Invisible companions of the binary star 61 Cygni
Abstract
Mean annual discrepancies in the separation between the primary and secondary components of the 61 Cyg binary system are discovered on the basis of measurements of 418 plates obtained between 1949 and 1974. The fluctuations in component separation implied by these discrepancies are attributed to the presence of invisible satellites in the system. Analysis of the observational data indicates that there are three such satellites with respective masses of about seven, six, and 11 Jovian masses orbiting the primary component with periods of six, seven, and 12 yr, respectively. Their respective orbital radii are estimated to be 2.8, 3.1, and 4.4 AU, assuming circular orbits. It is noted that the six- and 12-year satellite orbits are coplanar and that a possible fourth satellite with a seven-year orbital period may be orbiting the secondary star.
- Publication:
-
Soviet Astronomy
- Pub Date:
- April 1977
- Bibcode:
- 1977SvA....21..182D
- Keywords:
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- Astrometry;
- Astronomical Photography;
- Binary Stars;
- Natural Satellites;
- Orbit Calculation;
- Computer Techniques;
- Error Analysis;
- Photographic Plates;
- Reference Stars;
- Astronomy