Five New Sirius-like White Dwarf-Main-sequence Star Systems with MagAO-X

Logan A. Pearce; Jared R. Males; Sebastiaan Y. Haffert; Laird M. Close; Joseph D. Long; Eden A. McEwen; Joshua Liberman; Maggie Y. Kautz; Jay K. Kueny; Alycia J. Weinberger; Jialin Li; Elena Tonucci; Katie Twitchell; Avalon L. McLeod; Warren B. Foster; Olivier Guyon; Alexander D. Hedglen; Kyle Van Gorkom; Jennifer Lumbres; Lauren Schatz; Victor Gasho; Katie M. Morzinski; Phil M. Hinz

doi:10.3847/1538-3881/addb50

Five New Sirius-like White Dwarf-Main-sequence Star Systems with MagAO-X

Logan A. Pearce
, Jared R. Males
, Sebastiaan Y. Haffert
, Laird M. Close
, Joseph D. Long
, Eden A. McEwen
, Joshua Liberman
, Maggie Y. Kautz
, Jay K. Kueny
, Alycia J. Weinberger
, Jialin Li
, Elena Tonucci
, Katie Twitchell
, Avalon L. McLeod
, Warren B. Foster
, Olivier Guyon
, Alexander D. Hedglen
, Kyle Van Gorkom
, Jennifer Lumbres
, Lauren Schatz

Victor Gasho, Katie M. Morzinski, Phil M. Hinz

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Most known white dwarfs in multiple systems with main-sequence stars have been discovered with M-type companions, because the white dwarf causes detectable UV excess and bluer colors than expected from a single M star. Surveys have shown that the number of white dwarfs in Sirius-like systems within 100 pc of the Sun is lower than expected, suggesting that white dwarfs are being missed in the glare of their main-sequence companions. In this work we have leveraged the angular resolution and high-contrast capabilities, as well as optimization for visible wavelengths, of the extreme adaptive optics (ExAO) instrument MagAO-X to detect new white dwarf companions to AFGK stars. We present the first results of our survey with the ExAO instrument MagAO-X, called The ExAO Pup Search, of 18 targets with seven new candidate companions, five of which are confirmed to be white dwarfs. We discuss the new detections in the context of previous surveys and other detection metric sensitivities and show that we are sensitive to a region not probed by other surveys. Finally we discuss the future of the Pup Search in light of developing technologies.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	58
Journal	Astronomical Journal
Volume	170
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/addb50
State	Published - Jul 1 2025

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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Pearce, L. A., Males, J. R., Haffert, S. Y., Close, L. M., Long, J. D., McEwen, E. A., Liberman, J., Kautz, M. Y., Kueny, J. K., Weinberger, A. J., Li, J., Tonucci, E., Twitchell, K., McLeod, A. L., Foster, W. B., Guyon, O., Hedglen, A. D., Van Gorkom, K., Lumbres, J., ... Hinz, P. M. (2025). Five New Sirius-like White Dwarf-Main-sequence Star Systems with MagAO-X. Astronomical Journal, 170(1), Article 58. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/addb50

Pearce, LA, Males, JR, Haffert, SY, Close, LM, Long, JD, McEwen, EA, Liberman, J, Kautz, MY, Kueny, JK, Weinberger, AJ, Li, J, Tonucci, E, Twitchell, K, McLeod, AL, Foster, WB, Guyon, O, Hedglen, AD, Van Gorkom, K, Lumbres, J, Schatz, L, Gasho, V, Morzinski, KM & Hinz, PM 2025, 'Five New Sirius-like White Dwarf-Main-sequence Star Systems with MagAO-X', Astronomical Journal, vol. 170, no. 1, 58. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/addb50

