Speckle interferometry at SOAR in 2015

TL;DR

This paper reports speckle interferometric observations at SOAR in 2015, resolving numerous binary and multiple stars, including first-time resolutions and analysis of complex systems, enhancing understanding of stellar multiplicity.

Contribution

It provides a large dataset of speckle measurements, resolving 27 new pairs and analyzing complex systems, with detailed comments on newly discovered and non-hierarchical configurations.

Findings

Resolved 27 new binary pairs, including inner and outer subsystems.

Discovered and analyzed three non-hierarchical systems likely due to projection effects.

Studied the quadruple system HIP 71510 in detail.

Abstract

The results of speckle interferometric observations at the SOAR telescope in 2015 are given, totalling 1303 measurements of 924 resolved binary and multiple stars and non-resolutions of 260 targets. The separations range from 12 mas to 3.37" (median 0.17"); the maximum measured magnitude difference is 6.7 mag. We resolved 27 pairs for the first time, including 10 as inner or outer subsystems in previously known binaries, e.g. the 50-mas pair in Epsilon Cha. Newly resolved pairs are commented upon. We discuss three apparently non-hierarchical systems discovered in this series, arguing that their unusual configuration results from projection. The resolved quadruple system HIP 71510 is studied as well.