Indian astronomers found a new and unique binary system named PDS 11. this latest discovery is revealing new insights into the nature of its star members. In the recent research scientists classified this system as an old, dusty, wide binary classical T Tauri system which luring is components towards the center.
In the journal of arXiv astronomers mentioned that PDS 11 belongs to a rare class of isolated, high galactic latitude T Tauri star system. Scientists also found low mass nursery stars currently in the phase of evolution. Most of those stars are currently locating at the constellation of Taurus, Orion, and Ophiuchus.
A research team from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai, India, led by Blesson Mathew conducted an observational campaign of PDS 11 between February and March 2016. By using 2-meter long Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) researchers monitored its optical and near-infrared spectra. According to Phys, scientists obtained two different types of spectra named PDS 11A and PDS 11B, from the analysis.
Mathew wrote in his report,“The spectra of both PDS 11A and PDS 11B look very similar due to the presence of Balmer emission lines, from Hα all the way up to H8 (8−2), Cai H & K emission lines and TiO absorption bands, albeit with different line strengths”. HCT observations indicating that both of the stars are accreting each other and showing strong Hα emission.
By using Lithium depletion boundary method researchers estimated that PDS 11 is almost 10 and 15 million years old. PDS 11A and PDS 11B are about 371 to 427 light years away from each other and both of them are almost similar aged which indicate that PDS 11 is a binary star system. Currently, PDS 11A is accreting lacks of hot dust material close to the star which denotes that it could be a transition disk candidate. If the assumption of the researchers become true then it would be the first >10 Myr old binary system with a radially continuous full disk.
