# The Meinunger “Nicht Rote” Objects

## 1 INTRODUCTION

During a photographic survey for variable stars within the globular cluster M3, Meinunger (1972) also noted the presence of a handful of miscellaneous variables not obviously connected with the cluster. One of these stars, S 10762, now known as CC Boo, proves instead to be a quasi-stellar object (Margon & Deutsch 1997) of $`z=0.172`$. This QSO was also independently discovered as the optical counterpart of a ROSAT X-ray source by Lamer et al. (1997), but they were apparently unaware of its association with the cataloged variable star. Here we discuss observations of four other objects in this sample, each of which proves to be interesting.

CC Boo was one of four variables noted by Meinunger as “nicht rote” (“not red”) stars. As high-latitude slow variables are often red giants, this color curiosity is immediately of interest. Each of the remaining three “nicht rote” objects indeed proves to be something other than an LPV, and each is also extragalactic. The final variable from the M3 field discussed here, AR CVn, proves to be one of the most distant halo stars known.

The variable star literature of course has previous examples of objects which ultimately prove to be extragalactic. The most famous case may be BL Lac (Schmitt 1968). Other well-known examples are discussed, e.g., by Bond (1971, 1973) and Bond & Tifft (1974).

Our observations were made with the 3.5m telescope of the Astrophysical Research Consortium, located on Apache Point, New Mexico. We employed the Double Imaging Spectrograph (DIS), which can function as both a camera and spectrograph, for most of the observations. The spectra have resolution $`\lambda /\mathrm{\Delta }\lambda 400`$.

We have also measured accurate ($`\pm 1^{\prime \prime }`$) positions for the objects, based on the STScI Digitized Sky Survey.<sup>1</sup><sup>1</sup>1The Digitized Sky Surveys were produced at the Space Telescope Science Institute under U. S. Government grant NAGW-2166. These improved positions are important, as those tabulated by Meinunger (1972) prove to have errors as large as $`1{}_{}{}^{}.5`$, and this has probably inhibited previous cross-identifications with objects which we now know to be interesting.

## 2 THE “nicht rote” VARIABLES

### 2.1 S 10763 = CD Boo

S 10763 is tabulated (Meinunger 1972) as exhibiting $`19.0<B<19.7`$. It was subsequently named CD Boo (Kukarkin et al. 1975, Kholopov et al. 1985). The only explicit mention of this object in the literature of which we are aware is that of Jura & Kleinmann (1992), who included the object in a list of candidate halo red giants, based on the GCVS classification; this interpretation is then carried forward into the SIMBAD database. However, CD Boo is undoubtedly identical to the published quasar candidate 1339.1+2804 (Crampton et al. 1988, 1989), selected for peculiar continuum color from slitless spectra plates, where it is noted as “either a QSO or blue star,” but with no measurable redshift. The coincidence of these objects has presumably escaped previous attention in part due to the poor coordinates of S 10763. Newly measured, accurate coordinates are given in Table 1.

We obtained the spectrum of CD Boo on 1998 January 30; the resulting data appear in Figure 1. The object proves to be a QSO with $`z=1.045`$, based on detection of emission from C III\] $`\lambda `$1909, Mg II $`\lambda `$2800, and $`H\gamma `$. Thus oddly both CC Boo (Margon & Deutsch 1997) and CD Boo have similar histories: cataloged as halo red giants, but actually highly variable QSOs.

CD Boo appears to be detected at 20 cm in the FIRST survey (Becker et al. 1995, White et al. 1997) with a flux of 1.21 mJy. Unlike CC Boo, there is no evidence for X-ray emission in the ROSAT All Sky Survey Bright Source Catalog (Voges et al. 1998), but as this object is appreciably fainter than CC Boo, the implied $`f_x/f_{opt}`$ ratio is still within a normal range. For $`H_0=75`$ km s<sup>-1</sup> Mpc<sup>-1</sup> and $`q_0=0`$ (assumed throughout), $`B_{max}=19`$ implies $`M_B=23.5`$, quite typical for a QSO.

