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We report on optical observations and modeling of HD96670, a single-line spectroscopic binary in the Carina OB2 association. We collected 10 epochs of optical spectroscopy, and optical photometry on 17 nonconsecutive nights on the source. We construct a radial velocity curve from the spectra, and update the orbital period of the binary to be P = 5.28388 ± 0.00046 days. The spectra show oxygen and helium absorption, consistent with an O-type primary. We see no evidence for spectral lines from the secondary star in the binary. We model the optical light curve and radial velocity curve simultaneously using the Wilson–Devinney code and find a best-fit mass of for the primary, and for the secondary. An object of this mass is consistent with either a B-type star, or a black hole. Given that we see no absorption lines from the secondary, in combination with an observed hard power-law X-ray spectrum with Γ = 2.6 detected past 10 keV that may have been produced by wind accretion onto the secondary, we conclude that the secondary is most likely a black hole. We see asymmetrical helium lines with a shape consistent with the presence of a third star. If the secondary is indeed a black hole, this system would add to the small sample of only four possible black hole high mass X-ray binaries in the galaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have discovered 10 periodic X-ray sources from the l Ms Chandra ACIS observation of the Limiting Window (LW), a low-extinction region (Av ~ 3.9) at 1°.4 south of the Galactic center. The observed periods (~1.3-3.4 hr) and the X-ray luminosities (1031.8-32.9 erg s-1 at 8 kpc) of the 10 periodic sources, combined with the lack of bright optical counterparts and thus high X-ray-to-optical flux ratios, suggest that they are likely accreting binaries, in particular, magnetic cataclysmic variables (MCVs). All of them exhibit a relatively hard X-ray spectrum (Γ < 2 for a power-law model), and relatively high extinction observed in the X-ray spectra of at least five sources indicates some intrinsic absorption in the system, which is also a typical sign of MCVs, On close inspection, the period distribution of these sources resembles those of polars, whereas the relatively hard spectra suggest that they could be intermediate polars (IPs). These puzzling properties can be explained by unusual polars with buried magnetic fields or a rare sub-class of MCVs, nearly synchronous MCVs. These unusual MCVs may provide important clues in the evolutionary path of MCVs from IPs to polars. The completeness simulation indicates that ≥40% of the hard X-ray sources in the LW are periodic. Therefore, this discovery provides a first direct evidence of a large MCV population in the bulge and further supports the current view that MCVs constitute the majority of low-luminosity hard X-ray sources (~ 1030-33 erg s-1) in the bulge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

KU Cyg is an eclipsing binary consisting of an F-type star accreting through a large accretion disk from a K5III red giant. Here we present the discovery of a 5 year dip around 1900 found from its 100 year DASCH light curve. It showed a ~0.5 mag slow fading from 1899 to 1903 and brightened back around 1904 on a relatively shorter timescale. The light curve shape of the 1899-1904 fading-brightening event differs from the dust production and dispersion process observed in R Coronae Borealis stars, which usually has a faster fading and slower recovery, and for KU Cyg is probably related to the accretion disk surrounding the F star. The slow fading in KU Cyg is probably caused by increases in dust extinction in the disk, and the subsequent quick brightening may be due to the evaporation of dust transported inward through the disk. The extinction excess which caused the fading may arise from increased mass transfer rate in the system or from dust clump ejections from the K giant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During hard X-ray observations of the Norma spiral arm region by the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) in 2013 February, a new transient source, NuSTAR J163433-4738.7, was detected at a significance level of 8σ in the 3-10 keV bandpass. The source is consistent with having a constant NuSTAR count rate over a period of 40 ks and is also detected simultaneously by Swift at lower significance. The source is not significantly detected by NuSTAR, Swift, or Chandra in the days before or weeks after the discovery of the transient, indicating that the strong X-ray activity lasted between ∼0.5 and 1.5 days. Near-infrared imaging observations were carried out before and after the X-ray activity, but we are not able to identify the counterpart. The combined NuSTAR and Swift energy spectrum is consistent with a power law with a photon index of (90% confidence errors), a blackbody with kT = 