2002/06/28 by Stefan C. Keller, S. Keller, M. S. Bessell +5 · 2 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astronomy #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Balmer series #Emission spectrum #Large Magellanic Cloud #Light curve #Photometry (optics) #Physics #Spectral line #Spectroscopy #Stars #Stellar classification #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #Variable star #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/342548
19 pages, AJ accepted
arxiv created 2002/06/28 · openalex publication_date 2002/09/24 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We present the photometric properties of 1279 blue variable stars within the Large Megallanic Cloud. Photometry is derived from the MACHO database. The light curves of the sample exhibit a variety of quasi-periodic and aperiodic outburst behavior. A characteristic feature of the photometric variation is that the objects are reddest when at maximum outburst. A subset of 102 objects were examined spectroscopically. Within this subset, 91% exhibited Balmer emission in at least one epoch, in some cases with spectacular spectral variability. The variability observed in the sample is consistent with the establishment and maintenance of the Be phenomenon.