HD 93795: a late-B supergiant star with a square circumstellar nebula

Abstract

ABSTRACT We report the discovery of a square axisymmetric circumstellar nebula around the emission-line star HD 93795 in the archival Spitzer Space Telescope 24 $\rm{\mu m}$ data. We classify HD 93795 as a B9 Ia star using optical spectra obtained with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT). A spectral analysis carried out with the stellar atmosphere code fastwind indicates that HD 93795 only recently left the main sequence and is evolving redward for the first time. We discuss possible scenarios for the origin of the nebula and suggest that HD 93795 was originally a binary system and that the nebula was formed because of the merger of the binary components. We also discuss a discrepancy between distance estimates for HD 93795 based on the Gaia data and the possible membership of this star of the Car OB1 association, and conclude that HD 93795 could be at the same distance as Car OB1.