Symbiotic stars belong to a group of interacting binaries that display a wide variety of phenomena, including prominent outbursts connected with mass transfer, as well as stellar winds, jets, eclipses, or intrinsic variability of the components. Dozens of new symbiotic stars and candidates have been discovered in recent years. However, there are many objects which are still poorly studied. Some symbiotic candidates suspected in the literature have never been studied spectroscopically. In this contribution, we present the first results of the ongoing campaign focused on symbiotic candidates. In the first paper in the series, we study the nature of ten candidate classical symbiotic stars suspected based on their photometric behaviour, colours or abundance pattern. To confirm or reject the symbiotic nature of the studied candidates, we obtained new spectra and analysed them in detail together with available multi-frequency photometric and spectroscopic observations of the objects. Hen 3-860 and V2204 Oph are genuine symbiotic systems showing typical spectral features of burning symbiotic stars and outbursts in the last 100 years. The first object belongs to the uncommon group of eclipsing symbiotic stars. V1988 Sgr cannot be classified as a genuine burning symbiotic star, but the scenario of an accreting-only symbiotic system cannot be ruled out. Hen 4-204 might be a bona-fide symbiotic star due to its similarity with the known symbiotic binary BD Cam. Six other symbiotic candidates (V562 Lyr, IRAS 19050+0001, EC 19249-7343, V1017 Cyg, PN K1-6, V379 Peg) are either single dwarf or giant stars or non-symbiotic binaries.
Brightening of Hen 3-860, previously classified as an Hα emitter, was detected by the ASAS-SN survey at the end of the year 2016. We have obtained the first spectroscopic observations of the transient and supplemented them with photometric data from the DASCH archive of astronomical plates, ASAS and ASAS-SN surveys. Based on the results of our analysis, we can classify the object as a classical symbiotic star of the infrared type S, consisting of an M2-3 giant with Tg ∼ 3 550 K, a radius Rg ∼ 60 - 75 R⊙, and a luminosity Lg ∼ 540 - 760 L⊙, and a hot and luminous component (Th ∼ 1 − 2 × 105 K and $L_{\rm h}\, \sim 10^3\, \rm L_\odot$). The system experienced at least four outbursts in the last 120 years. In addition to the outbursts, its light curves revealed the presence of eclipses of the hot component and its surrounding (relatively cool) shell, which developed during the outburst and redistributed a fraction of the radiation of the hot component into the optical, by the giant, classifying the object as a representative of a group of eclipsing symbiotic stars. The eclipses allowed us to reveal the orbital period of the system to be 602 days.
V618 Sgr was previously classified as an R CrB-type variable and later as a possible symbiotic star. Our study aims to analyse the nature of this target, which is currently undergoing significant brightening in properties similar to those of known symbiotic novae. We analyse literature information, photometric observations, and 35 new optical spectra. Our findings strongly suggest that V618 Sgr is an eclipsing symbiotic nova currently in outburst. Additionally, since the star has demonstrated at least two similar brightenings in the past, we propose that V618 Sgr could be the first known galactic symbiotic nova observed in repeated outbursts of this type and may host a relatively massive white dwarf.
This paper reports on photometry of dimming events for three Southern R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars. Two of these stars have recently entered a dimming phase (IO Nor and V653 Sco), while the other (GU Sgr) is emerging from a dimming event. Low resolution spectra of one of the targets indicates blueshifted Na i D lines, and hydrogen alpha emission. As the number of known RCBs grows, the need to monitor them and detect dimming events at an early stage increases.
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