A sun in the spectroscopic binary IM Pegasi, the guide star for the Gravity Probe B mission

Abstract

We present the first detection of the secondary of the spectroscopic binary system IM Pegasi (HR 8703), the guide star for the NASA-Stanford relativity gyroscope mission Gravity Probe B. In support of this mission, high-resolution echelle spectra of IM Peg have been obtained on an almost nightly basis. Applying the technique of least-squares deconvolution, we achieve very high signal-to-noise ratio line profiles and detect the orbit of the secondary of the system. Combining almost 700 new radial velocity measurements of both the primary and secondary of the system with previous measurements, we derive improved orbital parameters of the IM Peg system. Using these estimates along with the previously determined range of orbital inclination angles for the system, we find that the primary of IM Peg is a giant of mass 1.8 +/- 0.2 M-circle dot while the secondary is a dwarf of mass 1.0 +/- 0.1 M-circle dot.