Variable stars in the Quintuplet stellar cluster with the VVV survey.

Authors :: Molina, Claudio Navarro
Borissova, J.
Catelan, M.
Alonso-García, J.
Kerins, E.
Kurtev, R.
Lucas, P. W.
Medina, N.
Minniti, D.
Dékány, I.
Source :: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society; 10/21/2016, Vol. 462 Issue 2, p1180-1191, 12p
Publication Year :: 2016
Abstract: The Quintuplet cluster is one of the most massive star clusters in the Milky Way, situated very close to the Galactic Centre. We present a new search for variable stars in the vicinity of the cluster, using the five-year data base of the Vista Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) ESO Public Survey in the near-infrared. A total of 7586 objects were identified in the zone around 2 arcmin from the cluster centre, using 55 K<subscript>S</subscript>-band epochs. 33 stars show K<subscript>S</subscript>-band variability, 24 of them being previously undiscovered. Most of the variable stars found are slow/semiregular variables, long-period variables of the Mira type, and OH/IR stars. In addition, a good number of our candidates show variations in a rather short time-scale. We also propose four young stellar object candidates, which could be cluster members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]