The Optical Counterpart to the Peculiar X-Ray Transient XTE J1739-302
Abstract
The weak X-ray transient XTE J1739-302, characterized by extremely short outbursts, has recently been identified with a reddened star. Here we present spectroscopy and photometry of the counterpart, identifying it as a O8 Iab(f) supergiant at a distance of ~2.3 kpc. XTE J1739-302 thus becomes the prototype of the new class of supergiant fast X-ray transients (SFXTs). The optical and infrared spectra of the counterpart to XTE J1739-302 do not reveal any obvious characteristics setting it apart from other X-ray binaries with supergiant companions, which display a very different type of X-ray light curve.
Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, La Silla, Chile (ESO 73.D-0081).- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- February 2006
- DOI:
- 10.1086/498935
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/0510675
- Bibcode:
- 2006ApJ...638..982N
- Keywords:
-
- Stars: Binaries: Close;
- Stars: Supergiants;
- X-Rays: Binaries;
- X-rays: individual (XTE J1739-302);
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- Accepted for publication in ApJ. Companion paper to Smith et al. (astro-ph/0510658). 5 figures, 9 pages
