Context. It is now clear that binarity plays a crucial role in many aspects of planetary nebulae (PNe), particularly the striking morphologies that they show. To date, there are ∼ 60 bCSPNe known. However, both theory and observation indicates that this represents only the tip of the iceberg, with the Galactic PN population hosting orders of magnitude more. Aims. We are involved in a search for new bCSPNe to enhance the statistical validation of the key role of binarity in the formation and shaping of PNe. New discoveries of bCSPNe and their characterization have important implications not only in understanding PN evolution but also in understanding binary evolution and the poorly-understood common-envelope phase. Methods. We used data from the TESS satellite to search for variability in the eight CSPNe that belong to the two-minute cadence preselected targets in Cycle 1, which have available pipeline-extracted light curves. We identified strong periodicities and analysed them in the context of the binary scenario. Results. All the CSPNe but one (Abell 15) show clear signs of periodic variability in TESS. The cause of this variability can be attributed to different effects, some of them requiring the presence of a companion star. We find simple sinusoidal modulations in several of the systems, compatible to irradiation effects. In addition, two of the central stars (PG 1034+001 and NGC 5189) also show photometric variations due to ellipsoidal variations and other signs of variability probably caused by star spots and/or relativistic Doppler-beaming. Especially interesting is the case of the well-studied Helix Nebula, in which we constructed a series of binary models to explain the modulations we see in the light curve. We find that the variability constrains the possible companion to be very low-mass main-sequence star or sub-stellar object. We also identify with a great detail the individual pulsation frequencies of NGC 246.
The importance of long-period binaries for the formation and evolution of planetary nebulae is still rather poorly understood, which in part is due to the lack of central star systems that are known to comprise such long-period binaries. Here, we report on the latest results from the on-going Mercator-HERMES survey for variability in the central stars of planetary nebulae. We present a study of the central stars of NGC 1514, BD+30• 623, the spectrum of which shows features associated with a hot nebular progenitor as well as a possible A-type companion. Cross-correlation of high-resolution HERMES spectra against synthetic spectra shows the system to be a highly eccentric (e ∼ 0.5) double-lined binary with a period of ∼3300 days. Previous studies indicated that the cool component might be a horizontal branch star of mass ∼0.55 M , but the observed radial velocity amplitudes rule out such a low mass. If we assume that the nebular symmetry axis and binary orbital plane are perpendicular, then the data are more consistent with a post-main-sequence star ascending towards the giant branch. We also present the continued monitoring of the central star of LoTr 5, HD 112313, which has now completed one full cycle, allowing the orbital period (P∼2700 days) and eccentricity (e ∼ 0.3) to be derived. To date, the orbital periods of BD+30• 623 and HD 112313 are the longest to have been measured spectroscopically in the central stars of planetary nebulae. Furthermore, these systems, along with BD+33• 2642, comprise the only spectroscopic wide-binary central stars currently known.
We present narrow-band Hα and [O iii] images, and high-resolution, long-slit spectra of the planetary nebulae (PNe) Abell 36, DeHt 2, and RWT 152 aimed at studying their morphology and internal kinematics. These data are complemented with intermediate-resolution, long-slit spectra to describe the spectral properties of the central stars and nebulae. The morphokinematical analysis shows that Abell 36 consists of an inner spheroid and two bright pointsymmetric arcs; DeHt 2 is elliptical with protruding polar regions and a bright non-equatorial ring; and RWT 152 is bipolar. The formation of Abell 36 and DeHt 2 requires several ejection events including collimated bipolar outflows that probably are younger than and have disrupted the main shell. The nebular spectra of the three PNe show a high excitation and also suggest a possible deficiency in heavy elements in DeHt 2 and RWT 152. The spectra of the central stars strongly suggest an sdO nature and their association with PNe points out that they have most probably evolved through the asymptotic giant branch. We analyze general properties of the few known sdOs associated to PNe and find that most of them are relatively or very evolved PNe, show complex morphologies, host binary central stars, and are located at relatively high Galactic latitudes.
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