Search

We report the first unambiguous detection and mass measurement of an isolated stellar-mass black hole (BH). We used the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to carry out precise astrometry of the source star of the long-duration (t E ≃ 270 days), high-magnification microlensing event MOA-2011-BLG-191/OGLE-2011-BLG-0462 (hereafter designated as MOA-11-191/OGLE-11-462), in the direction of the Galactic bulge. HST imaging, conducted at eight epochs over an interval of 6 yr, reveals a clear relativistic astrometric deflection of the background star’s apparent position. Ground-based photometry of MOA-11-191/OGLE-11-462 shows a parallactic signature of the effect of Earth’s motion on the microlensing light curve. Combining the HST astrometry with the ground-based light curve and the derived parallax, we obtain a lens mass of 7.1 ± 1.3 M ⊙ and a distance of 1.58 ± 0.18 kpc. We show that the lens emits no detectable light, which, along with having a mass higher than is possible for a white dwarf or neutron star, confirms its BH nature. Our analysis also provides an absolute proper motion for the BH. The proper motion is offset from the mean motion of Galactic disk stars at similar distances by an amount corresponding to a transverse space velocity of ∼45 km sâˆ'1, suggesting that the BH received a “natal kick” from its supernova explosion. Previous mass determinations for stellar-mass BHs have come from radial velocity measurements of Galactic X-ray binaries and from gravitational radiation emitted by merging BHs in binary systems in external galaxies. Our mass measurement is the first for an isolated stellar-mass BH using any technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SPitzer InfraRed Intensive Transients Survey (SPIRITS) searched for luminous infrared (IR) transients and variables in nearly 200 nearby galaxies from 2014 to 2019, using the warm Spitzer telescope at 3.6 and 4.5 ÎĽ m. Among the SPIRITS variables are IR-bright objects that are undetected in ground-based optical surveys. We classify them as (1) transients, (2) periodic variables, and (3) irregular variables. The transients include eSPecially Red Intermediate-luminosity Transient Events (SPRITEs), having maximum luminosities fainter than supernovae, red IR colors, and a wide range of outburst durations (days to years). Here we report deep optical and near-IR imaging with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) of 21 SPIRITS variables. They were initially considered SPRITE transients, but many eventually proved instead to be periodic or irregular variables as more data were collected. HST images show most of these cool and dusty variables are associated with star-forming regions in late-type galaxies, implying an origin in massive stars. Two SPRITEs lacked optical progenitors in deep preoutburst HST images; however, one was detected during eruption at J and H, indicating a dusty object with an effective temperature of ∼1050 K. One faint SPRITE turned out to be a dusty classical nova. About half the HST targets proved to be periodic variables, with pulsation periods of 670â€"2160 days; they are likely dusty asymptotic-giant-branch (AGB) stars with masses of ∼5â€"10 M ⊙. A few of them were warm enough to be detected in deep HST frames, but most are too cool. Out of six irregular variables, two were red supergiants with optical counterparts in HST images; four were too enshrouded for HST detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hobby–Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX) is an unbiased, massively multiplexed spectroscopic survey, designed to measure the expansion history of the universe through low-resolution (R ∼ 750) spectra of Lyα emitters. In its search for these galaxies, HETDEX will also observe a few times 105 stars. In this paper, we present the first stellar value-added catalog within the internal second data release of the HETDEX Survey (HDR2). The new catalog contains 120,571 low-resolution spectra for 98,736 unique stars between 10 < G < 22 spread across the HETDEX footprint at relatively high (b ∼ 60°) Galactic latitudes. With these spectra, we measure radial velocities (RVs) for ∼42,000 unique FGK-type stars in the catalog and show that the HETDEX spectra are sufficient to constrain these RVs with a 1σ precision of 28.0 km s−1 and bias of 3.5 km s−1 with respect to the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fibre Spectroscopic Telescope surveys and 1σ precision of 27.5 km s−1 and bias of 14.0 km s−1 compared to the Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration survey. Since these RVs are for faint (G ≥ 16) stars, they will be complementary to Gaia. Using t-Distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (tSNE), we also demonstrate that the HETDEX spectra can be used to determine a star's Teff, and log g and its [Fe/H]. With the tSNE projection of the FGK-type stars with HETDEX spectra we also identify 416 new candidate metal-poor ([Fe/H] < −1 dex) stars for future study. These encouraging results illustrate the utility of future low-resolution stellar spectroscopic surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cepheids in multiple systems provide information on the outcome of the formation of massive stars. They can also lead to exotic end-stage objects. This study concludes our survey of 70 galactic Cepheids using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) with images at two wavelengths to identify companions closer than 5″. In the entire WFC3 survey we identify 16 probable companions for 13 Cepheids. The 7 Cepheids having resolved candidate companions