Rotation of wide binaries

It has been explored in open clusters, but a connection to field stars has yet to be established successfully. We explore the rotation rates of wide binaries, representing enlightening intermediaries between clusters and field stars, and their overlap with those of open cluster stars.

We investigate a recently created catalog of wide binaries, match them to observations by the Kepler mission (and its K2 extension), validate or rederive their rotation periods, identify 283 systems where both stars are on the main sequence and have vetted rotation periods, and compare them with open cluster data. We find that the vast majority of these wide binaries (236) line up directly along the curvilinear ribs defined by open clusters in color-period diagrams or along the equivalent interstitial gaps between successive open clusters.