### 2.2 S 10764 = B2 1339+28 = 1E 1339.9+2844

The variable S 10764 is observed by Meinunger to have $`18.3<B<19.8`$, a particularly large amplitude. Accurate coordinates are given in Table 1, and reveal that this object is actually well-studied at multiple other wavelengths, but not previously recognized as associated with the variable star, presumably at least in part due to poor coordinates in the discovery paper. The object is associated with the strong double-lobed radio source B2 1339+28 (= 87GB 133954.7+284413), and on the basis of positional coincidence and marked UV excess, $`(UB)=1.0`$, was proposed as a QSO by Carney (1976). It is also the optical counterpart of the X-ray source 1E 1339.9+2844: a redshift of $`z=0.33`$ is reported by Harris et al. (1992), who include it in a sample of X-ray selected QSOs near globular clusters and thus potentially useful for astrometry. This curiously brings the problem full-circle, as the original discovery of S 10764 was due to its proximity to M3. These authors as well as Carney (1976) quote magnitudes compatible with that seen by Meinunger (1972). Additional X-ray observations from ROSAT are reported by Hertz et al. (1993), where the source is termed RX J134211+2828.7. The published $`B_{max}=18.3`$ implies $`M_B=22.0`$, again a typical value.

### 2.3 S 10765 = NGP9 F324-0276706

This object appears never to have been mentioned in the literature subsequent to the discovery paper, where photometry ranging over $`17.4<B<19.0`$ is reported. However accurate coordinates (Table 1) reveal it to be identical to the cataloged galaxy NGP9 F324-0276706, which appears in NED<sup>2</sup><sup>2</sup>2The NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED) is operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract with NASA. as derived from the Minnesota digitization of POSS-I described by Odewahn & Aldering (1995). The object does not appear in the ROSAT All Sky Survey Bright Source Catalog or FIRST radio survey, although it lies in regions covered by both. A 20 cm upper limit of 0.97 mJy/beam may be inferred. We obtained the spectrum on 1998 January 30. Even with the small spectrograph slit-viewing camera it was immediately evident that this object is well-resolved, with a relatively high surface brightness for at least several arcseconds. The resulting spectrum (Figure 2) is that of a normal galaxy at $`z=0.063`$.

Further imaging observations were made with the 3.5m telescope and SPIcam, a CCD camera utilizing a thinned SITe 2048 pixel chip of scale $`0{}_{}{}^{\prime \prime }.28`$ pixel<sup>-1</sup>. All data were obtained with an $`R`$ filter, including observations on a night of photometric quality when a standard star was also observed. The images again clearly show the object is well-resolved, with an extent of many arcsec evident even on casual inspection. From the photometric night, we derive $`R=16.65\pm 0.10`$ within a circle of radius $`5{}_{}{}^{\prime \prime }.5`$, which encompasses the majority of the light. The modest precision estimate due in part to the lack of multiple standards. Relative photometry from data obtained on 2 other nights, for a total span of $`4`$ months in 1998, are also consistent with this magnitude, i.e., we have not yet seen the object vary. Meinunger quotes $`B`$ magnitudes for the object, but any values of $`(BR)`$ consistent with our observed spectrum would imply that our photometry and spectroscopy were obtained at or near maximum light.

S 10765 exhibits an interesting and uncommon combination of properties. Meinunger reports variations of $`1^m`$ or more on timescales of weeks. Certainly such behavior is seen in galaxies with active nuclei such as QSOs and BL Lacertae objects, but in these cases one typically expects the spectrum to either show emission lines at minimum light, or weak or absent absorption at maximum light due to dilution by a nonthermal continuum, together with an unresolved, long-lived radio component. However, even if the stringent observed FIRST upper limit on radio emission applies to the object in its optical minimum state, the inferred ratio of radio to optical luminosity is far less than appropriate for BL Lac’s (e.g., Stickel et al. 1991). Tempered only slightly by the lack of contemporaneous radio and optical observations, we conclude S 10765 exhibits none of the features common to AGN. Indeed, our observed $`R=16.6`$, inferred to be measured near to maximum light, implies $`M_{R,max}=20.3`$, hardly typical for a rapidly variable AGN.

