TMTS J0526+5934

TMTS J0526+5934

Location of TMTS J0526+5934
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Camelopardalis[1]
Right ascension 05h 26m 10.42s[2]
Declination +59° 34′ 45.3″[2]
Apparent magnitude (V) 17.76[3]
Characteristics
White dwarf
Evolutionary stage White dwarf[4]
Subdwarf
Evolutionary stage subdwarf[4]
Spectral type sdB[4]
Astrometry
Proper motion (μ) RA: +1.418[2] mas/yr
Dec.: +0.781[2] mas/yr
Parallax (π)1.1826±0.0217 mas[2]
Distance2,760 ± 50 ly
(850 ± 20 pc)
Orbit[4]
Period (P)20.5062426(53) min
Semi-major axis (a)0.255 R
Eccentricity (e)0 (assumed)
Inclination (i)68.2+3.7
−5.2
°
Details[4]
A
Radius0.011 R
B
Mass~0.33 M
Radius0.0661±0.0054 R
Luminosity1.70+0.31
−0.24
 L
Surface gravity (log g)6.36 cgs
Temperature25,480 K
Other designations
TMTS J052610.43+593445.1, ZTF J0526+5934[5]
Database references
SIMBADdata

TMTS J0526+5934 (abbreviated from TMTS J052610.43+593445.1 or ZTF J0526+5934) is an ultracompact binary star system located approximately 2,760 light-years away in the constellation Camelopardalis. It was initially identified in 2019 by the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) as an extremely low-mass (ELM) white dwarf candidate, with further observations refining its classification.[6]

Discovery

Discovered by ZTF, it was further studied by the Tsinghua University–Ma Huateng Telescopes for Survey (TMTS), leading to its TMTS designation.[7][8][9]

Characteristics

It consists of a hot subdwarf B (sdB) star (J0526B) and a carbon-oxygen white dwarf (CO WD) companion (J0526A), forming a detached double white dwarf (DWD) binary, the fifth object with ultra-short period.[6] It holds the record for the shortest known orbital period of a detached single-degenerate binary at 20.5062426±0.0000053 min.[4][10][7] The subdwarf B star has a estimated radius of 0.0661±0.0054 R, representing possibly the smallest non-degenerate star known.[4]

Evolution and Future

TMTS J0526+5934 is expected to merge due to gravitational wave emission in about 1.8–3 million years. The merger could result in a massive white dwarf of roughly solar mass, a helium-rich star, or potentially a Type Ia supernova. Its strong gravitational wave signal makes it a promising verification binary for the ESA's Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission.[11][7][6]

See also

References

  1. ^ Roman, Nancy G. (1987). "Identification of a constellation from a position". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 99 (617): 695. Bibcode:1987PASP...99..695R. doi:10.1086/132034. Constellation record for this object at VizieR.
  2. ^ a b c d e Vallenari, A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (2023). "Gaia Data Release 3. Summary of the content and survey properties". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 674: A1. arXiv:2208.00211. Bibcode:2023A&A...674A...1G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202243940. S2CID 244398875. Gaia DR3 record for this source at VizieR.
  3. ^ Lasker, Barry M.; Lattanzi, Mario G.; McLean, Brian J.; Bucciarelli, Beatrice; Drimmel, Ronald; Garcia, Jorge; Greene, Gretchen; Guglielmetti, Fabrizia; Hanley, Christopher; Hawkins, George; Laidler, Victoria G.; Loomis, Charles; Meakes, Michael; Mignani, Roberto; Morbidelli, Roberto; Morrison, Jane; Pannunzio, Renato; Rosenberg, Amy; Sarasso, Maria; Smart, Richard L.; Spagna, Alessandro; Sturch, Conrad R.; Volpicelli, Antonio; White, Richard L.; Wolfe, David; Zacchei, Andrea (2008). "The Second-Generation Guide Star Catalog: Description and Properties". The Astronomical Journal. 136 (2): 735. arXiv:0807.2522. Bibcode:2008AJ....136..735L. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/136/2/735.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Lin, Jie; Wu, Chengyuan; Xiong, Heran; Wang, Xiaofeng; Nemeth, Peter; Han, Zhanwen; Li, Jiangdan; Elias-Rosa, Nancy; Salmaso, Irene (2024-02-10). "A seven-Earth-radius helium-burning star inside a 20.5-min detached binary". Nature Astronomy. 8 (4): 491–503. arXiv:2312.13612. Bibcode:2024NatAs...8..491L. doi:10.1038/s41550-023-02188-2.
  5. ^ "ZTF J0526+5934". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Nowakowski, Tomasz. "J0526+5934 is an ultra-short period double white dwarf, observations show". phys.org. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
  7. ^ a b c Rebassa-Mansergas, Alberto; Hollands, Mark; Parsons, Steven G.; Althaus, Leandro G.; Pelisoli, Ingrid; Irawati, Puji; Raddi, Roberto; Camisassa, Maria E.; Torres, Santiago (2024-06-01). "J0526+5934: A peculiar ultra-short-period double white dwarf". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 686: A221. arXiv:2402.04443. Bibcode:2024A&A...686A.221R. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202449519. ISSN 0004-6361.
  8. ^ Zeist, Wouter G. J. van; Roestel, Jan van; Nelemans, Gijs; Eldridge, Jan J.; Korol, Valeriya; Toonen, Silvia (2025-07-01). "Comparing population synthesis models of compact double white dwarfs to electromagnetic observations". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 699: A172. arXiv:2505.20953. Bibcode:2025A&A...699A.172V. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202554302. ISSN 0004-6361.
  9. ^ Lin, Jie; Wang, Tinggui; Cai, Minxuan; Wan, Zhen; Li, Xuzhi; Fan, Lulu; Zhu, Qingfeng; Jiang, Ji-an; Jiang, Ning; Kong, Xu; Lin, Zheyu; Zhu, Jiazheng; Liu, Zhengyan; Gao, Jie; Li, Bin (2025-05-01). "Minute-cadence Observations of the Galactic Plane with the Wide Field Survey Telescope (WFST): Overview, Methodology, and Early Results". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 278 (1): 29. arXiv:2412.12601. Bibcode:2025ApJS..278...29L. doi:10.3847/1538-4365/adc0fc. ISSN 0067-0049.
  10. ^ "For this dead star, 72 years is a single Earth day". Space.Com. 19 February 2024. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  11. ^ Kosakowski, Alekzander; Kupfer, Thomas; Bergeron, P.; Littenberg, Tyson B. (2023-12-01). "Electromagnetic Characterization of the LISA Verification Binary ZTF J0526+5934". The Astrophysical Journal. 959 (2): 114. arXiv:2307.00645. Bibcode:2023ApJ...959..114K. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ad0ce9. ISSN 0004-637X.