@article{f14c4a68237d4634b5dad95fa98772b9,

title = "Five New Sirius-like White Dwarf-Main-sequence Star Systems with MagAO-X",

abstract = "Most known white dwarfs in multiple systems with main-sequence stars have been discovered with M-type companions, because the white dwarf causes detectable UV excess and bluer colors than expected from a single M star. Surveys have shown that the number of white dwarfs in Sirius-like systems within 100 pc of the Sun is lower than expected, suggesting that white dwarfs are being missed in the glare of their main-sequence companions. In this work we have leveraged the angular resolution and high-contrast capabilities, as well as optimization for visible wavelengths, of the extreme adaptive optics (ExAO) instrument MagAO-X to detect new white dwarf companions to AFGK stars. We present the first results of our survey with the ExAO instrument MagAO-X, called The ExAO Pup Search, of 18 targets with seven new candidate companions, five of which are confirmed to be white dwarfs. We discuss the new detections in the context of previous surveys and other detection metric sensitivities and show that we are sensitive to a region not probed by other surveys. Finally we discuss the future of the Pup Search in light of developing technologies.",

author = "Pearce, \{Logan A.\} and Males, \{Jared R.\} and Haffert, \{Sebastiaan Y.\} and Close, \{Laird M.\} and Long, \{Joseph D.\} and McEwen, \{Eden A.\} and Joshua Liberman and Kautz, \{Maggie Y.\} and Kueny, \{Jay K.\} and Weinberger, \{Alycia J.\} and Jialin Li and Elena Tonucci and Katie Twitchell and McLeod, \{Avalon L.\} and Foster, \{Warren B.\} and Olivier Guyon and Hedglen, \{Alexander D.\} and \{Van Gorkom\}, Kyle and Jennifer Lumbres and Lauren Schatz and Victor Gasho and Morzinski, \{Katie M.\} and Hinz, \{Phil M.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.",

year = "2025",

month = jul,

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doi = "10.3847/1538-3881/addb50",

language = "English (US)",

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T1 - Five New Sirius-like White Dwarf-Main-sequence Star Systems with MagAO-X

AU - Pearce, Logan A.

AU - Males, Jared R.

AU - Haffert, Sebastiaan Y.

AU - Close, Laird M.

AU - Long, Joseph D.

AU - McEwen, Eden A.

AU - Liberman, Joshua

AU - Kautz, Maggie Y.

AU - Kueny, Jay K.

AU - Weinberger, Alycia J.

AU - Li, Jialin

AU - Tonucci, Elena

AU - Twitchell, Katie

AU - McLeod, Avalon L.

AU - Foster, Warren B.

AU - Guyon, Olivier

AU - Hedglen, Alexander D.

AU - Van Gorkom, Kyle

AU - Lumbres, Jennifer

AU - Schatz, Lauren

AU - Gasho, Victor

AU - Morzinski, Katie M.

AU - Hinz, Phil M.

PY - 2025/7/1

Y1 - 2025/7/1

N2 - Most known white dwarfs in multiple systems with main-sequence stars have been discovered with M-type companions, because the white dwarf causes detectable UV excess and bluer colors than expected from a single M star. Surveys have shown that the number of white dwarfs in Sirius-like systems within 100 pc of the Sun is lower than expected, suggesting that white dwarfs are being missed in the glare of their main-sequence companions. In this work we have leveraged the angular resolution and high-contrast capabilities, as well as optimization for visible wavelengths, of the extreme adaptive optics (ExAO) instrument MagAO-X to detect new white dwarf companions to AFGK stars. We present the first results of our survey with the ExAO instrument MagAO-X, called The ExAO Pup Search, of 18 targets with seven new candidate companions, five of which are confirmed to be white dwarfs. We discuss the new detections in the context of previous surveys and other detection metric sensitivities and show that we are sensitive to a region not probed by other surveys. Finally we discuss the future of the Pup Search in light of developing technologies.

AB - Most known white dwarfs in multiple systems with main-sequence stars have been discovered with M-type companions, because the white dwarf causes detectable UV excess and bluer colors than expected from a single M star. Surveys have shown that the number of white dwarfs in Sirius-like systems within 100 pc of the Sun is lower than expected, suggesting that white dwarfs are being missed in the glare of their main-sequence companions. In this work we have leveraged the angular resolution and high-contrast capabilities, as well as optimization for visible wavelengths, of the extreme adaptive optics (ExAO) instrument MagAO-X to detect new white dwarf companions to AFGK stars. We present the first results of our survey with the ExAO instrument MagAO-X, called The ExAO Pup Search, of 18 targets with seven new candidate companions, five of which are confirmed to be white dwarfs. We discuss the new detections in the context of previous surveys and other detection metric sensitivities and show that we are sensitive to a region not probed by other surveys. Finally we discuss the future of the Pup Search in light of developing technologies.

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ER -

Five New Sirius-like White Dwarf-Main-sequence Star Systems with MagAO-X

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