Discovery of optical bursts from an X-ray burst source, MXB 1735-44.
Abstract
The optical counterpart of 4U 1735-44, X-ray burst source MXB 1735-44, was studied with the 1.5-m telescope at Cerro Tololo, and by SAS 3, during the period between June 1 and 3, 1978. Explanations for the optical activity are discussed in terms of accretion instabilities onto a neutron star, or thermonuclear flashes on the neutron star itself. Attention is given to the timing of the bursts, which indicate that the burst source probably is located in a region within 1-2 light seconds from the X-ray source. In the binary case, it is noted that the optical emission is probably removed from the X-ray heated stellar atmosphere of the possible companion.
- Publication:
-
Nature
- Pub Date:
- August 1978
- DOI:
- 10.1038/274567a0
- Bibcode:
- 1978Natur.274..567G
- Keywords:
-
- Bursts;
- Light Emission;
- X Ray Sources;
- Binary Stars;
- Black Body Radiation;
- Spectral Resolution;
- Ubv Spectra;
- Astrophysics;
- BURSTS;
- LIGHT EMISSION;
- X RAY SOURCES;
- BINARY STARS;
- BLACK BODY RADIATION;
- SPECTRAL RESOLUTION;
- UBV SPECTRA