We present new UBV photometry of SW Cyg obtained in 1967, 1968, and 1969. Recent times of minimum yield a new ephemeris which suggests the period has not varied appreciably between 1964 and 1969. The bottom of primary eclipse exhibits several complications: asymmetries, nonconstant light between second and third contact, and an apparent ultraviolet excess in the cool subgiant of 8(U-B) = 0 ni 3. The most satisfactory explanation for this excess in SW Cyg (and presumably in most Algol-like binaries) is contamination by light from an envelope surrounding the hot star that is not completely eclipsed at midprimary minimum. From the shape of the 1968 primary eclipse we construct a map of the distribution of light from this envelope. The light on one side, by far the strongest in 17, is a consequence of the gas stream which must be striking the hot star on its trailing side. The light on the other side, however, has the color of the hot star and we suggest must originate from a protuberance in the photosphere of the hot star. We then show that the many photometric complications observed recently by Walter in his complete BV light curve of SW Cyg can be explained by our envelope-protuberance model.
A new UBV photoelectric light curve is presented and solved. An excellent fit is achieved only with the assumption of x s = 0.0. Approximate allowance is made for the perturbation which results because the two components have dissimilar shapes.The color indices indicate spectral types of B7 (V) and G8 (IV), a reddening of E(B-V) = 0"T6, and an apparent ultraviolet excess of 8(C7-B) = 0"T0 in the cool subgiant.The period variation is definitely not sinusoidal; it is more probably a result of abrupt period changes around 1903, 1906, 1911, 1930, 1943, 1961, and 1963.The absolute dimensions are discussed. Assumption that the subgiant exactly fills its lobe leads to a rather large, but not unreasonably large, mass for the B7 star.The evolutionary status is discussed and the conclusion reached that WW Cyg is probably not in pre-main-sequence contraction.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.