Imaging the Surface of Altair

Creators: Monnier, John D.; Zhao, M.; Pedretti, E.; Thureau, N.; Ireland, M.; Muirhead, P.; Berger, J.-P.; Millan-Gabet, R.; van Belle, G.; ten Brummelaar, T.; McAlister, H.; Ridgway, S.; Turner, N.; Sturmann, L.; Sturmann, J.; Berger, D.

Abstract

Spatially resolving the surfaces of nearby stars promises to advance our knowledge of stellar physics. Using optical long-baseline interferometry, we constructed a near-infrared image of the rapidly rotating hot star Altair with a resolution of <1 milliarcsecond. The image clearly reveals the strong effect of gravity darkening on the highly distorted stellar photosphere. Standard models for a uniformly rotating star cannot explain our findings, which appear to result from differential rotation, alternative gravity-darkening laws, or both.

Additional Information

© 2007 American Association for the Advancement of Science. Received 29 March 2007; accepted 23 May 2007; Published online 31 May 2007. We thank A. Tannirkulam, S. Webster, A. Boden, B. Zavala, C. Tycner, C. Hummel, D. Peterson, J. Aufdenberg, PJ Goldfinger, and S. Golden for their contributions. Research at the CHARA Array is supported by NSF grants AST 06-06958 and AST 03-52723 and by the offices of the Dean of the College of the Arts and Sciences and the Vice President for Research, Georgia State University.

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Submitted - 0706.0867

Supplemental Material - Monnier.SOM.pdf

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