Apsidal motion and light a curve solution for eighteen SMC eccentric eclipsing binaries

Aims: The Danish 1.54-meter telescope at the La Silla observatory was used for photometric monitoring of selected eccentric eclipsing binaries located in the Small Magellanic Cloud. The new times of minima were derived for these systems, which are needed for accurate determination of the apsidal motion. Moreover, many new times of minima were derived from the photometric databases OGLE and MACHO. Eighteen early-type eccentric-orbit eclipsing binaries were studied. Methods: Their (O-C) diagrams of minima timings were analysed and the parameters of the apsidal motion were obtained. The light curves of these eighteen binaries were analysed using the program PHOEBE, giving the light curve parameters. For several systems the additional third light also was detected. Results: We derived for the first time and significantly improved the relatively short periods of apsidal motion from 19 to 142 years for these systems. The relativistic effects are weak, up to 10% of the total apsidal motion rate. For one system (OGLE-SMC-ECL-0888), the third-body hypothesis was also presented, which agrees with high value of the third light for this system detected during the light curve solution.

HS Hya about to turn off its eclipses

Aims: We aim to perform the first long-term analysis of the system HS Hya. Methods: We performed an analysis of the long-term evolution of the light curves of the detached eclipsing system HS Hya. Collecting all available photometric data since its discovery, the light curves were analyzed with a special focus on the evolution of systems inclination. Results: We find that the system undergoes a rapid change of inclination. Since its discovery until today the systems inclination changed by more than 15 deg. The shape of the light curve changes, and now the eclipses are almost undetectable. The third distant component of the system is causing the precession of the close orbit, and the nodal period is about 631 yr. Conclusions: New precise observations are desperately needed, preferably this year, because the amplitude of variations is decreasing rapidly every year. We know only 10 such systems on the whole sky at present.