Observations of Ultracool White Dwarfs

Abstract

We present new spectroscopic and photometric measurements of the white dwarfs LHS 3250 and WD 0346 + 246. Along with F351 - 50, these white dwarfs are the coolest ones known, all with effective temperatures below 4000 K. Their membership in the Galactic halo population is discussed, and detailed comparisons of all three objects with new atmosphere models are presented. The new models consider the effects of mixed H/He atmospheres and indicate that WD 0346 + 246 and F351 - 50 have predominantly helium atmospheres with only traces of hydrogen. LHS 3250 may be a double degenerate whose average radiative temperature is between 2000 and 4000 K, but the new models fail to explain this object.