[en] Context. Only a few stars are caught in the very brief and often crucial stages when they quickly traverse the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, and none has yet been spatially resolved in the mass transfer phase. Aims: We initiated long-term optical interferometry monitoring of the diameters of massive and unstable yellow hypergiants (YHG) with the goal of detecting both the long-term evolution of their radius and shorter term formation of a possible pseudo-photosphere related to proposed large mass-loss events. Methods: We observed HR 5171 A with AMBER/VLTI. We also examined archival photometric data in the visual and near-IR spanning more than 60 years, as well as sparse spectroscopic data. Results: HR 5171 Aexhibits a complex appearance. Our AMBER data reveal a surprisingly large star for a YHG R∗ = 1315 ± 260R⊙ (or ~6.1 AU) at the distance of 3.6 ± 0.5 kpc. The source is surrounded by an extended nebulosity, and these data also show a large level of asymmetry in the brightness distribution of the system, which we attribute to a newly discovered companion star located in front of the primary star. The companion's signature is also detected in the visual photometry, which indicates an orbital period of Porb = 1304 ± 6 d. Modeling the light curve with the NIGHTFALL program provides clear evidence that the system is a contact or possibly over-contact eclipsing binary. A total current system mass of 39^+40_-22 M⊙ and a high mass ratio q ≥ 10 is inferred for the system. Conclusions: The low-mass companion of HR 5171 is very close to the primary star that is embedded within its dense wind. Tight constraints on the inclination and vsini of the primary are lacking, which prevents us from determining its influence precisely on the mass-loss phenomenon, but the system is probably experiencing a wind Roche-Lobe overflow. Depending on the amount of angular momentum that can be transferred to the stellar envelope, HR 5171 A may become a fast-rotating B[e]/luminous blue variable/Wolf-Rayet star. In any case, HR 5171 A highlights the possible importance of binaries for interpreting the unstable YHGs and for massive star evolution in general.
Research Center/Unit :
LiSRI - Liège Space Research Institute - ULiège
Disciplines :
Space science, astronomy & astrophysics
Author, co-author :
Chesneau, O.; Laboratoire Lagrange, UMR7293, Univ. Nice Sophia-Antipolis, CNRS, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, 06300, Nice, France
Meilland, A.; Laboratoire Lagrange, UMR7293, Univ. Nice Sophia-Antipolis, CNRS, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, 06300, Nice, France
Chapellier, E.; Laboratoire Lagrange, UMR7293, Univ. Nice Sophia-Antipolis, CNRS, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, 06300, Nice, France
Millour, F.; Laboratoire Lagrange, UMR7293, Univ. Nice Sophia-Antipolis, CNRS, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, 06300, Nice, France
van Genderen, A. M.; Leiden Observatory, Leiden University Postbus 9513, 2300RA, Leiden, The Netherlands
Nazé, Yaël ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GAPHE : Astrophysique observationnelle (sol et espace)
Smith, N.; Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
Spang, A.; Laboratoire Lagrange, UMR7293, Univ. Nice Sophia-Antipolis, CNRS, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, 06300, Nice, France
Smoker, J. V.; European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Cordova 3107, Casilla 19001, Vitacura, Santiago 19, Chile
Dessart, Luc; Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, LAM (Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille) UMR 7326, 13388, Marseille, France
Kanaan, S.; Departamento de Física y Astronomá, Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile
Bendjoya, Ph; Laboratoire Lagrange, UMR7293, Univ. Nice Sophia-Antipolis, CNRS, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, 06300, Nice, France
Feast, M. W.; South African Astronomical Observatory, PO Box 9, 7935, Observatory, South Africa ; Astronomy, Cosmology and Gravitation Centre, Astronomy Department, University of Cape Town, 7700, Rondebosch, South Africa
Groh, J. H.; Geneva Observatory, Geneva University, Chemin des Maillettes 51, 1290, Sauverny, Switzerland
Lobel, A.; Royal Observatory of Belgium, Ringlaan 3, 1180, Brussels, Belgium
Nardetto, N.; Laboratoire Lagrange, UMR7293, Univ. Nice Sophia-Antipolis, CNRS, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, 06300, Nice, France
Otero, S.; American Association of Variable Star Observers, 49 Bay State Road, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
Oudmaijer, R. D.; School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
Tekola, A. G.; South African Astronomical Observatory, PO Box 9, 7935, Observatory, South Africa ; Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, Goleta, CA, 93117, USA
Whitelock, P. A.; South African Astronomical Observatory, PO Box 9, 7935, Observatory, South Africa ; Astronomy, Cosmology and Gravitation Centre, Astronomy Department, University of Cape Town, 7700, Rondebosch, South Africa
Arcos, C.; Departamento de Física y Astronomá, Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile
Curé, M.; Departamento de Física y Astronomá, Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile
Vanzi, L.; Department of Electrical Engineering and Center of Astro Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna, 4860, Santiago, Chile)
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