* Astronomy

Title: Periods in a 87 Years Light Curve of the Symbiotic Star MWC 560
Author: Elia M. Leibowitz, Liliana Formiggini (The School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Israel)

We have constructed a visual light curve of the symbiotic star MWC covering the last 87 years of its history. The data were assembled from the literature and from the AAVSO data bank. Most of the periodic components of the system brightness variation can be accounted for by the operation of 3 basic clocks of the periods P1=19000 d, P2=1943 d and P3=722 d. These periods can plausibly, and consistently with the observations, be attributed to 3 physical mechanisms in the system. They are, respectively, the working of a solar-like magnetic dynamo cycle in the outer layers of the giant star of the system, the binary orbit cycle and the sidereal rotation cycle of the giant star. MWC 560 is the 7th symbiotic star with historical light curves that reveal similar basic characteristics of the systems. The light curves of all these stars are well interpreted on the basis of current understanding of the physical processes that are the major sources of the optical luminosity of these symbiotic systems.

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