Abstract

MOST : a powerful tool to reveal the true nature of the mysterious dust-forming Wolf-Rayet binary CV Ser

Alexandre David-Uraz (Université de Montréal)

Anthony F. J. Moffat (Université de Montréal) André-Nicolas Chené (Universidad de Concepcion, Universidad de Valparaiso) MOST collaboration

The WR+O binary CV Ser has been a source of mystery since it was shown that its atmospheric eclipses change with time over decades, in addition to its sporadic dust production. However, the first high-precision time-dependent photometric observations obtained with the MOST space telescope in 2009 show two CONSECUTIVE eclipses over the 29d orbit, with varying depths. A subsequent MOST run in 2010 showed a very asymmetric eclipse profile. In order to help make sense of these observations, parallel optical spectroscopy was obtained from the Mont Megantic Observatory (2009, 2010) and from the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory (2009).