SPECKLE INTERFEROMETRY AT THE BLANCO AND SOAR TELESCOPES IN 2008 AND 2009

TLDR

Typical internal measurement precision is 0.3 mas in both coordinates, with a companion detection capability of Δm ≈ 4.2 at 0.15″ separation. The data were acquired with a new electron‑multiplication CCD camera and processed in detail to estimate magnitude differences, observational errors, detection limits, and to analyze artifacts. The survey yielded 1,898 speckle measurements of 1,189 resolved pairs or subsystems and 394 observations of 285 unresolved targets, including 48 newly resolved pairs—21 of which are new subsystems in close visual multiples—and the authors discuss several newly discovered pairs and objects of special interest.

Abstract

The results of speckle interferometric measurements of binary and multiple stars conducted in 2008 and 2009 at the Blanco and SOAR 4-m telescopes in Chile are presented. A total of 1898 measurements of 1189 resolved pairs or sub-systems and 394 observations of 285 un-resolved targets are listed. We resolved for the first time 48 new pairs, 21 of which are new sub-systems in close visual multiple stars. Typical internal measurement precision is 0.3 mas in both coordinates, typical companion detection capability is $\Delta m \sim 4.2$ at 0\farcs15 separation. These data were obtained with a new electron-multiplication CCD camera; data processing is described in detail, including estimation of magnitude difference, observational errors, detection limits, and analysis of artifacts. We comment on some newly discovered pairs and objects of special interest.