Parallax, Proper Motion, and Spectral Energy Distribution of an Isolated Old Neutron Star

Details Parallax, Proper Motion, and Spectral Energy Distribution of an Isolated Old Neutron Star Parallax, Proper Motion, and Spectral Energy Distribution of an Isolated Old Neutron Star

Dec 1997

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1997hst..prop.7408w&link_type=abstract

HST Proposal ID #7408

Computer Science

Hst Proposal Id #7408 Hot Stars And Stellar Corpses

Scientific paper

We propose to determine the parallax, proper motion, and spectral energy distribution of a nearby isolated, old neutron star. The target is a bright soft X-ray source in the direction of the R CrA molecular cloud. The X-ray spectrum is that of a kT=57 eV black body; the absorption column places it foreground to the cloud, and closer than 130 pc. Last year we identified the optical counterpart with a blue object at V=25.8 {HST program 6429}. The emitting area of 480 km^2 suggests emission from nearly the entire surface of a neutron star. It is not a pulsar, nor is it in an accreting binary system. As a candidate nearby isolated old neutron star, it affords a unique opportunity to examine a neutron star surface. We obtained the optical ID and baseline position with WFPC2 during cycle 6. With two observations in cycle 7, we will be able to measure the parallax to better than 20% and the transverse space velocity if it exceeds 10 km s^-1. We will measure the broadband spectral energy distribution with 25% accuracy, permitting comparison with a black body and testing of proposed surface cooling mechanisms. By determining the radius of this neutron star to within 25%, we obtain important constraints on the equation of state of the interior.

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