Orbits, Distance, and Stellar Masses of the Massive Triple Star Sigma Orionis
Schaefer, GH; Hummel, CA; Gies, DR; et al.Zavala, RT; Monnier, JD; Walter, FM; Turner, NH; Baron, F; ten Brummelaar, T; Che, X; Farrington, CD; Kraus, S; Sturmann, J; Sturmann, L
Date: 5 December 2016
Journal
Astronomical Journal
Publisher
American Astronomical Society / IOP Publishing
Publisher DOI
Abstract
We present interferometric observations of the σ Orionis triple system using the CHARA Array, NPOI, and VLTI.
Using these measurements, we spatially resolve the orbit of the close spectroscopic binary (Aa,Ab) for the first time
and present a revised orbit for the wide pair (A,B). Combining the visual orbits with previously published ...
We present interferometric observations of the σ Orionis triple system using the CHARA Array, NPOI, and VLTI.
Using these measurements, we spatially resolve the orbit of the close spectroscopic binary (Aa,Ab) for the first time
and present a revised orbit for the wide pair (A,B). Combining the visual orbits with previously published radial
velocity measurements and new radial velocities measured at CTIO, we derive dynamical masses for the three
massive stars in the system of MAa = 16.99 ± 0.20 M, MAb = 12.81 ± 0.18 M, and MB = 11.5 ± 1.2 M. The
inner and outer orbits in the triple are not coplanar, with a relative inclination of 120–127. The orbital parallax
provides a precise distance of 387.5 ± 1.3 pc to the system. This is a significant improvement over previous
estimates of the distance to the young σ Orionis cluster.
Physics and Astronomy
Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy
Item views 0
Full item downloads 0