The Companion to the Central Mira Star of the Protoplanetary Nebula OH 231.8+4.2 | Zendy

C. Sánchez Contreras | Zendy; A. Gil de Paz | Zendy; R. Sahai | Zendy

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The Companion to the Central Mira Star of the Protoplanetary Nebula OH 231.8+4.2

Author(s) -

C. Sánchez Contreras,

A. Gil de Paz,

R. Sahai

Publication year - 2004

Publication title -

the astrophysical journal

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 2.376

H-Index - 489

eISSN - 1538-4357

pISSN - 0004-637X

DOI - 10.1086/424827

Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , astronomy , nebula , balmer series , protoplanetary nebula , stars , spectral line , protoplanetary disk , planetary nebula , emission spectrum

We present deep optical long-slit spectra of the peculiar protoplanetary nebula (PPN) OH 231.8+4.2 obtained with the 6.5 m Baade Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory (Chile). In addition to the molecular absorption bands characteristic of the M9–10 III star inside OH 231.8+4.2 (QX Pup), we identify lines of the Balmer series in absorption, which do not form in the cool atmospheres of late M-type stars. We also confirm the presence of a blue continuum excess with an intensity that is a factor ~30 larger than that expected for an M9–10 III star. Our results indicate the presence of a source hotter than QX Pup illuminating OH 231.8+4.2 that is likely a mainsequence star with spectral type A. We discuss how the formation and nebular evolution of OH 231.8+4.2 could have been affected by the presence of a binary system in its core

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