The XMM-Newton view of the yellow hypergiant IRC + 10420 and its surroundings
Abstract
Among evolved massive stars likely in transition to the Wolf-Rayet phase, IRC + 10420 is probably one of the most enigmatic. It belongs to the category of yellow hypergiants and it is characterized by quite high mass loss episodes. Even though IRC + 10420 benefited of many observations in several wavelength domains, it has never been a target for an X-ray observatory. We report here on the very first dedicated observation of IRC + 10420 in X-rays, using the XMM-Newton satellite. Even though the target is not detected, we derive X-ray flux upper limits of the order of 1-3 × 10-14 erg cm-2 s-1 (between 0.3 and 10.0 keV), and we discuss the case of IRC + 10420 in the framework of emission models likely to be adequate for such an object. Using the Optical/UV Monitor on board XMM-Newton, we present the very first upper limits of the flux density of IRC + 10420 in the UV domain (between 1800 and 2250 Å and between 2050 and 2450 Å). Finally, we also report on the detection in this field of 10 X-ray and 7 UV point sources, and we briefly discuss their properties and potential counterparts at longer wavelengths.
- Publication:
-
New Astronomy
- Pub Date:
- May 2014
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.newast.2013.12.006
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1401.0707
- Bibcode:
- 2014NewA...29...75D
- Keywords:
-
- Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics;
- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
- E-Print:
- 9 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in New Astronomy (in press)