Speaker:  Isaac Lopez (ISU)

NOTE: LOCATION CHANGED TO ROOM 18/19

Title: Follow-up Observations of the Shortest-Period HW Vir Binary

Abstract: Subluminous B-type (sdB) stars are thought to be the stripped helium-fusing cores of giant stars that have lost their hydrogen envelopes via binary interaction with a close-companion, most of which have been found to be red dwarf (dM) and white dwarf stars. HW Vir binaries, a subclass of eclipsing sdB+dM systems, are particularly useful, as the eclipses allow for the masses and radii of the individual stars to be determined. In this talk, I will present follow-up photometry and spectroscopy of ZTF J054217.01+124950.55, a recently discovered HW Vir binary with the shortest known orbital period of 67.2 minutes. I will share preliminary results of light curve and spectral modeling and discuss where this system fits among the other known eclipsing sdB+dM systems.