The photometric investigation of the newly discovered W UMa type binary system GSC 03122-02426

• The first multi-color CCD light curves of the eclipsing binary GSC 03122-02426 are analyzed using the W–D method.
• GSC 03122-02426 is a W-subtype shallow contact binary system.
• The absolute physical parameters of the two components in GSC 03122-02426 are estimated.
• The formation and evolutionary scenario of GSC 03122-02426 is discussed.

The B V Rc Ic   bands light curves of the newly discovered binary system GSC 03122-02426 are obtained and analyzed using the Wilson–Devinney (W–D) code. The solutions suggest that the mass ratio of the binary system is q=2.70q=2.70 and the less massive component is 422 K hotter than the more massive one. We conclude that GSC 03122-02426 is a W-subtype shallow contact (with a contact degree of f=15.3%) binary system. It may be a newly formed contact binary system which is just under geometrical contact and will evolve to be a thermal contact binary system. The high orbital inclination (i=81.6∘i=81.6∘) implies that GSC 03122-02426 is a total eclipsing binary system and the photometric parameters obtained by us are quite reliable. We also estimate the absolute physical parameters of the two components in GSC 03122-02426, which will provide fundamental information for the research of contact binary systems. The formation and evolutionary scenario of GSC 03122-02426 is discussed.