A POSSIBLE T-TAURI COMPANION TO THE LONG-TERM PHOTOMETRIC VARIABLE HR-6000

From Stromgren uvby photometry, obtained during the last 14 years, we demonstrate that HR 6000 shows long-term photometric variations with a small (about 0(m).03 in u, 0(m).02 in v and 0(m).01 in b) amplitude. Whereas previous authors classified HR 6000 spectroscopically as A0/3 IIIp and photometrically as B7, we conclude that the observed properti es of this system may be explained by inferring that HR 6000 is in fac t a binary system, consisting of a B6 V star and a T Tauri companion. The combined spectrum of these two components may easily have been mis taken for a chemically peculiar early A-type star. This scenario also explains the observed small amount of infrared excess and the observed ROSAT X-ray flux of this system as arising from a T Tauri companion. Other traces of this companion have not been detected in our studies. Detection of the T Tauri companion with near-IR spectroscopy may be po ssible due to the significant contribution of the companion to the tot al flux at these wavelengths.