Absolute Properties of the Triple Star CF Tauri

TL;DR

This paper presents detailed measurements and modeling of the triple star CF Tauri, including precise stellar properties and evolutionary status, based on new observational data and theoretical models.

Contribution

It provides highly accurate masses, radii, and luminosities for the components of CF Tauri, and confirms the system's age and metallicity through evolutionary modeling.

Findings

Accurate stellar masses and radii with better than 0.9% precision.

Determination of the third component's mass and luminosity.

System age estimated at approximately 4.3 billion years.

Abstract

CF Tau is now known to be an eclipsing triple star with relatively deep total and annular eclipses. New light and radial velocity curves as well as new times of minima were obtained and used for further modeling of the system. Very accurate (better than 0.9%) masses and radii of the eclipsing pair are determined from analysis of the two new light curves, the radial velocity curve, and the times of minimum light. The mass and luminosity of the distant third component is accurately determined as well. Theoretical models of the detached, evolved eclipsing pair match the observed absolute properties of the stars at an age of about 4.3 Gy and [Fe/H] = -0.14.