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Variable star in the constellation Pegasus
LL Pegasi
LL Pegasi is continuously losing gaseous material as it evolves into a planetary nebula.
LL Pegasi (AFGL 3068) is a Mira variable star surrounded by a pinwheel-shaped nebula, IRAS 23166+1655, thought to be a preplanetary nebula. It is a binary system that includes an extreme carbon star. The pair is hidden by the dust cloud ejected from the carbon star and is only visible in infrared light.
Variability
A near-infrared (L- band) light curve for LL Pegasi, plotted from data published by Le Bertre (1992)
LL Pegasi is obscured at visual wavelengths, but is strongly variable in brightness at infrared wavelengths. It is classified as a Mira variable and has a period of about 696 days.
Nebula
The nebula displays an unusual Archimedean spiral shape. The shape is thought to be formed through the interaction between the stellar companion and the carbon star, as has been seen in other binary systems, although not with such a precise geometric form. The distance between the spiral arms and their rate of expansion is consistent with estimates of the pair's 810 year orbital period based on their apparent angular separation.
Gallery
Observed structure surrounding the binary star system.
Hubble Space Telescope image of IRAS 23166+1655, taken in the near-infrared. The bright object to the right is a star much closer to Earth. It was used as a guide star for adaptive optics corrections that allowed the Keck II telescope to resolve the LL Pegasi binary pair.
^ Cutri, Roc M.; Skrutskie, Michael F.; Van Dyk, Schuyler D.; Beichman, Charles A.; Carpenter, John M.; Chester, Thomas; Cambresy, Laurent; Evans, Tracey E.; Fowler, John W.; Gizis, John E.; Howard, Elizabeth V.; Huchra, John P.; Jarrett, Thomas H.; Kopan, Eugene L.; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Light, Robert M.; Marsh, Kenneth A.; McCallon, Howard L.; Schneider, Stephen E.; Stiening, Rae; Sykes, Matthew J.; Weinberg, Martin D.; Wheaton, William A.; Wheelock, Sherry L.; Zacarias, N. (2003). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: 2MASS All-Sky Catalog of Point Sources (Cutri+ 2003)". CDS/ADC Collection of Electronic Catalogues. 2246: II/246. Bibcode:2003yCat.2246....0C.
^ Lombaert, R.; De Vries, B. L.; De Koter, A.; Decin, L.; Min, M.; Smolders, K.; Mutschke, H.; Waters, L. B. F. M. (2012). "Observational evidence for composite grains in an AGB outflow. MgS in the extreme carbon star LL Pegasi". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 544: L18. arXiv:1207.1606. Bibcode:2012A&A...544L..18L. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219782. S2CID119022145.
Groenewegen, M. A. T.; De Jong, T.; Gaballe, T. R. (1994). "The 3 micrometer spectra of candidate carbon stars". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 287: 163. Bibcode:1994A&A...287..163G.
Samus, N. N.; Durlevich, O. V.; et al. (2009). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+ 2007-2013)". VizieR On-line Data Catalog: B/GCVS. Originally Published in: 2009yCat....102025S. 1. Bibcode:2009yCat....102025S.
^ Le Bertre, T. (1992). "Carbon-star lightcurves in the 1-20 micron range". Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series. 94: 377. Bibcode:1992A&AS...94..377L.
Hubble Space Telescope image of IRAS 23166+1655, taken in the near-infrared. The bright object to the right is a star much closer to Earth. It was used as a guide star for adaptive optics corrections that allowed the Keck II telescope to resolve the LL Pegasi binary pair.
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