We report the discovery of a new Galactic candidate Luminous Blue Variable (cLBV) via detection of an infrared circular nebula and follow-up spectroscopy of its central star. The nebula, MN112, is one of many dozens of circular nebulae detected at $2
4 mu$m in the {it Spitzer Space Telescope} archival data, whose morphology is similar to that of nebulae associated with known (c)LBVs and related evolved massive stars. Specifically, the core-halo morphology of MN112 bears a striking resemblance to the circumstellar nebula associated with the Galactic cLBV GAL 079.29+00.46, which suggests that both nebulae might have a similar origin and that the central star of MN112 is a LBV. The spectroscopy of the central star showed that its spectrum is almost identical to that of the bona fide LBV P Cygni, which also supports the LBV classification of the object. To further constrain the nature of MN112, we searched for signatures of possible high-amplitude ($ga 1$ mag) photometric variability of the central star using archival and newly obtained photometric data covering a 45 year period. We found that the B magnitude of the star was constant ($simeq$ 17.1$pm$0.3 mag) over this period, while in the I band the star brightened by $simeq 0.4$ mag during the last 17 years. Although the non-detection of large photometric variability leads us to use the prefix `candidate in the classification of MN112, we remind that the long-term photometric stability is not unusual for genuine LBVs and that the brightness of P Cygni remains relatively stable during the last three centuries.
We present results of optical spectroscopic observations of the mass donor star in SS 433 with Subaru and Gemini, with an aim to best constrain the mass of the compact object. Subaru/FOCAS observations were performed on October 6-8 and 10, 2007, cove
ring the orbital phase of phi=0.96-0.26. We first calculate cross correlation function of these spectra with that of the reference star HD 9233 in the wavelength range of 4740-4840 Angstrom. This region is selected to avoid strong absorption lines accompanied with contaminating emission components. The same analysis is applied to archive data of Gemini/GMOS taken at phi=0.84-0.30 by Hillwig & Gies (2008). From the Subaru and Gemini CCF results, the amplitude of radial velocity curve of the donor star is determined to be 58.3+/-3.8 km s-1 with a systemic velocity of 59.2+/-2.5 km s-1. Together with the radial velocity curve of the compact object, we derive the mass of the donor star and compact object to be M_O=12.4+/-1.9 M_sun and M_X=4.3+/-0.6 M_sun, respectively. We conclude, however, that these values should be taken as upper limits. From the analysis of the averaged absorption line profiles of strong lines and weak lines observed with Subaru, we find evidence for heating effects from the compact object. Using a simple model, we find that the true radial velocity amplitude of the donor star could be as low as 40+/-5 km s-1 in order to produce the observed absorption-line profiles. Taking into account the heating of the donor star may lower the derived masses to M_O=10.4 +2.3/-1.9 M_sun and M_X=2.5 +0.7/-0.6 M_sun. Our final constraint, 1.9 M_sun< M_X <4.9 M_sun, indicates that the compact object in SS 433 is most likely a low mass black hole, although the possibility of a massive neutron star cannot be firmly excluded.
We present a new luminous star in M33 located in the nuclear region. The star shows strong FeII and [FeII] forest, hydrogen emissions in the spectrum, as well as nebular lines. TiII and SiII lines were detected in absorption, their radial velocity sh
ifted by ~ -30km/s relative to emission lines. The star is variable over seven years with 0.5 mag variations over a year. We studied its spectral energy distribution together with five confirmed Luminous Blue Variables and Var A in M33 using homogeneous data and methods. We found the stars bolometric luminosity to be log(L/Lsun)~6.27, a surface temperature of T~16000K and black body temperatures of two dust components of T~900 and 420K. The new star has properties intermediate between the LBVs and VarA (probable cool hypergiant). In the same time it has a hot photosphere, LBV-like luminosity and an extensive circumstellar material (strong [CaII] lines). In these seven luminous variables in M33 we find the total range of the hot component luminosities is 1.0 dex, but that of the dust componets is 2.0 dex. We conclude that the dust phenomenon in the luminous variables is temporary and variable, and that dust activity may follow strong eruptions.
We present the results of optical panoramic and long-slit spectroscopy of the nebula MF16 associated with the Ultraluminous X-ray Source NGC6946 ULX-1. More than 20 new emission lines are identified in the spectra. Using characteristic line ratios we
find the electron density n_e ~ 600cm^{-3}, electron temperature in the range from ~9000K to ~20 000K (for different diagnostic lines) and the total emitting gas mass M ~ 900 Msolar. We also estimate the interstellar extinction towards the nebula as A_V = 1.m54 somewhat higher than the Galactic absorption. Observed line luminosities and ratios appear to be inconsistent with excitation and ionization by shock waves so we propose the central object responsible for powering the nebula. We estimate the parameters of the ionizing source using photon number estimates and Cloudy modelling. Required EUV luminosity ($sim 10^{40}$ergl) is high even if compared with the X-ray luminosity. We argue that independently of their physical nature ULXs are likely to be bright UV and EUV sources. It is shown that the UV flux expected in the GALEX spectral range (1000-3000Angstroms) is quite reachable for UV photometry. Measuring the luminosities and spectral slopes in the UV range may help to distinguish between the two most popular ULX models.