within 2″ all have the surprising property of themselves being spectroscopic binaries (as compared with a 29% incidence of spectroscopic binaries in the general Cepheid population). This is a strong suggestion that an inner binary is linked to the scenario of a third companion within a few hundred astronomical units. This characteristic is continued for more widely separated companions. Under a model where the outer companion is formed first, it is unlikely that it can anticipate a subsequent inner binary. Rather, it is more likely that a triple system has undergone dynamical interaction, resulting in one star moving outward to its current location. Chandra and Gaia data as well as radial velocities and HST/STIS and IUE spectra are used to derive properties of the components of the Cepheid systems. The colors of the companion candidates show a change in distribution at approximately 2000 au separations, from a range including both hot and cool colors for closer companions, to only low-mass companions for wider separations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

μ Cassiopeiae is a nearby, high-velocity, metal-poor ([Fe/H] = −0.81) visual binary. We have used high-resolution imaging with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), obtained over nearly two decades, to determine the period (21.568 yr) and precise orbital elements. Combining these with published ground- and space-based astrometry, we determined dynamical masses for both components of μ Cas: 0.7440 ± 0.0122 M⊙ for the G5 V primary and 0.1728 ± 0.0035 M⊙ for its faint dM companion. We detect no significant perturbations in the HST astrometry owing to a third body in the system. The primary aim of our program was to determine, with the aid of stellar models, the helium content and age of the metal-deficient primary star, μ Cas A. Although we now have a precise mass, there remain uncertainties about other parameters, including its effective temperature. Moreover, a reexamination of archival interferometric observations leads to a suspicion that the angular diameter was overestimated by a few percent. In the absolute magnitude versus color plane, μ Cas A lies slightly cooler and more luminous than the main sequence of the globular cluster 47 Tucanae; this may imply that the star has a lower helium content, and/or is older, and/or has a higher metallicity, than the cluster. Our best estimates for the helium content and age of μ Cas A are Y = 0.255 ± 0.014 and 12.7 ± 2.7 Gyr—making μ Cas possibly the oldest star in the sky visible to the naked eye. Improved measurements of the absolute parallax of the system, the effective temperature of μ Cas A, and its angular diameter would provide tighter constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a systematic study of the most luminous (MIR [Vega magnitudes] brighter than −14) infrared (IR) transients discovered by the SPitzer InfraRed Intensive Transients Survey (SPIRITS) between 2014 and 2018 in nearby galaxies (D < 35 Mpc). The sample consists of nine events that span peak IR luminosities of M[4.5],peak between −14 and −18.2, show IR colors between 0.2 < ([3.6]–[4.5]) < 3.0, and fade on timescales between 55 days < tfade < 480 days. The two reddest events (AV > 12) show multiple, luminous IR outbursts over several years and have directly detected, massive progenitors in archival imaging. With analyses of extensive, multiwavelength follow-up, we suggest the following possible classifications: five obscured core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe), two erupting massive stars, one luminous red nova, and one intermediate-luminosity red transient. We define a control sample of all optically discovered transients recovered in SPIRITS galaxies and satisfying the same selection criteria. The control sample consists of eight CCSNe and one Type Iax SN. We find that 7 of the 13 CCSNe in the SPIRITS sample have lower bounds on their extinction of 2 < AV < 8. We estimate a nominal fraction of CCSNe in nearby galaxies that are missed by optical surveys as high as (90% confidence). This study suggests that a significant fraction of CCSNe may be heavily obscured by dust and therefore undercounted in the census of nearby CCSNe from optical searches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have found that Proxima Centauri, the star closest to our Sun, will pass close to a pair of faint background stars in the next few years. Using Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images obtained in 2012 October, we determine that the passage close to a mag 20 star will occur in 2014 October (impact parameter 1.″6), and to a mag 19.5 star in 2016 February (impact parameter 0.″5). As Proxima passes in front of these stars, the relativistic deflection of light will cause shifts in the positions of the background stars of ∼0.5 and 1.5 mas, respectively, readily detectable by HST imaging, and possibly by Gaia and ground-based facilities such as the Very Large Telescope. Measurement of these astrometric shifts offers a unique and direct method to measure the mass of Proxima. Moreover, if Proxima has a planetary system, the planets may be detectable through their additional microlensing signals, although the probability of such detections is small. With astrometric accuracies of 0.03 mas (achievable with HST spatial scanning), centroid shifts caused by Jovian planets are detectable at separations of up to 2.