The orbital period and variability of the dwarf nova ES Draconis

A radial velocity study of the cataclysmic variable ES Dra (PG 1524+622) is presented. ES Dra is found to have an orbital period of 0.17660 ± 0.00006 day (4.2384 ± 0.0014 h). The mass-losing secondary star of ES Dra is detectable in the spectrum, and it has a spectral type of M2 ± 1. From this, we estimate the absolute magnitude of ES Dra during our spectroscopic observations to have been MR = 6.5 ± 0.5, and its distance to be 720 ± 150 pc. The long-term light curve of ES Dra compiled by the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) shows that ES Dra is a Z Cam star, which between 1995 and 2009 spent most of its time in standstill.

► Our radial velocity study shows the cataclysmic variable ES Dra has an orbital period of 0.17660 day.
► The mass-losing secondary star has an M2 ± 1 spectral type.
► We use this to estimate the distance of ES Dra to be 720 ± 150 pc.
► The AAVSO light curve shows that ES Dra is a Z Cam star.