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Related papers: The first transition Wolf-Rayet WN/C star in M31

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We analyse the impact that spatial resolution has on the inferred numbers and types of Wolf-Rayet (WR) and other massive stars in external galaxies. Continuum and line images of the nearby galaxy M33 are increasingly blurred to mimic…

Astrophysics of Galaxies · Physics 2021-03-17 J. L. Pledger , A. J. Sharp , A. E. Sansom

We use ultraviolet space-based (FUSE, HST) and optical/IR ground-based (2.3m MSSSO, NTT) spectroscopy to determine the physical parameters of six WC4-type Wolf-Rayet stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Stellar parameters are revised…

Astrophysics · Physics 2009-11-07 Paul A. Crowther , Luc Dessart , D. John Hillier , Jay B. Abbott , Alex W. Fullerton

The WN3/O3 Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars were discovered as part of our survey for WRs in the Magellanic Clouds. The WN3/O3s show the emission lines of a high-excitation WN star and the absorption lines of a hot O-type star, but our prior work has…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2023-05-03 Philip Massey , Kathryn F. Neugent , Nidia I. Morrell

We present refined color-color selection criteria for identifying Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars using available mid infrared (MIR) photometry from WISE in combination with near infrared (NIR) photometry from 2MASS. Using a sample of spectrally…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2015-06-18 Jacqueline K. Faherty , Michael M. Shara , David Zurek , Graham Kanarek , Anthony F. J. Moffat

We present spectroscopic observations of the central star clusters in NGC 5253 the aim of which is to search for WC stars. Our observations show the presence of Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars not only of WN but also of WC subtype in two star forming…

Astrophysics · Physics 2009-10-30 Daniel Schaerer , Thierry Contini , Daniel Kunth , Georges Meynet

We present optical spectra of 14 emission-line stars in M33s giant HII regions NGC 592, NGC 595 and NGC 604: five of them are known WR stars, for which we present a better quality spectrogram, eight were WR candidates based on narrow-band…

Astrophysics · Physics 2009-11-13 L. Drissen , P. A. Crowther , L. Ubeda , P. Martin

The striking broad emission line spectroscopic appearance of Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars has long defied analysis, due to the extreme physical conditions within their line and continuum forming regions. Recently, model atmosphere studies have…

Astrophysics · Physics 2008-11-26 Paul A Crowther

We report the serendipitous discovery of a heavily reddened Wolf-Rayet star that we name WR142b. While photometrically monitoring a cataclysmic variable, we detected weak variability in a nearby field star. Low-resolution spectroscopy…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2015-06-03 Colin Littlefield , Peter Garnavich , G. H. Howie Marion , Jozsef Vinko , Colin McClelland , Terrence Rettig , J. Craig Wheeler

Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars have a severe impact on their environments owing to their strong ionizing radiation fields and powerful stellar winds. Since these winds are considered to be driven by radiation pressure, it is theoretically expected…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2015-07-16 R. Hainich , D. Pasemann , H. Todt , T. Shenar , A. Sander , W. -R. Hamann

We present the detection of the first candidate colliding-wind binary (CWB) in M33, located in the giant H II region NGC 604. The source was first identified in archival {\it Chandra} imaging as a relatively soft X-ray point source, with…

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena · Physics 2019-07-24 Kristen Garofali , Emily M. Levesque , Philip Massey , Benjamin F. Williams

Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars are helium-burning, evolved massive stars which have had most of their hydrogen-rich outer layers removed either through stellar winds and/or binary stripping. Here we report on LMC173-1, a WN3+O binary located in the…

As part of our ongoing Wolf-Rayet (WR) Magellanic Cloud survey, we have discovered 13 new WRs. However, the most exciting outcome of our survey is not the number of new WRs, but their unique characteristics. Eight of our discoveries appear…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2015-08-11 K. F. Neugent , P. Massey , D. J. Hillier , N. I. Morrell

Previous studies have demonstrated that putatively single nitrogen-type Wolf-Rayet stars (WN stars) without known companions are X-ray sources. However, almost all WN star X-ray detections so far have been of earlier WN2 - WN6 spectral…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2015-06-04 Stephen L. Skinner , Svetozar A. Zhekov , Manuel Guedel , Werner Schmutz , Kimberly R. Sokal

We report the discovery of a relatively faint (V=15.5) early-type WN star in the SMC. The line strength and width of He II lambda 4686 emission is similar to that of the other SMC WNs, and the presense of N V lambda 4603,19 emission…

Astrophysics · Physics 2014-10-13 Philip Massey , K. A. G. Olsen , J. Wm. Parker

We have spectroscopically discovered a pair of twin, nitrogen-type, hydrogen-rich, Wolf-Rayet stars (WN8-9h) that are both surrounded by circular, mid-infrared-bright nebulae detected with the Spitzer Space Telescope and MIPS instrument.…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2015-05-19 Jon Mauerhan , Stefanie Wachter , Pat Morris , Schuyler Van Dyk , D. W. Hoard

Based on $K$-band integral-field spectroscopy, we analyze four Wolf-Rayet stars of the nitrogen sequence (WN) found in the inner part of the Quintuplet cluster. All WN stars (WR102d, WR102i, WR102hb, and WR102ea) are of spectral subtype…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2010-11-29 A. Liermann , W. -R. Hamann , L. M. Oskinova , H. Todt , K. Butler

We report on the serendipitous discovery of the first central star of a planetary nebula (PN) that mimics the helium- and nitrogen-rich WN sequence of massive Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars. The central star of IC 4663 (PN G346.2-08.2) is dominated…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2015-06-04 B. Miszalski , P. A. Crowther , O. De Marco , J. Köppen , A. F. J. Moffat , A. Acker , T. C. Hillwig

We measure transverse proper motion velocities of LMC Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars using Gaia DR3 astrometry. The combined velocity distribution of WNh, O If*/WN, and WNL very massive stars ($>100\ M_\odot$; VMS) shows both slow, unejected objects…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2026-05-19 Caden Burkhardt , Fiona Han , M. S. Oey , Natalia Ivanova , Mathieu Renzo

We have conducted an analysis of nebulae around Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars in M33 using data collected by the imaging Fourier transform spectrometer SITELLE at the Canada-France-Hawaii telescope as part of the SIGNALS Large Program. Of the 211…

A growing number of Galactic Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars, in particular WC and transitional WN/C (WNC) objects, have been reported at comparatively low luminosities. If confirmed, these low-luminosity WR stars provide stringent tests of…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2026-05-05 Siyu Wu , Zhi Li , Yan Li