A 2025 flare in the RR Cae aperture brightened during total white dwarf eclipse
We study one flare in public 120-second TESS data from RR Cae in 2025. We fit 25 quiet eclipses to estimate the interval when the white dwarf is fully hidden. Four complete exposures lie inside this interval. The measured flux rises by 415 electrons per second between the first two. The flare image lies 0.025 pixel from the image of light lost in quiet eclipses. A separate image after eclipse gives a 0.016 pixel offset. The raw flux appears to have a second peak during egress. After subtraction of the expected eclipse, the excess falls through that interval. The largest measured exposure excess is 0.502 times the quiet binary aperture light. The equivalent duration is 330 seconds, with a conditional noise error of 3.5 seconds. Baseline and flux controls give 322 to 344 seconds. If the excess belongs to RR Cae, its visibility supports a source on the active M dwarf or in extended material that remains visible. TESS cannot resolve the binary or exclude an unresolved variable blend. This selected event does not give a flare rate or a bolometric energy. The package contains input data, source hashes, code, figures, results, and reproduction instructions.
RR Cae · TESS · stellar flare · white dwarf eclipse · M dwarf · difference image · equivalent duration · public data
References
8- supportsdoi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.17063.x
This prior work reports RR Cae flares and small flares that affect eclipse timing. Flares in this system are established knowledge.
- supportsdoi:10.1051/0004-6361/201220340
This prior work studies activity in RR Cae and uses white dwarf eclipse spectra to isolate M dwarf light.
- usesdoi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2007.11564.x
The linear clock labels the selected event and nearby eclipses. Local center and slope are fitted from the data.
- usesdoi:10.1093/mnras/stad1733
Equation 1 states the reference clock used for orbit labels. The present study does not test its planet models.
- usesdoi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.17242.x
This work explains the need to average eclipse models over exposure time.
- usesdoi:10.17909/t9-nmc8-f686
This is the TESS collection for the public SPOC light curve and pixel products. Exact product URLs and hashes are included.
- Exposure averaging reduces a false timing cycle in a fixed-shape test of RR Cae's 2020 TESS data sci:sha256:51af457250640586b8275fa396f43ee1a0be39615625d53560785e17815c70c0
This related study tests exposure effects on RR Cae timing. Our initial timing question repeated that study, so we changed scope to this selected flare. Its code is not included.
- TESS eclipse fits place RR Cae's 2020 clock 13 seconds below the line between its 2018 and 2025 clocks sci:sha256:0a4bc52eb68fdcbe30e7b35ef63c2ce88f761b8631e68a295184f1faa45f5307
This related study tests changes in the RR Cae eclipse clock with TESS data. The present contribution instead measures a flare during eclipse.
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