BY CHARLIE, KATIE, COLLIN, JUSTIN, AND ERIC

FLARES

A new flare star member candidate in the Pleiades Cluster (Moualla et al.)

This Study

• Initially undertaken to find new low-mass stars, brown dwarfs and variable stars

• In the field chosen no previous survey to find brown dwarfs had been done before.

• One new flare star was found, and it was found to lie on the Pleiades ZAMS.

Flare Stars

• First discovered in 1924• Short increase in brightness• V > 13.3 mag.• Proxima Centauri

Methods/Data Used

Light Curve

In order to find the magnitude of the stars, 3 programs were used.• SE • GAIA• MIDAS

Apparent magnitude in R-band:

R = CR + Rinstr – kR * z

Current Interpretation1) Two candidates for flare.

-Both M class

2) Spectral class and optical extinction: consistent with Pleiades Cluster. -AV1 = 0.231±0.024; AV2 = 0.266±0.020; AVP=0.2 mag

3) Flare time: consistent4) Color-magnitude diagram:

consistent5) Proper motion: currently

inconsistent…

Figures from M. Moualla et al. (2011)

Problems

● It has not yet been determined which of the two stars is the flare star

● Only one flare has been observed so far, so the frequency of flares is not yet known

● It is not known whether the observed flare is typical for this star

● The proper motion hasn't been determined for the individual stars

Solutions

• Observations– Which one?– Flare Star?– Typical?– Proper Motion?