Blue and IR Light Curves of the Mysterious Pre-Main Sequence Star V582 Mon (KH 15D) from 1955 to 1970

Abstract

In recent years, an increasing number of publications have been addressed to the peculiar and mysterious pre-main sequence star V582 Mon, also known as KH 15D. This extraordinary T Tauri star, located in the young star cluster NGC 2264, appears as to be an eclipsing variable. In the present paper, we report a unique and self-consistent set of light curves in the blue and near-infrared bands, spanning a 15-year interval (epoch 1955-1970). Our photometric data show clearly the beginning of the eclipse stage occurred in early 1958 in the blue, and perhaps around four years later in the infrared. The light curve period turns out to be the same reported by recent observations (about 48.3 days), so that no evidence for a period change results. On the other hand, in our data the light curve shape appears as sinusoidal and is therefore different from the one displayed today. The photometric behaviour, determined with time-series and colour-index analysis, suggests that V582 Mon (KH 15D) could be initially surrounded by an accretion disk/torus seen edge-on, with subsequent thin dust formation at the beginning of the blue radiation absorption. The dust could then aggregate into larger particles providing the transition between selective and total absorption, accompanied with eclipsing variability in the infrared. The minima of the periodic light curve become deeper due to the increasing dimension and number of dust grains, and then flattens due to a contraction in the disk.