First Photometric Study of the Short Period Solar Type Binary V1073 Herculis and the Possible Detection of a Dwarf Companion

Volume 42 number 2 (2014)

Ronald G. Samec: Faculty Research Associate, Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, One Pari Drive, Rosman, NC 28772; address email correspondence to ronaldsamec@gmail.com
James Kring: Astronomy Program, Department of Physics and Engineering, Bob Jones University, 1700 Wade Hampton Boulevard, Greenville, SC 29614
Justin Benkendorf: Astronomy Program, Department of Physics and Engineering, Bob Jones University, 1700 Wade Hampton Boulevard, Greenville, SC 29614
James Dignan: Astronomy Program, Department of Physics and Engineering, Bob Jones University, 1700 Wade Hampton Boulevard, Greenville, SC 29614
Walter Van Hamme: Florida International University, Department of Physics, University Park, Miami, FL 33199
Danny R. Faulkner: Johnson Observatory, 1414 Bur Oak Court, Hebron, KY 41048

Abstract

V1073 Herculis is a very short period, P = 0.294281673(4) day, active solar type eclipsing binary. It was observed in May 2012 with the Lowell Observatory 31-inch NURO reflector. This period study consists of some 54 times of minimum light covering nearly 18,000 orbits. A very low amplitude, 0.002-day sinusoidal variation is detected with a period of 11.25 years, which may indicate the presence of a dwarf third component. The temperature of the binary is ~5200K. A preliminary simultaneous Wilson-Devinney Program solution including a q-search reveals that the system has a mass ratio of 0.4, nearly identical component temperatures, and a cool magnetic spot with a T-factor of 0.86 with a spot radius of 22 degrees. The Roche Lobe fill-out is 0.18. The inclination is 82 degrees which results in a brief total eclipse.