The New Era of Eclipsing Binary Research with Large Telescopes
Abstract
Eclipsing binary research has made great contributions to stellar astrophysics for over a century. Even with small- to moderate-size telescopes bright eclipsing binaries can be observed and have their orbital and physical properties determined to high accuracy. However, the advent of larger telescopes and powerful instrumentation also enables the exploration of new aspects of faint eclipsing binaries that are just now becoming accessible. An example of this are eclipsing binaries in Local Group galaxies such as the LMC, SMC, M31 and M33, whose study yields not only stellar properties of stars formed in different chemical environments (thus providing useful model tests) but also direct distance determinations to the host galaxies. In general this is also applicable to eclipsing binaries belonging to any stellar ensemble. Another example is the observation and study of eclipsing very-low mass stars, brown dwarfs and planets. Besides the need for large telescopes because of their faintness, these also benefit from improved observational capabilities in the infrared spectral windows. In this talk we will discuss the prospects for eclipsing binary research using photometry and spectroscopy from large telescopes.
- Publication:
-
Binary Stars as Critical Tools & Tests in Contemporary Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- August 2007
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 2007IAUS..240...69R