ZTF J1813+4251 is a binary star system including a star and white dwarf, co-orbiting every 51 minutes, about 3,000 light years away in the constellation of Hercules. It is considered a cataclysmic variable with the white dwarf pulling outer layers of hydrogen from the star onto itself. It has the shortest orbital period of all hydrogen-rich cataclysmic variable stars known. It is predicted that the orbital period will reach a minimum of 18 minutes within 75 million years as the system evolves.[1]

ZTF J1813+4251

Light curves for ZTF J1813+4251 in five photometric bands, adapted from Burdge et al. (2022)[1]
Observation data
Epoch J2016.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Hercules
Right ascension 18h 13m 11.13s[1]
Declination 42° 51′ 50.4″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 18.72[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)461.3[1] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −12.317[3] mas/yr
Dec.: −2.656[3] mas/yr
Parallax (π)1.1975 ± 0.1551 mas[3]
Distanceapprox. 2,700 ly
(approx. 800 pc)
Orbit[1]
Period (P)51.16 min
Semi-major axis (a)0.4 R
Eccentricity (e)0 (fixed)
Inclination (i)78.80°
Semi-amplitude (K2)
(secondary)
461.3 km/s
Details[1]
White Dwarf
Mass0.562±0.015 M
Radius0.01374±0.00023 R
Surface gravity (log g)7.9 cgs
Temperature12600±500 K
Donor
Mass0.1185±0.0067 M
Radius0.1017±0.0019 R
Surface gravity (log g)5.43 cgs
Temperature6000±80 K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)145 km/s
Other designations
ZTF J1813+4251, Gaia DR3 2113285228603943168
Database references
SIMBADdata
An example artistic impression of a cataclysmic variable star binary

It was identified in 2022 by Kevin Burdge of MIT using a computer algorithm that searched over 1,000 images from the Zwicky Transient Facility, identifying stars that had brightness variability periods around one hour.


References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Kevin B. Burdge; Kareem El-Badry; Thomas R. Marsh; Saul Rappaport; Warren R. Brown; Ilaria Caiazzo; Deepto Chakrabarty; V. S. Dhillon; Jim Fuller; Boris T. Gänsicke; Matthew J. Graham; Erin Kara; S. R. Kulkarni; S. P. Littlefair; Przemek Mróz; Pablo Rodríguez-Gil; Jan van Roestel; Robert A. Simcoe; Eric C. Bellm; Andrew J. Drake; Richard G. Dekany; Steven L. Groom; Russ R. Laher; Frank J. Masci; Reed Riddle; Roger M. Smith; Thomas A. Prince (5 October 2022). "A dense 0.1-solar-mass star in a 51-minute-orbital-period eclipsing binary". Nature. 610 (7932): 467–471. arXiv:2210.01809. Bibcode:2022Natur.610..467B. doi:10.1038/S41586-022-05195-X. ISSN 1476-4687. Wikidata Q114815846.
  2. ^ Lasker, Barry M.; et al. (August 2008). "The Second-Generation Guide Star Catalog: Description and Properties". The Astronomical Journal. 136 (2): 735–766. arXiv:0807.2522. Bibcode:2008AJ....136..735L. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/136/2/735. S2CID 17641056.
  3. ^ a b c Vallenari, A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (2023). "Gaia Data Release 3. Summary of the content and survey properties". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 674: A1. arXiv:2208.00211. Bibcode:2023A&A...674A...1G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202243940. S2CID 244398875. Gaia DR3 record for this source at VizieR.
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