The proper motion, parallax, and origin of the isolated neutron star RX J185635-3754

Frederick M. Walter

doi:10.1086/319058

The proper motion, parallax, and origin of the isolated neutron star RX J185635-3754

Frederick M. Walter

Physics and Astronomy

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80 Scopus citations

Abstract

The isolated neutron star RX J185635-3754 is the closest known neutron star to the Sun. Based on Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 observations over a 3 yr baseline, I report its proper motion (332 ± 1 mas yr^-1 at a position angle of 100°.3 ± 0°.1) and parallax (16.5 ± 2.3 mas, 61 pc). This proper motion brings the neutron star from the general vicinity of the Sco-Cen OB association. For an assumed neutron star radial velocity between -55 and -60 km s^-1, the runaway O star ζ Oph, the Upper Sco OB association, and the neutron star come into spatial coincidence between 0.9 × 10⁶ and 1.0 × 10⁶ yr ago. RX J185635-3754 may be the remnant of the original primary of the ζ Oph system. If so, the space velocity suggests that the neutron star received a kick of about 200 km s^-1 at birth.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	433-440
Number of pages	8
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	549
Issue number	1 PART 1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/319058
State	Published - Mar 1 2001

Keywords

Open clusters and associations: individual (Sco-Cen Association)
Stars: individual (RX J185635-3754)
Stars: kinematics
Stars: neutron

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10.1086/319058

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title = "The proper motion, parallax, and origin of the isolated neutron star RX J185635-3754",

abstract = "The isolated neutron star RX J185635-3754 is the closest known neutron star to the Sun. Based on Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 observations over a 3 yr baseline, I report its proper motion (332 ± 1 mas yr-1 at a position angle of 100°.3 ± 0°.1) and parallax (16.5 ± 2.3 mas, 61 pc). This proper motion brings the neutron star from the general vicinity of the Sco-Cen OB association. For an assumed neutron star radial velocity between -55 and -60 km s-1, the runaway O star ζ Oph, the Upper Sco OB association, and the neutron star come into spatial coincidence between 0.9 × 106 and 1.0 × 106 yr ago. RX J185635-3754 may be the remnant of the original primary of the ζ Oph system. If so, the space velocity suggests that the neutron star received a kick of about 200 km s-1 at birth.",

keywords = "Open clusters and associations: individual (Sco-Cen Association), Stars: individual (RX J185635-3754), Stars: kinematics, Stars: neutron",

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T1 - The proper motion, parallax, and origin of the isolated neutron star RX J185635-3754

AU - Walter, Frederick M.

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N2 - The isolated neutron star RX J185635-3754 is the closest known neutron star to the Sun. Based on Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 observations over a 3 yr baseline, I report its proper motion (332 ± 1 mas yr-1 at a position angle of 100°.3 ± 0°.1) and parallax (16.5 ± 2.3 mas, 61 pc). This proper motion brings the neutron star from the general vicinity of the Sco-Cen OB association. For an assumed neutron star radial velocity between -55 and -60 km s-1, the runaway O star ζ Oph, the Upper Sco OB association, and the neutron star come into spatial coincidence between 0.9 × 106 and 1.0 × 106 yr ago. RX J185635-3754 may be the remnant of the original primary of the ζ Oph system. If so, the space velocity suggests that the neutron star received a kick of about 200 km s-1 at birth.

AB - The isolated neutron star RX J185635-3754 is the closest known neutron star to the Sun. Based on Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 observations over a 3 yr baseline, I report its proper motion (332 ± 1 mas yr-1 at a position angle of 100°.3 ± 0°.1) and parallax (16.5 ± 2.3 mas, 61 pc). This proper motion brings the neutron star from the general vicinity of the Sco-Cen OB association. For an assumed neutron star radial velocity between -55 and -60 km s-1, the runaway O star ζ Oph, the Upper Sco OB association, and the neutron star come into spatial coincidence between 0.9 × 106 and 1.0 × 106 yr ago. RX J185635-3754 may be the remnant of the original primary of the ζ Oph system. If so, the space velocity suggests that the neutron star received a kick of about 200 km s-1 at birth.

KW - Open clusters and associations: individual (Sco-Cen Association)

KW - Stars: individual (RX J185635-3754)

KW - Stars: kinematics

KW - Stars: neutron

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0035284916

U2 - 10.1086/319058

DO - 10.1086/319058

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0035284916

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 549

SP - 433

EP - 440

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1 PART 1

ER -

The proper motion, parallax, and origin of the isolated neutron star RX J185635-3754

Abstract

Keywords

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