Publication Date:
2016-07-07
Description:
We report new CHARA/Michigan InfraRed Combiner interferometric observations of the Cepheid archetype Cep, which aimed at detecting the newly discovered spectroscopic companion. We reached a maximum dynamic range H = 6.4, 5.8 and 5.2 mag, respectively, within the relative distance to the Cepheid r 〈 25 mas, 25 〈 r 〈 50 mas and 50 〈 r 〈 100 mas. Our observations did not show strong evidence of a companion. We have a marginal detection at 3 with a flux ratio of 0.21 per cent, but nothing convincing as we found other possible probable locations. We ruled out the presence of companion with a spectral type earlier than F0V, A1V and B9V, respectively for the previously cited ranges r . From our estimated sensitivity limits and the Cepheid light curve, we derived lower limit magnitudes in the H band for this possible companion to be H comp 〉 9.15, 8.31 and 7.77 mag, respectively, for r 〈 25 mas, 25 〈 r 〈 50 mas and 50 〈 r 〈 100 mas. We also found that to be consistent with the predicted orbital period (Anderson et al.), the companion has to be located at a projected separation 〈24 mas with a spectral type later than an F0V star.
Print ISSN:
0035-8711
Electronic ISSN:
1365-2966
Topics:
Physics
Permalink