NICER observation list: Target ID 260401

Abstract

WZ Sge is the prototype of a subclass of dwarf novae with extremely long recurrence periods. It is also a unique and puzzling source exhibiting 27.87 s and 28.97 s periods in the optical data. In the X-rays, the former was seen in the ASCA data while the latter was seen in the XMM-Newton data. The 27.87 s period has often been interpreted as the spin period of a magnetic white dwarf, but then we do not have a satisfactory explanation of the 28.97 s period. If it is a magnetic system, that could lengthen the recurrence period between successive dwarf nova outbursts, but there are other long recurrence period systems that are almost certainly nonmagnetic. Here we propose a NICER observation to investigate the X-ray periods of WZ Sge, and to investigate their possible origins.
Obsid RA DEC l b Start End Exposure Number of modules Status of Processing Date of Processing Public date
2604010101 301.899 17.707 57.53734 -7.92593 58672.7565 58672.9595 2708.00000 52 VALIDATED 58676.6 58686
2604010102 301.902 17.705 57.53698 -7.92952 58673.0034 58673.9912 21285.00000 52 VALIDATED 58677.6 58687
2604010103 301.902 17.705 57.53698 -7.92952 58674.0354 58674.7650 17410.00000 52 VALIDATED 58679.7 58688