Issue |
A&A
Volume 386, Number 2, May I 2002
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 487 - 491 | |
Section | Interstellar and circumstellar matter | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20020224 | |
Published online | 15 May 2002 |
HST observations rule out the association between Cir X-1 and SNR G321.9-0.3*
1
ESO, Karl Schwarzschild Str. 2, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany
2
Istituto di Fisica Cosmica del CNR “G. Occhialini", Via Bassini 15, 20133 Milan, Italy
3
Universitá di Milano Bicocca, Dipartimento di Fisica, Piazza della Scienza 3, 20126 Milano, Italy
4
Service d'Astrophysique / CEA, CE-Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
5
Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio/CONICET. cc5, 1428 Bs As, Argentina
Corresponding author: R. P. Mignani, rmignani@eso.org
Received:
21
December
2001
Accepted:
5
February
2002
Cir X-1 is one of the most intriguing galactic X-ray sources. It
is a ∼16.6 days variable X/radio source, a type-I X-ray burster
and a QPO emitter. In spite of an uncertain optical counterpart
classification, all these properties identify the source as an LMXB.
The morphology of the surrounding radio nebula has suggested an
association with the nearby (25 arcmin) SNR G321.9-0.3,
implying that Cir X-1 is a runaway binary originated from the
supernova explosion
years ago. To investigate this
hypothesis, we carried out a proper motion measurement of the Cir X-1
optical counterpart using a set of HST/WFC and WFPC2
observations taken ~8.6 years apart. We obtained a
upper limit of ≈5 mas yr-1 on the source proper motion.
Since the runaway hypothesis would have implied a proper motion due
North ranging between 15 and 75 mas yr-1, depending on the actual
age of the SNR, our result definitively rules out the association
between Cir X-1 and SNR G321.9-0.3.
Key words: X-ray: binaries / ISM: individual objects: SNR G321.9-0.3 / stars: individual: Cir X-1
© ESO, 2002
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