Multicolor photometry of the eclipsing binary system VV Orionis

VV Orionis is an eclipsing binary consisting of two B-type components with a period of 1.485378 day. Over 4200 observations of this system were obtained in UBV and uvby during the 1975-1979 seasons. All seven light curves were analyzed simultaneously using the Wilson-Devinney method. The contribution of light from the much fainter third component of the system was taken into consideration, but it was found that this star had a negligible effect on the light curves of the eclipsing pair. Consistent solutions were found, but the residuals for both of the ultraviolet light curves proved to be fairly large. Thus, VV Ori appears to be somewhat more complicated than might be expected for a detached system of this type. The larger component appears to be normal for a star of spectral type B1 V and is found to lie fairly close to the ZAMS. The secondary component, however, appears to be unusually small for its mass.