Lucky spectroscopy, an equivalent technique to Lucky Imaging: II. Spatially-resolved intermediate-resolution blue-violet spectroscopy of 19 close massive binaries using the William Herschel Telescope

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the application of lucky spectroscopy to spatially resolve and analyze the spectra of close massive binary stars, revealing new stellar identities, binarity, and rotational properties with improved techniques and extended capabilities.

Contribution

It introduces and applies lucky spectroscopy to spatially disentangle spectra of close massive binaries, including cases with extreme magnitude differences and fainter stars, expanding the method's applicability.

Findings

First spatially resolved spectra of two O stars with bright companions.

Identification of fast rotators among B stars with close companions.

Discovery of new bright O stars and a rare OC star.

Abstract

CONTEXT. Many massive stars have nearby companions whose presence hamper their characterization through spectroscopy. AIMS. We want to continue obtaining spatially resolved spectroscopy of close massive visual binaries to derive their spectral types. METHODS. We have used lucky spectroscopy to obtain many short long-slit spectroscopic exposures of 19 close visual binaries under good seeing conditions. We selected those with the best characteristics, extracted the spectra using multiple-profile fitting, and combined the results to derive spatially separated spectra. The results are analyzed in combination with data from lucky imaging, regular intermediate-resolution single-order spectroscopy, and \'echelle high-resolution spectroscopy. RESULTS. The new application of lucky spectroscopy has allowed us to [a] spatially disentangle for the first time two O stars (FN CMa B and 6 Cas B) with brighter BA supergiant companions; [b] determine that two B stars (alpha Sco B and HD 164492 B) with close and more massive companions are fast rotators; [c] extend the technique to cases with extreme magnitude differences, shorter separations, and fainter primary magnitudes down to B=11; [d] spatially disentangle the spectra of stars with companions as diverse as an A supergiant (6 Cas A), a WR star (WR 157), and an M supergiant (alpha Sco A); [e] discover the unexpected identity of some targets such as two previously unknown bright O stars (HD 51756 B and BD +60 544) and a new member of the rare OC category (HD 8768 A); and [f] identify and classify which of the components of four visual binaries is a double-lined spectroscopic binary and for another seven systems detect signs of spectroscopic binarity using high-spectral-resolution spectroscopy. We also present a determination of the limits of the technique. [ABRIDGED]