We present preliminary results of the first near-infrared variability study of the Arches cluster, using adaptive optics data from NIRI/Gemini and NACO/VLT. The goal is to discover eclipsing binaries in this young (2.5 +- 0.5 Myr), dense, massive cluster for which we will determine accurate fundamental parameters with subsequent spectroscopy. Given that the Arches cluster contains more than 200 Wolf-Rayet and O-type stars, it provides a rare opportunity to determine parameters for some of the most massive stars in the Galaxy.
@article{arxiv.1009.4907,
title = {Variability of Young Massive Stars in the Arches Cluster},
author = {K. Markakis and A. Z. Bonanos and G. Pietrzynski and L. Macri and K. Z. Stanek},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1009.4907},
year = {2015}
}
Comments
2 pages, to appear in the proceedings of the IAUS 272 on "Active OB stars: structure, evolution, mass loss and critical limits" (Paris, July 19-23, 2010), Cambridge University Press. Editors C. Neiner, G. Wade, G. Meynet and G. Peters