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Periodic Photometric Variability in the Becklin-Neugebauer Object

Lynne A. Hillenbrand·John M. Carpenter·M. F. Skrutskie
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Abstract

The Becklin-Neugebauer (BN) object in the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC) is a well-studied optically invisible, infrared-bright young stellar object, thought to be an intermediate-mass protostar. We report here that BN exhibited nearly-sinusoidal periodic variability at the near-infrared H- and Ks-bands during a one month observing campaign in 2000 March/April. The period was 8.28 days and the peak-to-peak amplitude ~0.2 mag. Plausible mechanisms for producing the observed variability characteristics are explored.

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Lynne A. Hillenbrand, John M. Carpenter, M. F. Skrutskie. 2000-10-24. Periodic Photometric Variability in the Becklin-Neugebauer Object. https://doi.org/10.1086/318884

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