The V Sagittae Stars
Abstract
We identify a class of four Galactic stars with similar spectroscopic and photometric properties: V617 Sgr, HD 104994, WX Cen, and V Sge. We call this class the ``V Sagittae stars.'' The characteristics and literature of each of these stars are reviewed. They show high-ionization species like O vi and N v; the emission of He ii lambda4686 is stronger than twice the strength of Hβ. The orbital periods vary from 5 to 12 hr, and the orbital light curve can have shapes of either double eclipse or sine wave. The close similarities of these objects to the supersoft X-ray sources is pointed out. The nature of the compact star in these system is still an open question; white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes, or carbon main-sequence stars have been proposed.
- Publication:
-
Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
- Pub Date:
- March 1998
- DOI:
- 10.1086/316139
- Bibcode:
- 1998PASP..110..276S
- Keywords:
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- CATACLYSMIC VARIABLES;
- STARS: FUNDAMENTAL PARAMETERS