The luminous B[e] binary AS 381
Аннотация
We present the results of optical and near-IR spectroscopic and broadband multicolour photometric observations of the emission-line star AS 381. Its properties were found to be similar to those of Be stars with warm dust, a group of galactic objects recently defined by Sheikina et al. ([CITE]). The spectrum of AS 381 indicates the presence of both a hot (early B-type) and a cool (K-type) star in the system. A high interstellar reddening ( mag) suggests that it is located at a distance of ≥3 kpc, and the companions have luminosity types ii or higher. The emission-line profiles indicate that the system is surrounded by a flattened circumstellar envelope, which is viewed close to pole-on. The hot companion is found to be ~2 mag brighter in the V-band and more massive (~) than the cool one (~7). The strong line emission and position of the companions in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram indicate that the system is experiencing mass exchange. We suggest that AS 381 is the first B[e] supergiant binary discovered in the Milky Way.