Precise mass and radius measurements for the components of the bright solar-type eclipsing binary star V1094 Tau

TL;DR

This study provides highly precise mass, radius, and temperature measurements for the components of the bright solar-type eclipsing binary V1094 Tau, testing stellar models and estimating system age and metallicity.

Contribution

It offers new spectroscopic and photometric data to refine stellar parameters and analyze apsidal motion, contributing to the understanding of Sun-like star evolution.

Findings

Masses and radii measured with high precision

Apsidal motion period estimated at 14,500 years

Consistent with 6 Gyr stellar models for solar metallicity

Abstract

V1094 Tau is bright eclipsing binary star with an orbital period close to 9 days containing two stars similar to the Sun. Our aim is to test models of Sun-like stars using precise and accurate mass and radius measurements for both stars in V1094 Tau. We present new spectroscopy of V1094 Tau which we use to estimate the effective temperatures of both stars and to refine their spectroscopic orbits. We also present new, high-quality photometry covering both eclipses of V1094 Tau in the Stroemgren uvby system and in the Johnson V-band. The masses, radii and effective temperatures of the stars in V1094 Tau are found to be M$_A$ = 1.0965 $\pm$ 0.0040 M$_{\odot}$, R$_A$ = 1.4109 $\pm$ 0.0058 R$_{\odot}$, T$_{\rm eff,A}$ = 5850 $\pm$ 100 K, and M$_B$ = 1.0120 $\pm$ 0.0028 M$_{\odot}$, R$_B$ = 1.1063 $\pm$ 0.0066 R$_{\odot}$, T$_{\rm eff,B}$ = 5700 $\pm$ 100 K. An analysis of the times of mid-eclipse and the radial velocity data reveals apsidal motion with a period of 14500 $\pm$ 3700 years. The observed masses, radii and effective temperatures are consistent with stellar models for an age $\approx$ 6 Gyr if the stars are assumed to have a metallicity similar to the Sun. This estimate is in reasonable agreement with our estimate of the metallicity derived using Stroemgren photometry and treating the binary as a single star ([Fe/H] $= -0.09 \pm 0.11$). The rotation velocities of the stars suggest that V1094 Tau is close to the limit at which tidal interactions between the stars force them to rotate pseudo-synchronously with the orbital motion.