Using CCD UBV photometry and spectroscopy, we have investigated the stellar content of NGC 346, the brightest H II region in the SMC. Spectra of 42 stars confirm that 33 are of O type, of which 11 are of type O6.5 or earlier; this is as many early-type O stars as is known in the rest of the SMC. From the spectroscopy and photometry we are able to construct an H-R diagram which is essentially complete down to ~10M_{sun}_. We find an initial mass-function slope {GAMMA}=-1.9, similar to that found for massive stars near the Sun and in the LMC: the presence of six stars in the mass range 40-85M_{sun}_ suggests that the upper-mass limit of the IMF is also not appreciably lower in the SMC than it is in the Galaxy. Our photometry has identified five probable red supergiants of which one was previously known. These stars, plus two B supergiants, are evolved stars of considerably lower mass (15M_{sun}_) than many of the unevolved cluster members. Most of these lower-mass, evolved stars form a spatially distinct subgroup; we believe that NGC 346 thus provides an example of sequential star formation in the SMC. We also have identified a background field population of 5M_{sun}_ stars. We find that the ionizing flux from the hot stars is consistent with the previously known Half nebular luminosity. Finally, we discuss the enigmatic W-R binary HD 5980, which our point-spread-function fitting has identified as a close visual double.
We present a detailed analysis of the stellar content of the current version of the XMM-Newton slew survey (XMMSL2). Since stars emit only a small fraction of their total luminosity in the X-ray band, the stellar XMMSL2 sources ought to have relatively bright optical counterparts. Therefore the stellar identifications were obtained by an automatic crossmatch of the XMMSL2 catalog with the first Gaia data release (Gaia DR1), 2MASS, and Tycho2 catalogs. The reliability of this procedure was verified by a comparison with the individually classified Einstein Observatory medium sensitivity survey X-ray sources and by a crossmatch with the Chandra Source Catalog. We identify 6815 of the 23252 unique XMMSL2 sources to be stellar sources, while 893 sources are flagged as unreliable. For every counterpart a matching probability is estimated based upon the distance between the XMMSL2 source and the counterpart. Given this matching probability the sample is expected to be reliable to 96.7% and complete to 96.3%. The sample contains stars of all spectral types and luminosity classes, and late-type dwarfs have the largest share. For many stellar sources the fractional contribution of the X-ray band to the total energy output is found above the saturation limit of previous studies (L_X_/L_bol_=10^-3^), because the XMMSL2 sources are more affected by flares owing to their short exposure times of typically 6s. A comparison with the second ROSAT all-sky survey (2RXS) source catalog shows that about 25% of the stellar XMMSL2 sources are previously unknown X-ray sources. The results of our identification procedure can be accessed via VizieR.
We map the stellar structure of the Galactic thick disk and halo by applying color-magnitude diagram (CMD) fitting to photometric data from the Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration (SEGUE) survey. The SEGUE imaging scans allow, for the first time, a comprehensive analysis of Milky Way structure at both high and low latitudes using uniform Sloan Digital Sky Survey photometry. Incorporating photometry of all relevant stars simultaneously, CMD fitting bypasses the need to choose single tracer populations. Using old stellar populations of differing metallicities as templates, we obtain a sparse three-dimensional map of the stellar mass distribution at |Z|>1kpc. Fitting a smooth Milky Way model comprising exponential thin and thick disks and an axisymmetric power-law halo allows us to constrain the structural parameters of the thick disk and halo. The thick-disk scale height and length are well constrained at 0.75+/-0.07kpc and 4.1+/-0.4kpc, respectively.
