A New Lower Main Sequence Eclipsing Binary with Detached Components
Abstract
We present an analysis of NGC2204-S892 - a new detached eclipsing binary composed of two late K dwarfs. Based on three photometric campaigns launched in 2008 we obtained five light curves (three in V, one in B and one in I), and derived an orbital period. We also obtained 20 VLT/UVES spectra, enabling accurate radial velocity measurements. The derived masses and radii of the components are consistent with the empirical mass-radius relationship established recently for lower main sequence stars in binary systems; in particular we find that both stars are oversized compared to theoretical models. NGC2204-S892 is very active: both components show variable emission in Hα and Hβ and are heavily spotted, causing the light curve to show appreciable changes on a timescale of weeks. Our results add to the increasing evidence that the observed inflation of the radii of K and M stars is related to high levels of magnetic activity.
- Publication:
-
Acta Astronomica
- Pub Date:
- December 2009
- DOI:
- arXiv:
- arXiv:0910.2543
- Bibcode:
- 2009AcA....59..385R
- Keywords:
-
- binaries: eclipsing;
- Stars: individual: NGC2204-S892;
- Stars: low-mass;
- brown dwarfs;
- Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 15 pages, 8 figures, expanded discussion of errors