National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

Revealing the Complex Outflow Structure of Binary UY Aurigae

| Science

An international team of astronomers has revealed a complicated outflow structure in the binary UY Aur (Aurigae). The team observed the binary using the Gemini North's NIFS (Near-Infrared Integral Field Spectrometer) with the Altair adaptive optics system. The team found that the primary star has a wide, open outflow, while the secondary star has a well-collimated jet.

Figure
Schematic drawings of the UY Aur binary. Redshifted (right) and blueshifted (left) outflows. The primary star shows wide, open, redshifted and blueshifted outflows as well as a redshifted jet (in solid red), while the secondary star shows a blueshifted jet (in solid blue).

The scientific paper on which this article is based appears in the Astrophysical Journal published on August 1, 2013. (Pyo et al. 2014, “[Fe II] Emissions Associated with the Young Interacting Binary UY Aurigae”, The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 786, 63)

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