We present interferometric angular diameter measurements of 21 low-mass, K- and M-dwarfs made with the CHARA Array. This sample is enhanced by adding a collection of radius measurements published in the literature to form a total data set of 33 K-M-dwarfs with diameters measured to better than 5%. We use these data in combination with the Hipparcos parallax and new measurements of the star's bolometric flux to compute absolute luminosities, linear radii, and effective temperatures for the stars. We develop empirical relations for ~K0 to M4 main-sequence stars that link the stellar temperature, radius, and luminosity to the observed (B-V), (V-R), (V-I), (V-J), (V-H), and (V-K) broadband color index and stellar metallicity [Fe/H]. These relations are valid for metallicities ranging from [Fe/H]=-0.5 to +0.1dex and are accurate to ~2%, ~5%, and ~4% for temperature, radius, and luminosity, respectively. Our results show that it is necessary to use metallicity-dependent transformations in order to properly convert colors into stellar temperatures, radii, and luminosities.
Photographic photometry and 1950 coordinates were determined using Automated Image location on 50 micron aperture PDS scans of the regions on UKSTU Schmidt plates. Galaxy contamination, which is small at these relatively bright apparent magnitudes, has not been removed from the images located. The image locating algorithm does not locate faint stars within 9 seconds of arc of an image of a brighter star on the plate. Assuming uniform random distributions, the estimated incompleteness is 0.5% at magnitude 15 and 2.2% at 17.5.
This catalog contains a field of 2.8 square degrees centered on Kapteyn Selected Area 141 (l=245, b=-86). The center of field was near SAO 166815 (Bok I 174 B) at 01 05 11 -29 33 12 (1950). The covered ranges were 01 01 30 < RA < 01 09 30 and -30 20 < Dec < -28 35 (1950). Photographic V magnitudes and B-V colors of 640 stars were measured in Region I. Data were card punched at the Australian National University on an Univac 1100/82. The coordinates were determined by Kavan U. Ratnatunga from PDS scans of the region on UKSTU Schmidt plate J6657S (taken on 03-Jan-1981) and visual cross identifications were given with the published finding chart. The coordinate calibration used the positions of SAO stars. Estimated rms accuracies for the following measurements are: Visual Magnitude: 0.03 mag B-V colors : 0.05 mag Positions : 1 arc second
We have used HST imaging of the central regions of the globular cluster 47 Tucanae (=NGC 104), taken with the WFPC2 and ACS instruments between 1995 and 2002, to derive proper motions and U- and V-band magnitudes for 14366 stars within 100 (about 5 core radii) of the cluster center. This represents the largest set of member velocities collected for any globular cluster. The stars involved range in brightness from just fainter than the horizontal branch of the cluster to more than 2.5mag below the main-sequence turnoff. In the course of obtaining these kinematic data, we also use a recent set of ACS images to define a list of astrometrically calibrated positions (and F475W magnitudes) for nearly 130000 stars in a larger, 3x3 central area. We describe our data reduction procedures in some detail and provide the full position, photometric, and velocity data.
We present the second catalog of averaged quadratic effective magnetic fields <B_e_> of 1212 main sequence and giant stars, and 11 white dwarfs. Our sample includes a subset of 610 chemically peculiar early-type stars. Some stars in the sample are members of several open clusters. The catalog was derived from measurements of the longitudinal magnetic field strength B_e_ for stars, which were scattered in the published sources.
The high stellar densities in the cores of globular clusters cause significant stellar interactions. These stellar interactions can produce close binary mass-transferring systems involving compact objects and their progeny, such as X-ray binaries and radio millisecond pulsars. Comparing the numbers of these systems and interaction rates in different clusters drives our understanding of how cluster parameters affect the production of close binaries. In this paper we estimate stellar encounter rates ({Gamma}) for 124 Galactic globular clusters based on observational data as opposed to the methods previously employed, which assumed "King-model" profiles for all clusters. By deprojecting cluster surface brightness profiles to estimate luminosity density profiles, we treat "King-model" and "core-collapsed" clusters in the same way. In addition, we use Monte Carlo simulations to investigate the effects of uncertainties in various observational parameters (distance, reddening, surface brightness) on {Gamma}, producing the first catalog of globular cluster stellar encounter rates with estimated errors. Comparing our results with published observations of likely products of stellar interactions (numbers of X-ray binaries, numbers of radio millisecond pulsars, and {gamma}-ray luminosity) we find both clear correlations and some differences with published results.