″0 (corresponding to 2.6 AU at the distance of Proxima), and centroid shifts by Earth-mass planets are detectable within a small band of 8 mas (corresponding to 0.01 AU) around the source trajectories. Jovian planets within a band of about 28 mas (corresponding to 0.036 AU) around the source trajectories would produce a brightening of the source by >0.01 mag and could hence be detectable. Estimated timescales of the astrometric and photometric microlensing events due to a planet range from a few hours to a few days, and both methods would provide direct measurements of the planetary mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New imaging of V605 Aql, was obtained in 2009 with HST/WFPC2, which had a nova-like outburst in 1919, and is located at the center of the planetary nebula (PN), A58. This event has long been ascribed to a final helium shell flash, but it has been suggested recently that it may instead have been an ONe nova. The new images provide an 18 yr baseline for the expansion of the ejecta from the 1919 event. In addition, the central star has been directly detected in the visible for the first time since 1923, when it faded from sight due to obscuration by dust. The expansion of the ejecta has a velocity of ~200 km s-1, and an angular expansion rate of ~10 mas yr-1, consistent with a 1919 ejection. This implies a geometric distance of 4.6 kpc for V605 Aql, consistent with previous estimates. The gas mass in the central knot of ejecta was previously estimated to be 5 × 10-5M☉. It is estimated that warm dust associated with this gas has a mass of ~10-5M☉. There is also evidence for a significant amount, 10-3M☉, of cold (75 K) dust, which may be associated with its PN. The knot ejected in 1919 is asymmetrical and is approximately aligned with the asymmetry of the surrounding PN. Polarimetric imaging was obtained to investigate whether the 2001 spectrum of V605 Aql was obtained primarily in scattered light from dust in the central knot, but the signal-to-noise in the data was insufficient to measure the level of polarization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EGB 6 is an ancient, low-surface-brightness planetary nebula. The central star, also cataloged as PG 0950+139, is a very hot DAOZ white dwarf (WD) with an apparent M dwarf companion, unresolved from the ground but detected initially through excesses in the JHK bands. Its kinematics indicates membership in the Galactic disk population. Inside of EGB 6 is an extremely dense emission knot-completely unexpected since significant mass loss from the WD should have ceased ∼105 yr ago. The electron density of the compact nebula is very high (2.2 × 106 cm-3), as indicated by collisional de-excitation of forbidden emission lines. Hubble Space Telescope imaging and grism spectroscopy are reported here. These resolve the WD and apparent dM companion-at a separation of 0."166, or a projected 96+204-45 AU at the estimated distance of 576+1224-271 pc (using the V magnitude). Much to our surprise, we found that the compact emission nebula is superposed on the dM companion, far from the photoionizing radiation of the WD. Moreover, a striking mid-infrared excess has recently been reported in the Spitzer/IRAC and MIPS bands, best fit with two dust shells. The derived ratio LIR/LWD = 2.7 × 10-4 is the largest yet found for any WD or planetary nucleus. The compact nebula has maintained its high density for over three decades. We discuss two possible explanations for the origin and confinement of the compact nebula, neither of which is completely satisfactory. This leaves the genesis and confinement of the compact nebula an astrophysical puzzle, yet similar examples appear in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2008 optical transient in NGC 300 is one of a growing class of intermediate-luminosity transients that brighten several orders of magnitude from a previously optically obscured state. The origin of their eruptions is not understood. Our multi-wavelength photometry and spectroscopy from maximum light to more than a year later provide a record of its post-eruption behavior. We describe its changing spectral energy distribution, the evolution of its absorption- and emission-line spectrum, the development of a bipolar outflow, and the rapid transition from a dense wind to an optically thin ionized wind. In addition to strong, narrow hydrogen lines, the F-type absorption-line spectrum of the transient is characterized by strong Ca II and [Ca II] emission. The very broad wings of the Can triplet and the asymmetric [Ca II] emission lines are due to strong Thomson scattering in the expanding ejecta. Post-maximum, the hydrogen and Ca II lines developed double-peaked emission profiles that we attribute to a bipolar outflow. Between approximately 60 and 100 days after maximum, the F-type absorption spectrum, formed in its dense wind, weakened and the wind became transparent to ionizing radiation. We discuss the probable evolutionary state of the transient and similar objects such as SN 2008S and conclude that they were most likely post-red supergiants or post-asymptotic giant branch stars on a blue loop to warmer temperatures when the eruption occurred. These objects are not luminous blue variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2007, R Coronae Borealis (R CrB) went into a historically deep and long decline. In this state, the dust acts like a natural coronagraph at visible wavelengths, allowing faint nebulosity around the star to be seen. Imaging has been obtained from 0.5 to 500 µm with Gemini/GMOS, Hubble Space Telescope/WFPC2, Spitzer/MIPS, and Herschel/SPIRE. Several of the structures around R CrB are cometary globules caused by wind from the star streaming past dense blobs. The estimated dust mass of the knots is consistent with their being responsible for