Proposal #560
| Proposer | (34861) Noel Richardson (noel.richardson@erau.edu) obscode: RNO |
|---|---|
| Assigned To | (3663) Dirk Terrell |
| Date Submitted | Sept. 21, 2024 |
| Status | Allocated |
| Priority | Normal |
| Proposal | I propose to observe WR140 with AAVSOnet nightly through at least 2025 February. This is a binary system with a WC7 Wolf-Rayet star and a bright O5I companion. The orbit of the system is 7.93 years, with periastron occurring in November 2024. During periastron, the system produces carbonaceous dust in the shocked wind region from the two stars. Obtaining regular UBVRI photometry will allow my students and I to measure any occultation of the system by this newly formed dust. Recent results by Peatt & Richardson (2022, RNAAS, 6, 20) showed that the occultations by dust in the line-of-sight vary every orbit, so these observations can allow us to better understand what sorts of dust gets into our line of sight. Furthermore, Marchenko et al. (2003, ApJ, 596, 1295) demonstrated that you can determine the size of the dust with UBV photometry, so while U band is harder to do well, it would also allow us to get a handle on the size of the dust grains formed in the system. |
| Target | RA (H.HH) | Dec (D.DD) | Magnitude | Telescope | Observation Frequency | Expiration Date | Proprietary Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR140 | 20.341103 | 43.85452 | 7.2–6.7 | BSM_NH2 | 1 | March 15, 2025 | No |
Comments
- (3663) Dirk Terrell — Sept. 23, 2024, 5:14 p.m.
The TAC suggests daily observations in the full filter set on a particular telescope over the months surrounding periastron passage. Note that proposal #554 also targets this system but was V only. Perhaps it is best to have the two projects on different telescopes.
- (34861) Noel Richardson — Sept. 23, 2024, 5:49 p.m.
Thank you!
- (4726) Kenneth Menzies — Sept. 30, 2024, 7:53 p.m.
committed to NH2
Comments on this proposal are closed.