Bauer, Wendy Hagen

Contact Email: pbennett@casa.colorado.edu
Institute: Wellesley College
First Coauthor: Philip D. Bennett
Institute: CASA, Univ. of Colorado
Second Coauthor: Alexander Brown
Institute: CASA, Univ. of Colorado
Subject Area: Stellar Atmospheres, Circumstellar Material
Waveband: Ultraviolet
Technique: Spectroscopy
Presentation: Poster Display
Title: HST/STIS Observations of KQ Puppis Near Periastron
Abstract: KQ Puppis (M1-2 Iab + B) was observed numerous times with IUE near apastron, but the IUE mission ended as the two stars were approaching periastron. The IUE spectra showed a continuum with numerous emission lines longward of 2600 Å and a weak absorption spectrum at shorter wavelengths. As the stars approached periastron, the emission lines broadened, and the absorption strengthened (Rossi et al. 1997, in ''UV Spectroscopy Beyond the Final Archive'', ESA SP 413, 353; Bauer et al. 2000, PASP 112, 31). We observed KQ Pup with STIS on 1999 October 7, near the time of predicted periastron passage. The spectrum closely resembled that of VV Cephei (M2Iab + B?) not long after the hot component emerged from eclipse, but without the neutral lines which disappear during chromospheric eclipse. The emission in KQ Pup has gone from well above the continuum, stronger than that seen in VV Cephei, to having practically disappeared. The absorption spectrum continued to strengthen. KQ Pup was observed in TRANS mode with the FGS1r on the HST on 1999 October 7. These Fine Guidance Sensor interferometric observations were reduced by Laurence H. Wasserman and Otto G. Franz with the Lowell Observatory software package. The binary was not resolved, implying the angular separation of the components was less than 20 mas.