Robo-AO M-dwarf Multiplicity Survey: Catalog
Abstract
We analyze observations from Robo-AO's field M dwarf survey taken on the 2.1 m Kitt Peak telescope and perform a multiplicity comparison with Gaia DR2. Through its laser-guided, automated system, the Robo-AO instrument has yielded the largest adaptive optics M dwarf multiplicity survey to date. After developing an interface to visually identify and locate stellar companions, we selected 11 low-significance Robo-AO detections for follow-up on the Keck II telescope using NIRC2. In the Robo-AO survey we find 553 candidate companions within 4″ around 534 stars out of 5566 unique targets, most of which are new discoveries. Using a position cross-match with DR2 on all targets, we assess the binary recoverability of Gaia DR2 and compare the properties of multiples resolved by both Robo-AO and Gaia. The catalog of nearby M dwarf systems and their basic properties presented here can assist other surveys which observe these stars, such as the NASA TESS mission.
- Publication:
-
The Astronomical Journal
- Pub Date:
- April 2020
- DOI:
- 10.3847/1538-3881/ab6ef1
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2001.05988
- Bibcode:
- 2020AJ....159..139L
- Keywords:
-
- M dwarf stars;
- Binary stars;
- Catalogs;
- Multiple stars;
- Close binary stars;
- Trinary stars;
- Visual binary stars;
- 982;
- 154;
- 205;
- 1081;
- 254;
- 1714;
- 1777;
- Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics;
- Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 16 pages, 9 figures. To be published in The Astronomical Journal