Photometric study of contact binary star MW And

TL;DR

This study presents detailed photometric observations and analysis of the contact binary star MW And, revealing its W UMa type classification, period change rate, and suggesting further spectroscopic investigation.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive photometric solution and classification of MW And as a W UMa type contact binary with period variation analysis.

Findings

MW And is a W UMa type eclipsing binary.

The orbital period is 0.26376886 days and is increasing at 0.17 sec/year.

Spectroscopic observations are recommended for further study.

Abstract

The Tarleton Observatory's 0.8m telescope and CCD photometer were used to obtain 1298 observations of the short period eclipsing binary star MW And. The observations were obtained in Johnson's BVR filters. The light curves show that MW And is an eclipsing binary star with a period of 0.26376886 days. Further analysis showed that the period of MW And is changing at the rate of 0.17sec/year. The photometric solutions were obtained using the 2015 version of the Wilson-Devinney model. The solutions show that MW And is an eclipsing binary star of W UMa type. Our analysis suggests that the system has a light curve of W-subtype contact system. Its spectral type of K0/K1, as estimated from its color, places it in the Zero-Age contact zone of the period-spectral diagram. Luminosity from the solutions indicate that it is a double-line spectroscopic system and therefore, spectroscopic observations are recommended for further detail study.