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CLASSIFICATION OF THE ENIGMATIC NANTUCKET VARIABLE

XX SCT

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Jessica Bonjorni

Astronomy Department

Smith College

Northampton, MA 01063

and

Maria Mitchell Observatory

3 Vestal Street

Nantucket, MA 02554

Nikolai Samus

Institute of Astronomy

Russian Academy of Sciences

48, Pyatnitskaya Str.

Moscow 109017

Russia

and

Maria Mitchell Observatory

Presented at the 88th Annual Meeting of the AAVSO, October 29, 1999

Abstract

The irregular variable XX Sct has been ascribed five different variability types since its discovery in 1924, from a Cepheid to a rapid irregular variable. Re-examination of nearly 1200 blue photographic plates of this star at the Maria Mitchell Observatory revealed strong irregular variability of up to 3 magnitudes on different time scales. Several possible periods have been found, none of which are particularly convincing. UBV photometry and a low-resolution optical spectrum are consistent with a reddened A star. We tentatively suggest that XX Sct is one of the class of young, intermediate mass Herbig Ae/Be stars known as UXors.

Link to ADS abstract, article and citation information