Astrometric Observations of WDS 16012+4150 STF 2001 AB Double Star System Using the Great Basin Observatory

Abstract

The previous status of WDS 16012+4150 STF 2001 AB as a gravitationally bound system or a chance alignment has historically remained uncertain. We collected 20 images of the system using the Great Basin Observatory and performed astrometric analysis, confirming that a new position angle of  = 167.77 ± 0.02° and an angular separation of 11.62 ± 0.01". We utilized multiple methodologies to evaluate the system, and our results reveal that the system fits the criteria of a Common Space Motion (CSM) pair. Additionally, calculated orbital velocities remain below the escape velocities across all four approximated separations. The evidence supports the system could be a gravitationally bound wide binary.