Paper detail

A New Sample of Mid-Infrared Bright, Long-Period Mira Variables from the MACHO Galactic Bulge Fields

Mid-infrared bright objects in the direction of the Galactic Bulge were investigated using time series photometry from the MACHO data archive, which led to the discovery of a large number of long-period variables. Among these, a total of 192 bona-fide Mira variables was identified, which, to the best of our knowledge, are reported here for the first time. Together with the results from our previous investigations, we thereby bring the number of Mira variables found in the MACHO Galactic Bulge fields to a new total of 1286 stars. Light curves, folded light curves and summary data for all new Mira variables are presented and their properties in colour-colour, period-colour and period-magnitude space are investigated. In agreement with our expectations, the present sample of mid-infrared bright objects is composed mostly of luminous, long-period variables.