Speckle interferometry at the Blanco and SOAR telescopes in 2008 and 2009

TL;DR

This paper reports speckle interferometric measurements of binary and multiple stars taken at Blanco and SOAR telescopes in 2008-2009, resolving 48 new pairs and providing detailed data on measurement precision and detection capabilities.

Contribution

First-time resolution of 48 new binary and multiple star pairs using speckle interferometry at large telescopes with detailed data processing methods.

Findings

Resolved 48 new star pairs, including 21 new sub-systems.

Achieved measurement precision of 0.3 mas in both coordinates.

Detection capability of Δm ~ 4.2 at 0.15 arcseconds separation.

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.