A Galactic origin for HE 0437-5439, the hypervelocity star near the Large Magellanic Cloud

Warren R. Brown; Jay Anderson; Oleg Y. Gnedin; Howard E. Bond; Margaret J. Geller; Scott J. Kenyon; Mario Livio

doi:10.1088/2041-8205/719/1/L23

A Galactic origin for HE 0437-5439, the hypervelocity star near the Large Magellanic Cloud

Warren R. Brown, Jay Anderson, Oleg Y. Gnedin, Howard E. Bond, Margaret J. Geller, Scott J. Kenyon, Mario Livio

Astronomy & Astrophysics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

We use Hubble Space Telescope imaging to measure the absolute proper motion of the hypervelocity star (HVS) HE 0437-5439, a short-lived B star located in the direction of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). We observe (μα,μδ) = (+0.53 ± 0.25(stat) ± 0.33(sys), +0.09 ± 0.21(stat) ± 0.48(sys)) mas yr^-1. The velocity vector points directly away from the center of the Milky Way; an origin from the center of the LMC is ruled out at the 3σ level. The flight time of the HVS from the Milky Way exceeds its main-sequence lifetime, thus its stellar nature requires it to be a blue straggler. The large space velocity rules out a Galactic-disk ejection. Combining the HVS's observed trajectory, stellar nature, and required initial velocity, we conclude that HE 0437-5439 was most likely a compact binary ejected by the Milky Way's central black hole.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L23-L27
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	719
Issue number	1 PART 2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/719/1/L23
State	Published - Aug 10 2010

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1088/2041-8205/719/1/L23

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title = "A Galactic origin for HE 0437-5439, the hypervelocity star near the Large Magellanic Cloud",

abstract = "We use Hubble Space Telescope imaging to measure the absolute proper motion of the hypervelocity star (HVS) HE 0437-5439, a short-lived B star located in the direction of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). We observe (μα,μδ) = (+0.53 ± 0.25(stat) ± 0.33(sys), +0.09 ± 0.21(stat) ± 0.48(sys)) mas yr-1. The velocity vector points directly away from the center of the Milky Way; an origin from the center of the LMC is ruled out at the 3σ level. The flight time of the HVS from the Milky Way exceeds its main-sequence lifetime, thus its stellar nature requires it to be a blue straggler. The large space velocity rules out a Galactic-disk ejection. Combining the HVS's observed trajectory, stellar nature, and required initial velocity, we conclude that HE 0437-5439 was most likely a compact binary ejected by the Milky Way's central black hole.",

author = "Brown, {Warren R.} and Jay Anderson and Gnedin, {Oleg Y.} and Bond, {Howard E.} and Geller, {Margaret J.} and Kenyon, {Scott J.} and Mario Livio",

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doi = "10.1088/2041-8205/719/1/L23",

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T1 - A Galactic origin for HE 0437-5439, the hypervelocity star near the Large Magellanic Cloud

AU - Brown, Warren R.

AU - Anderson, Jay

AU - Gnedin, Oleg Y.

AU - Bond, Howard E.

AU - Geller, Margaret J.

AU - Kenyon, Scott J.

AU - Livio, Mario

PY - 2010/8/10

Y1 - 2010/8/10

N2 - We use Hubble Space Telescope imaging to measure the absolute proper motion of the hypervelocity star (HVS) HE 0437-5439, a short-lived B star located in the direction of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). We observe (μα,μδ) = (+0.53 ± 0.25(stat) ± 0.33(sys), +0.09 ± 0.21(stat) ± 0.48(sys)) mas yr-1. The velocity vector points directly away from the center of the Milky Way; an origin from the center of the LMC is ruled out at the 3σ level. The flight time of the HVS from the Milky Way exceeds its main-sequence lifetime, thus its stellar nature requires it to be a blue straggler. The large space velocity rules out a Galactic-disk ejection. Combining the HVS's observed trajectory, stellar nature, and required initial velocity, we conclude that HE 0437-5439 was most likely a compact binary ejected by the Milky Way's central black hole.

AB - We use Hubble Space Telescope imaging to measure the absolute proper motion of the hypervelocity star (HVS) HE 0437-5439, a short-lived B star located in the direction of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). We observe (μα,μδ) = (+0.53 ± 0.25(stat) ± 0.33(sys), +0.09 ± 0.21(stat) ± 0.48(sys)) mas yr-1. The velocity vector points directly away from the center of the Milky Way; an origin from the center of the LMC is ruled out at the 3σ level. The flight time of the HVS from the Milky Way exceeds its main-sequence lifetime, thus its stellar nature requires it to be a blue straggler. The large space velocity rules out a Galactic-disk ejection. Combining the HVS's observed trajectory, stellar nature, and required initial velocity, we conclude that HE 0437-5439 was most likely a compact binary ejected by the Milky Way's central black hole.

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JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

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ER -

A Galactic origin for HE 0437-5439, the hypervelocity star near the Large Magellanic Cloud

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