Abstract
We report on the identification of a near-infrared counterpart to the massive (>11M·) binary companion of pulsar J1740-3052. An accurate celestial position of PSR J1740-3052 is determined from interferometric radio observations. Adaptive optics corrected near-infrared imaging observations show a counterpart at the interferometric position of the pulsar. The counterpart has Ks = 15.87 ± 0.10 and J - Ks > 0.83. Based on distance and absorption estimates from models of the Galactic electron and dust distributions, these observed magnitudes are consistent with those of a main-sequence star as the binary companion. We argue that this counterpart is the binary companion to PSR J1740-3052 and thus rule out a stellar mass black hole as the pulsar companion.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | L63-L67 |
Journal | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters |
Volume | 412 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2011 |
Keywords
- Astrometry
- Binaries: general
- Infrared: stars
- Pulsars: general
- Pulsars: individual: PSR J1740-3052
- Stars: early-type