Variable stars in the Quintuplet stellar cluster with the VVV survey

Claudio Navarro Molina, J. Borissova, M. Catelan, J. Alonso-García, E. Kerins, R. Kurtev, P. W. Lucas, N. Medina, D. Minniti, I. Dékány

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The Quintuplet cluster is one of the most massive star clusters in the MilkyWay, situated very close to the Galactic Centre. We present a new search for variable stars in the vicinity of the cluster, using the five-year data base of theVistaVariables in theVia Lactea (VVV) ESO Public Survey in the near-infrared. A total of 7586 objects were identified in the zone around 2 arcmin from the cluster centre, using 55 KS-band epochs. 33 stars show KS-band variability, 24 of them being previously undiscovered. Most of the variable stars found are slow/semiregular variables, long-period variables of the Mira type, and OH/IR stars. In addition, a good number of our candidates show variations in a rather short time-scale. We also propose four young stellar object candidates, which could be cluster members.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1180-1191
Number of pages12
JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume462
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 21 Oct 2016

Keywords

  • Open clusters and associations: individual: Quintuplet
  • Stars: pre-main-sequence
  • Stars: variables: general

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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