1.2 ± 0.3 keV, or a Bremsstrahlung model with keV. The reduced-χ2 values for the three models are not significantly different, ranging from 1.23 to 1.44 for 8 degrees of freedom. The spectrum is strongly absorbed with cm–2, cm–2, and cm–2, for the power-law, blackbody, and Bremsstrahlung models, respectively. Although the high column density could be due to material local to the source, it is consistent with absorption from interstellar material along the line of sight at a distance of 11 kpc, which would indicate an X-ray luminosity >1034 erg s–1. Although we do not reach a definitive determination of the nature of NuSTAR J163433-4738.7, we suggest that it may be an unusually bright active binary or a magnetar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the results of a joint ChandraHubble Space Telescope study of the X-ray binary (XRB) population in the massive, high-density globular cluster NGC 6388. NGC 6388 has one of the highest predicted XRB production rates of any Galactic cluster. We detected a large population of 61 Chandra sources within the half-mass radius with LX > 5 × 1030 erg s–1. From the X-ray colors, luminosities, (lack of) variability, and spectral fitting, we identify five as likely quiescent low-mass X-ray binaries. Due to the extremely crowded nature of the core of NGC 6388, finding optical identifications to Chandra sources is challenging. We have identified four blue, optically variable counterparts to spectrally hard X-ray sources, evidence that these are bright cataclysmic variables (CVs). One showed variability of 2 mag in V, indicative of a dwarf nova eruption. One other likely CV is identified by its X-ray spectrum (partial covering with high NH) and strong variability, making five likely CVs identified in this cluster. The relatively bright optical magnitudes of these sources put them in the same class as CV1 in M15 and the brightest CVs in 47 Tuc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present photometric and spectroscopic observations of a peculiar variable (designated DASCH J075731.1+201735 or J0757) discovered from our DASCH project using the digitized Harvard College Observatory archival photographic plates. It brightened by about 1.5 mag in B within a year starting in 1942, and then slowly faded back to its pre-outburst brightness from 1943 to 1950s. The mean brightness level was stable before and after the outburst, and ellipsoidal variations with a period of P = 119.18 ± 0.07 days are seen, suggesting that the star is tidally distorted. Radial-velocity measurements indicate that the orbit is nearly circular (e = 0.02 ± 0.01) with a spectroscopic period that is the same as the photometric period. The binary consists of a 1.1 ± 0.3 M☼ M0III star, and a 0.6 ± 0.2 M☼ companion, very likely a white dwarf (WD). Unlike other symbiotic binaries, there is no sign of emission lines or a stellar wind in the spectra. With an outburst timescale of ∼10 years and estimated B-band peak luminosity MB ∼ 0.7, J0757 is different from any other known classic or symbiotic novae. The most probable explanation of the outburst is hydrogen shell burning on the WD, although an accretion-powered flare cannot be ruled out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chandra Multi-wavelength Plane (ChaMPlane) survey aims to constrain the Galactic population of mainly accretion-powered, but also coronal, low-luminosity X-ray sources (LX ≲ 1033 erg s–1). To investigate the X-ray source content in the plane at fluxes FX ≳ 3 × 10–14 erg s–1 cm–2, we study 21 of the brightest ChaMPlane sources, viz., those with >250 net counts (0.3-8 keV). By excluding the heavily obscured central part of the plane, our optical/near-infrared follow-up puts useful constraints on their nature. We have discovered two likely accreting white dwarf binaries. CXOPS J154305.5-522709 (CBS 7) is a cataclysmic variable showing periodic X-ray flux modulations on 1.2 hr and 2.4 hr; given its hard spectrum the system is likely magnetic. We identify CXOPS J175900.8-334548 (CBS 17) with a late-type giant; if the X-rays are indeed accretion powered, it belongs to the small but growing class of symbiotic binaries lacking strong optical nebular emission lines. CXOPS J171340.5-395213 (CBS 14) is an X-ray transient that brightened ≳100 times. We tentatively classify it as a very late type (>M7) dwarf, of which few have been detected in X-rays. The remaining sources are (candidate) active galaxies, normal stars and active binaries, and a plausible young T Tauri star. The derived cumulative number density versus flux (log N-log S) relation for the Galactic sources appears flatter than expected for an isotropic distribution, indicating that we are seeing a non-local sample of mostly coronal sources. Our findings define source templates that we can use, in part, to classify the >104 fainter sources in ChaMPlane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]