FO Aquarii

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FO Aquarii
FOAqrLightCurve.png
The visual band light curve of FO Aquarii. The main plot shows the dimming which occurred in 2016, and the inset plot shows the short-term variation that occurs during an orbital period. Adapted from Littlefield et al. (2016) [1]
Observation data
Epoch J2000       Equinox J2000
Constellation Aquarius
Right ascension 22h 17m 55.38s [2]
Declination −08° 21 04.6 [2]
Apparent magnitude  (V)12.7 [3]
Characteristics
Apparent magnitude  (B)13.70 [2]
Apparent magnitude  (R)13.60 [2]
Apparent magnitude  (J)12.87 [2]
Apparent magnitude  (H)12.75 [2]
Apparent magnitude  (K)12.51 [2]
Variable type DQ [4]
Orbit
Period (P)4.85 hr [5]
Other designations
2E 4588, 1RXS J221753.9-082115, CS 22886-0021, H 2215-086
Database references
SIMBAD data
Data sources:
Hipparcos Catalogue,
CCDM (2002),
Bright Star Catalogue (5th rev. ed.)

FO Aquarii is an intermediate polar [4] star system in the constellation Aquarius. The white dwarf and companion star orbit each other with a period of approximately 4.85 hours. [5] The system is famous for a very strong optical pulsation which occurs every 20.9 minutes, corresponding with the rotational period of the accreting white dwarf. [6] Prior to 2016, the system's long-term optical brightness varied between apparent magnitude 12.7 and 14.2, [7] but in early 2016, it faded to magnitude 15.8 and thereafter began a slow recovery to its normal brightness, behavior which is indicative of a temporary dropoff in the mass-transfer rate between the two stars. [8]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1 Aquarii</span> Binary star in the constellation Aquarius

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">108 Aquarii</span> Star in the constellation Aquarius

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">R Aquarii</span> Star in the constellation of Aquarius

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References

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  7. VSX; Otero, S. A. (24 May 2011). "FO Aquarii". AAVSO Website. American Association of Variable Star Observers . Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  8. Littlefield, Colin; Garnavich, Peter; Kennedy, Mark R.; Aadland, Erin; Terndrup, Donald M.; Calhoun, Grace V.; Callanan, Paul; Abe, Lyu; Bendjoya, Philippe (2016-01-01). "Return of the King: Time-series Photometry of FO Aquarii's Initial Recovery from its Unprecedented 2016 Low State". The Astrophysical Journal. 833 (1): 93. arXiv: 1609.01026 . Bibcode:2016ApJ...833...93L. doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/833/1/93 . ISSN   0004-637X. S2CID   54662277.