the R CrB declines if they form along the line of sight to the star. In addition, there is a large diffuse shell extending up to 4 pc away from the star containing cool 25 K dust that is detected all the way out to 500 µm. The spectral energy distribution of R CrB can be well fitted by a 150 AU disk surrounded by a very large diffuse envelope which corresponds to the size of the observed nebulosity. The total masses of the disk and envelope are 10-4 and 2 M⊙, respectively, assuming a gas-to-dust ratio of 100. The evidence pointing toward a white dwarf merger or a final-helium-shell flash origin for R CrB is contradictory. The shell and the cometary knots are consistent with a fossil planetary nebula. Along with the fact that R CrB shows significant lithium in its atmosphere, this supports the final-helium-shell flash. However, the relatively high inferred mass of R CrB and its high fluorine abundance support a white dwarf merger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

M31 RV is a red transient that erupted in 1988 in the Andromeda bulge, reaching a luminosity intermediate between novae and supernovae. It was cool throughout its outburst, unlike a normal classical nova. In 2006, Bond & Siegel examined archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST) optical images of the M31 RV site, obtained in 1999. We found only old red giants at the site and no stars of unusual color. However, Shara et al. recently claimed to have detected (1) a bright UV source within the error box in HST UV images taken in 1995, (2) a hot (Teff > 40,000 K) optical source in the same 1999 images that we examined, and (3) cooling of this source from 1999 to 2008. Shara et al. argue that this source's behavior is consistent with a classical-nova outburst occurring on a low-mass white dwarf. I have re-examined all of the HST frames, including new ones obtained in 2009-2010. I find that (1) the bright 1995 UV source reported by Shara et al. was actually due to cosmic rays striking the same pixel in two successive exposures; (2) the claim that an optically bright star in the error box is very hot is actually due to misinterpretation of red-giant colors in the STmagnitude system; (3) there is no evidence for variability of any source within the error box from 1999 to 2010; and (4) there are no stars of unusually blue or red color in the error box. Our 2006 conclusions remain valid: either M31 RV had faded below HST detectability by 1999, or its remnant is an unresolved companion of a red giant in the field, or the remnant is one of the red giants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the first detections of Blue Straggler Stars (BSS) in the bulge of the Milky Way. Proper motions from extensive space-based observations along a single sight line allow us to separate a sufficiently clean and well- characterized bulge sample such that we are able to detect a small population of bulge objects in the region of the color-magnitude diagram commonly occupied by young objects and blue stragglers. Variability measurements of these objects clearly establish that a fraction of them are blue stragglers. Out of the 42 objects found in this region of the color-magnitude diagram, we estimate that at least 18 are genuine BSS. We normalize the BSS population by our estimate of the number of horizontal branch stars in the bulge in order to compare the bulge to other stellar systems. The BSS fraction is clearly discrepant from that found in stellar clusters. The blue straggler population of dwarf spheroidals remains a subject of debate; some authors claim an anticorrelation between the normalized blue straggler fraction and integrated light. If this trend is real, then the bulge may extend it by three orders of magnitude in mass. Conversely, we find that the genuinely young (<5 Gyr) population in the bulge, must be at most 3.4% under the most conservative scenario for the BSS population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the highest redshift detections of resolved Lyα emission, using Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/Advanced Camera for Surveys F658N narrowband-imaging data taken in parallel with theWide Field Camera 3 Early Release Science program in the GOODS Chandra Deep Field-South. We detect Lyα emission from three spectroscopically confirmed z = 4.4 Lyα emitting galaxies (LAEs), more than doubling the sample of LAEs with resolved Lyα emission. Comparing the light distribution between the rest-frame ultraviolet continuum and narrowband images, we investigate the escape of Lyα photons at high redshift.While our data do not support a positional offset between the Lyα and rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) continuum emission, the half-light radius in one out of the three galaxies is significantly (>1σ) larger in Lyα than in the rest-frame UV continuum. Stacking the three LAEs in both the narrowband and UV continuum images, we find that the Lyα light appears larger than the rest-frame UV at 4.2σ significance. This Lyα flux detected with HST is a factor of 4-10 less than observed in similar filters from the ground. These results together imply that the Lyα emission is not strictly confined to its indigenous star-forming regions. Rather, for at least one object the Lyα emission is more extended, with the missing HST flux possibly existing in a diffuse outer halo. This suggests that the radiative transfer of Lyα photons in high-redshift LAEs is complicated, with the interstellar-medium geometry and/or outflows playing a significant role in galaxies at these redshifts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]