SIMBAD references

2009ApJ...692..149A - Astrophys. J., 692, 149-153 (2009/February-2)

On the age of the widest very low mass binary.

ARTIGAU E., LAFRENIERE D., ALBERT L. and DOYON R.

Abstract (from CDS):

We have recently identified the widest very low mass binary (2M0126AB), consisting of an M6.5V and an M8V dwarf with a separation of ∼5100 AU, which is twice as large as that of the second widest known system and an order of magnitude larger than those of all other previously known wide very low mass binaries. If this binary belongs to the field population, its constituents would have masses of ∼0.09 M, at the lower end of the stellar regime. However, in the discovery paper, we pointed out that its proper motion and position in the sky are both consistent with being a member of the young (30 Myr) Tucana/Horologium association, raising the possibility that the binary is a pair of ∼0.02 M brown dwarfs. We obtained optical spectroscopy at the Gemini South Observatory in order to constrain the age of the pair and clarify its nature. The absence of lithium absorption at 671 nm, modest Hα emission, and the strength of the gravity-sensitive Na doublet at 818 nm all point toward an age of at least 200 Myr, ruling out the possibility that the binary is a member of Tucana/Horologium. We further estimate that the binary is younger than 2 Gyr based on its expected lifetime in the galactic disk.

Abstract Copyright:

Journal keyword(s): stars: individual (2MASS J01265549-5022388, 2MASS J01270283-5023211 (read: 2MASS J01270282-5023210)) - stars: low-mass, brown dwarfs

CDS comments: 2MASS J2585+1520 is 2MASS J22585897+1520461.

Simbad objects: 19

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