

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Astronomy/Astrophysics

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Space Objects