Variable Stars in the Quintuplet stellar cluster with the VVV Survey

C. Navarro Molina, J. Borissova, M. Catelan, J. Alonso-García, E. Kerins, R. Kurtev, P. W. Lucas, N. Medina, D. Minniti, I. Dékány

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)
68 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The Quintuplet cluster is one of the most massive star clusters in the Milky Way, situated very close to the Galactic center. We present a new search for variable stars in the vicinity of the cluster, using the five-year database of the Vista Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) ESO Public Survey in the near-infrared. A total of 7586 objects were identified in the zone around $2'$ from the cluster center, using 55 $K_S$-band epochs. Thirty-three stars show $K_S$-band variability, 24 of them being previously undiscovered. Most of the variable stars found are slow/semiregular variables, long-period variables of the Mira type, and OH/IR stars. In addition, a good number of our candidates show variations in a rather short timescale. We also propose four Young Stellar Object (YSO) candidates, which could be cluster members.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1180-1191
Number of pages12
JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume462
Issue number2
Early online date20 Jul 2016
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 21 Oct 2016

Keywords

  • astro-ph.SR
  • astro-ph.GA

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Variable Stars in the Quintuplet stellar cluster with the VVV Survey'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this