As perhaps the least unusual explanation, we have considered the possibility that the published finding chart has marked the incorrect object as the variable. However our multiple photometric observations have included measurement of all objects within $`2^{}`$ of the galaxy, and none is variable in our data. Another possibility is the well-known phenomenon that the measured apparent magnitude of a slightly extended object with respect to nearby stars can depend on seeing (e.g., Bond et al. 1974, Green et al. 1977), although in this case the reported amplitude of variation is quite large. Clearly this object is deserving of further study.

## 3 AR CVn: AN EXTREMELY DISTANT HALO RR LYRAE STAR

We have also performed extensive observations of another of the Meinunger sample of variables near M3, S 10760, now known (Kukarkin et al. 1975, Kholopov et al. 1985) as AR CVn. On the basis of the light curve shape and a derived period of 0.62722 day, the object was classified by Meinunger as an RR Lyrae variable, with a comment on its faintness ($`18.9<B<19.9`$). As RR Lyrae stars have reasonably well-defined luminosity, that author or any subsequent reader could have remarked that AR CVn was almost certainly the most distant known isolated star, and, at least at that time, far beyond the normally acknowledged boundaries of the Galaxy. Yet to our knowledge there has never after its discovery been another discussion or report in the literature of any observation of this object.

As the published light curve (Meinunger 1972) for AR CVn is of only modest quality, and there is no published spectrum, the conclusion that this is actually an RR Lyrae star could be questioned. We have obtained photometric and spectroscopic observations of the variable, which prove to confirm the remarkable properties of this star. There are a handful of halo stars known or suspected to lie at comparable or greater distances, although we believe this to be the most distant RR Lyrae that is fully characterized with spectrum, period, and light curve.

Accurate coordinates are given in Table 1. In Figure 3 we show the spectrum of AR CVn, obtained on UT 1998 January 30. The spectrum was by poor fortune obtained near the faintest state of the variable, but despite the limited signal, it is clear that this is an F-type star with a weak Ca K line, entirely consistent with the RR Lyrae classification originally proposed.

We have obtained photometry of AR CVn on 10 nights during 1998 January - April, largely from quite brief (100 sec) CCD images made during unrelated programs. On a few nights multiple observations separated by hours were available. DIS provides simultaneous images in two broadband colors, but the red data on this relatively faint object are of modest quality, and thus that light curve is not discussed here. We find that the object varies over a range of 1.15 mag in the blue, in reasonable agreement with the photographically-determined results (Meinunger 1972). Marked variations on timescales of one hour are quite evident. Phase dispersion minimization analysis reveals a strong periodicity of $`0.62717\pm 0.00003`$ day, again in good agreement with the discovery result. The light curve folded on this period is shown in Figure 4, and is of common shape and amplitude. Phase zero (maximum light) occurs at HJD 2450892.999. In all respects other than its faint magnitude, AR CVn appears from our spectroscopy and photometry to be a perfectly normal RR Lyrae star, of Bailey type ab.

Both the blue and red data are in a broad wavelength band peculiar to this instrument, but have been transformed to the traditional Johnson system via observation of AR CVn as well as spectrophotometric standard stars in more standard filters on a night of photometric quality. Although this transformation doubtless introduces an additional uncertainty of $`0.1`$ mag beyond that of photon statistics, issues such as the period, amplitude, and shape of the light curve of the variable are obviously not affected. We derive $`V_{min}=19.28`$ for the best calibrated data. As RR Lyrae stars typically display $`(BV)_{min}=0.5`$, our data agree well with the $`B_{min}=19.9`$ quoted by Meinunger. As those data have the virtue of lying in a standardized bandpass and are supported by our CCD observations, we adopt his value $`<B>=19.4`$ for the remainder of the discussion.

In the past decade a variety of surveys have revealed modest numbers of faint RR Lyrae stars (Saha 1984, Wetterer et al. 1996), and several dozen objects as faint as $`<B>19`$ are now cataloged. However, we are aware of less than a handful of RR Lyrae stars as faint or slightly fainter than AR CVn (Hawkins 1983, 1984; Ciardullo et al. 1989), and indeed only one of these has a period determined; none have both period and spectrum as we now present for AR CVn. Thus we believe this interesting object needs to be brought forward again for very practical current problems, as well as its historical import.

