Gaia 8: Discovery of a star cluster containing β Lyrae
Abstract
Aims: The aim here is to try and clarify whether there are stars in the neighbourhood of β Lyrae which are physically connected to the famous prototype eclipsing binary.
Methods: We scrutinised the astrometric and photometric data (from HIPPARCOS and Gaia DR2) of stars in a limited sky field around β Lyrae.
Results: A star cluster of about 100 members was discovered, nicely centred on β Lyrae in five dimensions. There are clear indications that the newly discovered cluster belongs to a larger old (extinct) star formation complex, including two known star clusters and an extended, strewn field of stars at practically the same distance and space velocity.
Conclusions: This discovery opens up the possibility of determining a precise distance and precise age for β Lyrae using the combined properties of the cluster members. This in turn may form an important basis for an improved astrophysical interpretation of the model binary β Lyrae and its kin. The larger old star formation complex is of scientific interest in its own right.
- Publication:
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Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- October 2019
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361/201936595
- Bibcode:
- 2019A&A...630L...8B
- Keywords:
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- binaries: general;
- stars: individual: β Lyrae;
- open clusters and associations: individual: Gaia 8;
- open clusters and associations: individual: Stephenson 1;
- open clusters and associations: individual: KPR2005 100