We report spectroscopic and differential photometric observations of the A-type system V482 Per, which reveal it to be a rare hierarchical quadruple system containing two eclipsing binaries. One binary has the previously known orbital period of 2.4 days and a circular orbit, and the other a period of 6 days, a slightly eccentric orbit (e=0.11), and shallow eclipses only 2.3% deep. The two binaries revolve around their common center of mass in a highly elongated orbit (e=0.85) with a period of 16.67yr. Radial velocities are measured for all components from our quadruple-lined spectra and are combined with the light curves and measurements of times of minimum light for the 2.4 day binary to solve for the elements of the inner and outer orbits simultaneously. The line-of-sight inclination angles of the three orbits are similar, suggesting they may be close to coplanar. The available observations appear to indicate that the 6 day binary experiences significant retrograde apsidal motion in the amount of about 60 deg per century. We derive absolute masses for the four stars good to better than 1.5%, along with radii with formal errors of 1.1% and 3.5% for the 2.4 day binary and ~9% for the 6 day binary. A comparison of these and other physical properties with current stellar evolution models gives excellent agreement for a metallicity of [Fe/H]=-0.15 and an age of 360Myr.
We present an analysis of the globular cluster (GC) system of the nucleated dwarf elliptical galaxy VCC 1087 in the Virgo Cluster based on Keck LRIS spectroscopy and archival Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys imaging. We estimate that VCC 1087 hosts a total population of 77+/-19 GCs, which corresponds to a relatively high V-band specific frequency of 5.8+/-1.4. The g_475_-z_850_ color distribution of the GCs shows a blue (metal-poor) peak with a tail of redder (metal-rich) clusters similar in color to those seen in luminous elliptical galaxies.
The influence of stellar activity on the fundamental properties of stars around and below 1M_{sun}_ is not well understood. Accurate mass, radius, and abundance determinations from solar-type binaries exhibiting various levels of activity are needed for a better insight into the structure and evolution of these stars. We aim to determine absolute dimensions and abundances for the solar-type detached eclipsing binary V636Cen, and to perform a detailed comparison with results from recent stellar evolutionary models. uvby light curves and uvby{beta} standard photometry were obtained with the Stroemgren Automatic Telescope, radial velocity observations with the CORAVEL spectrometer, and high-resolution spectra with the FEROS spectrograph, all at ESO, La Silla. State-of-the-art methods were applied for the photometric and spectroscopic analyses.
We have carried out a detailed analysis of the IUE archival high resolution spectra of the classical nova V1974 Cyg 1992. The main UV resonance lines show P Cygni profiles in the first days, which change into symmetric pure emission lines, and then slowly become fainter and narrower. Lines of higher ionization species reach their peak luminosity later than those of low ionization.
We present the results of a large spectroscopic survey of the LMC, consisting of more than 1300 radial velocities measured accurately with the 2dF instrument during three observing compaigns 1999-2002. In this sample, no evidence is found for any extraneous, kinematically distinct population over the expected LMC and Galactic components. We discuss the significance of this finding for the LMC self-lensing models. The sample was randomly selected from three APM photographic plates with 16<=R<=18mag and -1.0<=Bj-R<=2.5mag. The fields were centered on previous microlensing events. The 1200V grating was used with 1.1{AA} per pixel resolution over 4625-5765{AA}. The zero point of the velocity of LMC K-type stars is set by cross-correlating with a K-type standard star. For sample stars of other spectral type we assume no systematic change of the peak of velocity distribution with spectral type.
Abell 1995 is a puzzling galaxy cluster hosting a powerful radio halo, but it has not yet been recognized as a obvious cluster merger, as usually expected for clusters with diffuse radio emission. We aim at an exhaustive analysis of the internal structure of Abell 1995 to verify that this cluster is really dynamically relaxed, as reported in previous studies. We base our analysis on new and archival spectroscopic and photometric data for 126 galaxies in the field of Abell 1995. The study of the hot intracluster medium was performed on X-ray archival data.
We report the determination of high-accuracy radial velocities for 306 members of the globular cluster M92 using the Hydra multiobject spectrograph on the WIYN telescope. We have concentrated on stars outside of the central region of the cluster, located up to 14.4' from the cluster center. Candidate members were selected for spectroscopy based on a photometric metallicity index determined from three-band Washington photometry, also obtained with the WIYN telescope.
We present new radial and rotational velocities for 595 nearby early F dwarfs, based on digital spectra cross-correlated with individually optimised synthetic template spectra. The selection of optimum templates, the determination of rotational velocities, and the extraction of velocities from the blended spectra of double-lined spectroscopic binaries are discussed in some detail. We find 170 spectroscopic binaries in the sample and determine orbits for 18 double-lined and 2 single-lined binaries, including some spectroscopic triples. 73 stars are listed with too rapid rotation to yield useful radial velocities (i.e. vsini>120km/s). We discuss the binary frequency in the sample, and the influence of unrecognised binaries on the definition of clean metallicity groups of young F dwarfs and the determination of their kinematical properties.
"The Cepheid Mass Problem" is one of the fundamental tests of the understanding of stellar evolution. One of the foundations of measured masses for Cepheids for this question is binary orbits. V350 Sgr is a classical Cepheid in a binary system. New radial velocity data for the system have been obtained over the last several years, and are used to update the orbit. The secondary in the system has previously had its orbital velocity amplitude measured in the ultraviolet with the Hubble Space Telescope. This amplitude has been combined with the new orbit and the adopted mass of the secondary resulting in a Cepheid mass of 5.0+/-0.8M_{sun}_.
(Abstract from the paper) New spectroscopy and photometry have been obtained for 136 elliptical and S0 galaxies in the direction of the large-scale streaming flow attributed to the great attractor. Measurements of central velocity dispersion (sigma), total B magnitudes (B_T), the photometric parameter D_n, and the absorption-line index Mgi_2 are presented. Both internal and external comparisons indicate that measurements of log{sigma} are accurate to 0.05 dex, B_T to 0.15 mag, D_n to 0.015 dex, and Mg_2 to 0.017 mag. These data have been used in a previous paper by Dressler and Faber to estimate distances for these galaxies via the D_n - {sigma} relation. It is shown in this paper that the D_n - Mg_2 relation also predicts the same trends of peculiar velocity with distance, but with less accuracy. The relative accuracy of other distance indicators for elliptical galaxies is also discussed.