A triple star in disarray

Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 644, pp. A114

Abstract

Aims. T Tauri remains an enigmatic triple star for which neither the evolutionary state of the stars themselves, nor the geometry of the complex outflow system is completely understood. Eight-meter class telescopes equipped with state-of-the-art adaptive optics provide the spatial resolution necessary to trace tangential motion of features over a timescale of a few years, and they help to associate them with the different outflows. Methods. We used J-, H-, and K-band high-contrast coronagraphic imaging with VLT-SPHERE recorded between 2016 and 2018 to map reflection nebulosities and obtain high precision near-infrared (NIR) photometry of the triple star. We also present H2 emission maps of the ν = 1-0 S(1) line at 2.122 μm obtained with LBT-LUCI during its commissioning period at the end of 2016. Results. The data reveal a number of new features in the system, some of which are seen in reflected light and some are seen in H2 emission; furthermore, they can all be associated with the main outflows. The tangential motion of the features provides compelling evidence that T Tauri Sb drives the southeast–northwest outflow. T Tauri Sb has recently faded probably because of increased extinction as it passes through the southern circumbinary disk. While Sb is approaching periastron, T Tauri Sa instead has brightened and is detected in all our J-band imagery for the first time.

Authors 27

1. Markus E. Kasper

   Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · European Southern Observatory · Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble · Université Grenoble Alpes

   Affiliation as printed

   European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, 85748 Garching, Germany

   Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IPAG, 38000 Grenoble, France

2. Tom M. Herbst

   Max Planck Institute for Astronomy

   Affiliation as printed

   Max-Planck-Institute for Astronomy (MPIA), Königstuhl 17, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany

3. Roy van Boekel

   Max Planck Institute for Astronomy

   Affiliation as printed

   Max-Planck-Institute for Astronomy (MPIA), Königstuhl 17, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany

4. F. Ménard

   Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble · Université Grenoble Alpes

   Affiliation as printed

   Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IPAG, 38000 Grenoble, France

5. R. Gratton

   Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova · National Institute for Astrophysics

   Affiliation as printed

   INAF–Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell’Osservatorio 5, 35122 Padova, Italy

   INAF–Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell'Osservatorio 5, 35122 Padova, Italy

6. R. G. van Holstein Aachen Leiden Observatory

   Leiden University · European Southern Observatory · Leiden Observatory

   Affiliation as printed

   European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Cordova 3107, Vitacura, Casilla 19001, Santiago, Chile

   Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, PO Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands

7. M. Langlois

   Lyon 1 Université · École Normale Supérieure de Lyon · Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Université de Lyon · Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon

   Affiliation as printed

   CRAL, CNRS, Université Lyon 1, Université de Lyon, ENS, 9 avenue Charles Andre, 69561 Saint Genis Laval, France

8. C. Ginski Aachen Leiden Observatory

   Leiden University · Leiden Observatory

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, PO Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands

9. Anthony Boccaletti

   Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Université Paris Sciences et Lettres · Observatoire de Paris · Sorbonne Université · Sorbonne Paris Cité · Laboratoire d’études spatiales et d’instrumentation en astrophysique

   Affiliation as printed

   LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Univ. Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 5 place Jules Janssen, 92195 Meudon, France

10. M. Benisty

    Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble · Université Grenoble Alpes

    Affiliation as printed

    Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IPAG, 38000 Grenoble, France

11. J. de Boer Aachen Leiden Observatory

    Leiden University · Leiden Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, PO Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands

12. P. Delorme

    Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Institut de Planétologie et d'Astrophysique de Grenoble · Université Grenoble Alpes

    Affiliation as printed

    Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IPAG, 38000 Grenoble, France

13. S. Desidera

    Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova · National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF–Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell’Osservatorio 5, 35122 Padova, Italy

    INAF–Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell'Osservatorio 5, 35122 Padova, Italy

14. Carsten Dominik
    Affiliation as printed

    Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, Science Park 9, 1098XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands

15. J. Hagelberg

    University of Geneva

    Affiliation as printed

    Geneva Observatory, University of Geneva, Chemin des Mailettes 51, 1290 Versoix, Switzerland

16. Thomas K. Henning

    Max Planck Institute for Astronomy

    Affiliation as printed

    Max-Planck-Institute for Astronomy (MPIA), Königstuhl 17, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany

17. Jochen Heidt

    Heidelberg University

    Affiliation as printed

    Landessternwarte, Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg, Königstuhl 12, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany

18. R. Köhler

    University of Vienna

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Astrophysics, University of Vienna, Türkenschanzstr. 17 (Sternwarte), 1180 Vienna, Austria

19. Dino Mesa

    Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova · National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF–Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell’Osservatorio 5, 35122 Padova, Italy

    INAF–Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Vicolo dell'Osservatorio 5, 35122 Padova, Italy

20. S. Messina

    Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania · National Institute for Astrophysics

    Affiliation as printed

    INAF - Catania Astrophysical Observatory, via S. Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy

21. A. Pavlov

    Max Planck Institute for Astronomy

    Affiliation as printed

    Max-Planck-Institute for Astronomy (MPIA), Königstuhl 17, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany

22. C. Petit

    Université Paris-Saclay · Office National d'Études et de Recherches Aérospatiales · Département Optique et Techniques Associées

    Affiliation as printed

    DOTA, ONERA, Université Paris Saclay, 91123, Palaiseau France

23. Emily L. Rickman

    University of Geneva

    Affiliation as printed

    Geneva Observatory, University of Geneva, Chemin des Mailettes 51, 1290 Versoix, Switzerland

24. Florence Rigal
    Affiliation as printed

    Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, Science Park 9, 1098XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands

25. A. Vigan

    Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Aix-Marseille Université

    Affiliation as printed

    Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, CNES, LAM, Marseille, France

26. Z. Wahhaj

    European Southern Observatory

    Affiliation as printed

    European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Cordova 3107, Vitacura, Casilla 19001, Santiago, Chile

27. A. Zurlo

    Universidad Diego Portales

    Affiliation as printed

    Escuela de Ingeniería Industrial, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Diego Portales, Av. Ejercito 441, Santiago, Chile

    Núcleo de Astronomía, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Diego Portales, Av. Ejercito 441, Santiago, Chile