The Binary Central Star of Hf 38

TL;DR

This paper reports the identification of a binary central star in planetary nebula Hf 38 using VPHAS+ survey data, revealing an M0V companion and contributing to understanding binarity's role in nebula formation.

Contribution

It presents the first analysis of the central star of Hf 38, demonstrating the detection of a binary companion through photometric excess.

Findings

Central star of Hf 38 has an M0V companion.

Detected a 0.465±0.334 magnitude excess in the i band.

Supports the significance of binarity in planetary nebula shaping.

Abstract

Despite years of effort, the impact of central star binarity on planetary nebula formation and shaping remains unclear. This is hampered by the fact that detecting central star binarity is inherently difficult, and requires very precise observations. The fraction of planetary nebulae with binary central stars therefore remains elusive. This work presents initial results of central star analysis using data from the VST H$\alpha$ Survey of the Southern Galactic Plane and Bulge (VPHAS+). The true central star of PN Hf 38 has been revealed, and it exhibits a 0.465$\pm$0.334 $i$ band magnitude excess, indicative of a M0V companion.