Optical CCD photometry of the microquasar LS 5039

• Published in: Astronomy and astrophysics (Berlin) Vol. 418; no. 1; pp. 271 - 274
• Main Authors: Martí, J., Luque-Escamilla, P., Garrido, J. L., Paredes, J. M., Zamanov, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Les Ulis EDP Sciences 01.04.2004
• Subjects: radio continuum: stars; stars: individual: LS 5039 (RX J1826.2-1450); X-rays: binaries; Continuum; radio continuum: stars; X-ray binary stars; Light curves; CCD photometry; Binary X ray source; Cosmic x-ray sources; stars: individual: LS 5039 (RX J1826.2-1450)- X-rays: binaries; Radio stars; Optical observation
• ISSN: 0004-6361; 1432-0746
• DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20035886

We report optical CCD observations of the microquasar LS 5039. Its photometric behaviour is studied over different orbital periods with a time separation of three years. We do not detect evidences of an ellipsoidal modulation above the $\pm0.01$ mag level, thus confirming the previous results reported by Clark et al. ([CITE]). The light curve of LS 5039 has also been explored with a time resolution of 30 s but the source also appears to be stable on such shorter time scales. Possible scenarios consistent with the non-detection of optical variability are considered.