VFTS 352

VFTS 352 is a contact binary star system 160,000 light-years (49,000 pc) away in the Tarantula Nebula, which is part of the Large Magellanic Cloud.[5] It is the most massive and earliest spectral type overcontact system known.[4]

VFTS 352

Artist's rendering of VFTS 352 binary star
Credit: ESO/L. Calçada
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Dorado
Right ascension  05h 38m 28.456s[1]
Declination −69° 11′ 19.18″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 14.38[2]
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage Main Sequence[3]
Spectral type O4.5 V(n)((fc)):z: + O5.5 V(n)((fc)):z:[3]
B−V color index −0.10[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)262.8[4] km/s
Distance164,000 ly
(50,000[4] pc)
Orbit[4]
PrimaryVFTS 3521
CompanionVFTS 3522
Period (P)1.124 days
Semi-major axis (a)17.55 R☉
Eccentricity (e)0
Inclination (i)55.60°
Longitude of the node (Ω)3.584°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)		324.9 km/s
Semi-amplitude (K2)
(secondary)		315.6 km/s
Details[4]
VFTS 3521
Mass28.63 ± 0.30 M☉
Radius7.22 ± 0.02 R☉
Luminosity180,000 L☉
Surface gravity (log g)4.18 ± 0.01 cgs
Temperature42,540 ± 280 K
Age1 Myr
VFTS 3522
Mass28.85 ± 0.30 M☉
Radius7.25 ± 0.02 R☉
Luminosity150,000 L☉
Surface gravity (log g)4.18 ± 0.01 cgs
Temperature41,120 ± 290 K
Age1 Myr
Other designations
VFTS 352, 2MASS J05382845-6911191, IRSF J05382846-6911192
Database references
SIMBADdata
The very active star-forming region around the Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud, where VFTS 352 is located

The discovery of this O-type binary star system made use of the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope,[6] and the description was published on 13 October 2015.[4] VFTS 352 is composed of two very hot (40,000 °C), bright and massive stars of equal size that orbit each other in little more than a day. The stars are so close that their atmospheres overlap.[6] Extreme stars like the two components of VFTS 352 are thought to be the main producers of elements such as oxygen.[6]

The future of VFTS 352 is uncertain, and there are two possible scenarios. If the two stars merge, a very rapidly rotating star will be produced. If it keeps spinning rapidly it might end its life in a long-duration gamma-ray burst. In a second hypothetical scenario, the components would end their lives in supernova explosions, forming a close binary black hole system, hence a potential gravitational wave source through black hole–black hole merger.[4]

See also

References
  1. Cutri, R. M.; Skrutskie, M. F.; Van Dyk, S.; Beichman, C. A.; Carpenter, J. M.; Chester, T.; Cambresy, L.; Evans, T.; Fowler, J.; Gizis, J.; Howard, E.; Huchra, J.; Jarrett, T.; Kopan, E. L.; Kirkpatrick, J. D.; Light, R. M.; Marsh, K. A.; McCallon, H.; Schneider, S.; Stiening, R.; Sykes, M.; Weinberg, M.; Wheaton, W. A.; Wheelock, S.; Zacarias, N. (2003). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: 2MASS All-Sky Catalog of Point Sources (Cutri+ 2003)". VizieR On-line Data Catalog: II/246. Originally Published in: 2003yCat.2246....0C. 2246. Bibcode:2003yCat.2246....0C.
  2. Evans, C. J.; Taylor, W. D.; Hénault-Brunet, V.; Sana, H.; De Koter, A.; et al. (June 2011). "The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey. I. Introduction and observational overview". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 530: A108. arXiv:1103.5386. Bibcode:2011A&A...530A.108E. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201116782.
  3. Walborn, N. R.; Sana, H.; Simón-Díaz, S.; Maíz Apellániz, J.; Taylor, W. D.; Evans, C. J.; Markova, N.; Lennon, D. J.; De Koter, A. (2014). "The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey. XIV. The O-type stellar content of 30 Doradus". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 564: A40. arXiv:1402.6969. Bibcode:2014A&A...564A..40W. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201323082.
  4. Almeida, L. A.; Sana, H.; Mink, S. E. de; Tramper, F.; Soszyn´Ski, I.; Langer, N.; Barbá, R. H.; Cantiello, M.; Damineli, A.; Koter, A. de; Garcia, M.; Gräfener, G.; Herrero, A.; Howarth, I.; Apellániz, J. Maíz; Norman, C.; Ramírez-Agudelo, O. H.; Vink, J. S. (2015). "Discovery of the Massive Overcontact Binary Vfts 352: Evidence for Enhanced Internal Mixing". The Astrophysical Journal. 812 (2): 102. arXiv:1509.08940. Bibcode:2015ApJ...812..102A. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/812/2/102.
  5. "Final Kiss of Two Stars Heading for Catastrophe". EPB. 15 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  6. "Final kiss of two stars heading for catastrophe". Astronomy Now. 21 October 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
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