2020/02/28 by Luis F. Rodriguez, Luis F. Rodríguez, Sergio A. Dzib +6
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Binary number #Infrared #Orion Nebula #Point (geometry) #Point source #Proper motion #astro-ph.GA #astro-ph.SR
paper · pdf · doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ab7816
14 pages, 7 figures, to appear in The Astrophysical Journal
arxiv created 2020/02/28 · openalex created_date 2020/03/06 · openalex publication_date 2020/03/31 · arxiv updated 2020/04/08 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Abstract The infrared source known as Orion n was detected in 1980. About two decades later, sensitive observations made with the Very Large Array (VLA) revealed the presence of a spatially coincident millijansky double source that appeared to be its radio counterpart. However, over the years it has been concluded that the radio source shows large proper motions to the south while the infrared source n is stationary. Here we reanalyze the proper motions of the radio source adding both older and newer VLA observations than previously used. We confirm the proper motions of the double radio source that at present no longer coincides positionally with the infrared source. We propose that the infrared source is stationary while the radio source is moving as a result of the explosion that took place in this region some 500 yr ago. Considering the paper where it was first reported, we refer to this double radio source as Orion MR. Additionally, we use these new observations to fully confirm the large proper motions of the sources IRc23 and Zapata 11. Together with sources BN, I, Orion MR, and x, there are at least six compact sources that recede from a common point in Orion BN/KL. However, IRc23 is peculiar in that its ejection age appears to be only 300 yr. The relatively large number of sources rules out as a possible mechanism the classic three-body scenario since then only two escaping bodies are expected: a tight binary plus the third star involved in the encounter.