Richard O. Gray

Toward Understanding the B[e] Phenomenon. II. New Galactic FS CMa Stars*

FS CMa stars form a group of objects with the B[e] phenomenon that were previously known as unclassified B[e] stars or B[e] stars with warm dust (B[e]WD) until recently. They exhibit strong emission-line spectra and strong IR excesses, most likely due to recently formed circumstellar dust. These properties have been suggested to be due to ongoing or recent rapid mass exchange in binary systems with hot primaries and various types of secondaries. The first paper of this series reported an analysis of the available information about previously known Galactic objects with the B[e] phenomenon, the initial selection of the FS CMa group objects, and a qualitative explanation of their properties. This paper reports the results of our new search for more FS CMa objects in the IRAS Point Source Catalog. We present new photometric criteria for identifying FS CMa stars as well as the first results of our observations of nine new FS CMa group members. With this addition, the FS CMa group has now 40 members, becoming

Toward Understanding the B[e] Phenomenon. III. Properties of the Optical Counterpart of IRAS?00470+6429

FS?CMa type stars are a group of Galactic objects with the B[e] phenomenon. They exhibit strong emission-line spectra and infrared excesses, which are most likely due to recently formed circumstellar dust. The group content and identification criteria were described in the first two papers of the series. In this paper we report our spectroscopic and photometric observations of the optical counterpart of IRAS?00470+6429 obtained in 2003-2008. The optical spectrum is dominated by emission lines, most of which have P?Cyg type profiles. We detected significant brightness variations, which may include a regular component, and variable spectral line profiles in both shape and position. The presence of a weak Li I 6708?? line in the spectrum suggests that the object is most likely a binary system with a B2-B3 spectral-type primary companion of a luminosity log L/L ? = 3.9 ? 0.3 and a late-type secondary companion. We estimate a distance toward the object to be 2.0 ? 0.3 kpc from the Sun.

The pre-main-sequence star IP Persei

We present the results of high- and low-resolution spectroscopic and broadband multicolour photometric observations of the emission-line A-type star IP Per. Significant variations of the Balmer line profiles and near-IR brightness are detected.

DIVISION XII / COMMISSION 46 / PROGRAM GROUP WORLD-WIDE DEVELOPMENT OF ASTRONOMY

The Program Group for the World-wide Development of Astronomy (PG-WWDA) is one of nine Commission 46 program groups engaged with various aspects of astronomical education or development of astronomy education and research in the developing world. In the case of PG-WWDA, its goals are to promote astronomy education and research in the developing world through a variety of activities, including visiting astronomers in developing countries and interacting with them by way of giving encouragement and support.