Inferences on the luminosity of RR Lyrae stars from HIPPARCOS data have recently been summarized by Fernley et al. (1998a). There is a weak and uncertain dependence on the metallicity of the star (e.g., Fernley et al. 1998b and references therein), which we cannot determine with accuracy from our spectrum for this relatively faint object, other than to note that the strength of the observed Ca K would hint that this object is not extremely metal poor, perhaps somewhat surprising given its position in the Galaxy. While our spectroscopic data are of insufficient quality for a meaningful determination of the metallicity-related $`\mathrm{\Delta }S`$ parameter, this would clearly be of interest. We therefore arbitrarily adopt \[Fe/H\] = $`1.2`$, corresponding to the metal-rich extreme of halo globular clusters, implying $`M_V=0.83`$ if the Fernley et al. (1998a) luminosities are adopted. We assume negligible interstellar extinction at this very high galactic latitude, in agreement with the conclusion by numerous investigators that the nearby cluster M3 has negligible reddening. We thus infer a heliocentric distance of 40 kpc for AR CVn, and the corresponding galactocentric distance for this position near the galactic pole is very similar. The RR Lyrae luminosity calibration of Gould & Popowski (1998 and references therein) yields a slightly larger distance, corresponding to an increased modulus of $`0.10.2`$ mag. A total uncertainty of 20% in our estimate probably encompasses the uncertainties in both the distance scale and our photometry. Great care should be taken when comparing this distance estimate with those published for other very faint RR Lyrae stars over the years, as estimates of their luminosity and its metal dependence have fluctuated substantially over time; direct comparison of mean apparent magnitudes of the stars is of course free of this complication.

Our spectroscopic observations were not optimized for absolute velocity determination, but using the average of the centroids of four Balmer lines plus Ca H&K, we measure heliocentric velocity $`v=55\pm 60`$ km s<sup>-1</sup>. For the observed photometric variability amplitude, the correction to the radial velocity for pulsation (Ledoux & Walraven 1958) is considerably smaller than our measurement errors, and is therefore neglected. The correction to the LSR (+11 km s<sup>-1</sup>) and the radial component of the LSR in this direction ($`+30`$ km s<sup>-1</sup>) are also both small, and for this geometry near the galactic pole, the radial velocity of AR CVn with respect to the Sun/LSR is similar to its galactocentric radial velocity. Therefore it is plausible that AR CVn is bound to the Galaxy.

The one comparably distant halo RR Lyrae of which we are aware where a velocity is published, R15, was initially attributed with an extreme high velocity ($`465`$ km s<sup>-1</sup>) by Hawkins (1983), but then revised to a much lower value ($`218`$ km s<sup>-1</sup>) by Norris & Hawkins (1991). As the inferred enclosed mass scales as the square of the velocity of a probe, these disparate velocities stand as a warning regarding the dangers of small sample size when addressing the kinematics of the very distant halo.

Although one may from relatively local observations infer indirectly the existence of a very extended stellar halo to our Galaxy (Carney et al. 1988), direct observation and characterization of distant stars in this halo is difficult. Aside from the faint RR Lyrae stars discussed here, at least two additional stellar tracers of the very distant halo are available, the faint high latitude carbons stars (Totten & Irwin 1998), some perhaps as distant as 100 kpc (Margon et al. 1984), and faint blue horizontal branch stars (Norris & Hawkins 1991). However, the RR Lyrae stars surely have the most confidently determined distances of the various tracers. Some undetermined fraction of faint halo C stars, for example, are in fact very nearby dwarfs (Green & Margon 1994, Green 1998).

Although in principle it is possible to use even a single distant halo star to estimate the enclosed mass of the Galaxy (Hawkins 1983), we believe that at least a modest-sized sample is needed for such estimates to be plausible. Such a sample of RR Lyrae’s is slowly becoming available, and should be greatly accelerated by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (Margon 1998), where large numbers of faint RR Lyrae’s will be identified (Krisciunas et al. 1998).

We thank K. Gloria, T. Hoyes, G. Magnier, B. Skelton, C. Stubbs, and E. Turner for their aid in obtaining the observations of AR CVn, and G. Wallerstein for useful discussions on that object. S. Anderson, B. Beck-Winchatz, and A. Diercks kindly provided images of S 10765. This research has made use of the SIMBAD database, operated at CDS, Strasbourg, France.