The Central Star Candidate of the Planetary Nebula Sh2-71: Photometric and Spectroscopic Variability

TL;DR

This study analyzes photometric and spectroscopic data of the central star candidate of planetary nebula Sh2-71, revealing complex variability patterns and proposing a Be binary model with a precessing disc.

Contribution

It introduces a new model of the star as a Be binary with a misaligned precessing disc, based on detailed variability analysis.

Findings

Confirmed 68-day brightness cycle with variable reddening.

Detected rapid spectral profile variations unrelated to brightness cycle.

Measured mean radial velocity of approximately 26 km/s.

Abstract

We present the analysis of several newly obtained and archived photometric and spectroscopic datasets of the intriguing and yet poorly understood 13.5-mag central star candidate of the bipolar planetary nebula Sh2-71. Photometric observations confirmed the previously determined quasi-sinusoidal lightcurve with a period of 68 days and also indicated periodic sharp brightness dips, possibly eclipses, with a period of 17.2 days. In addition, the comparison between U and V lightcurves revealed that the 68-day brightness variations are accompanied by a variable reddening effect of $\Delta E(U-V)=0.38$. Spectroscopic datasets demonstrated pronounced variations in spectral profiles of Balmer, helium and singly ionised metal lines and indicated that these variations occur on a time-scale of a few days. The most accurate verification to date revealed that spectral variability is not correlated with the 68-day brightness variations. The mean radial velocity of the observed star was measured to be $\sim$26 km/s with an amplitude of $\pm$40 km/s. The spectral type was determined to be B8V through spectral comparison with synthetic and standard spectra. The newly proposed model for the central star candidate is a Be binary with a misaligned precessing disc.