n Massive stars massive close binaries Wolf-Rayet stars

n Massive stars, massive close binaries, Wolf-Rayet stars, stellar winds, mass loss in hot stars, stellar wind theories were hot topics during the eighties and many symposia were devoted to this types of research n Theories -sometimes controversial- were developed and defended with enthusiasm

n Ed: X-rays will appear near the end of close binary evolution when the initial secondary approaches its Roche lobe n He strongly argued that given the time scales there ought to be many more OB- stars with NS (or BH) companions which had not yet begun to to produce X-rays n Peter Conti felt that this could not be right

As we know now, the X-ray production starts pretty early in the process after the production of the NS (BH) And the (initial secondary) wind is already blowing and feeding the collapsed object,

n n n We went for an excursion on a boat. During that excursion Peter and Ed had a vivid discussion on this particular point, and this led to a bet: Ed’s statement: There at least 10 (maybe 5) OB stars in the Bright Star Catalogue (brighter than V=6, 5) that have NS (BH) companions, but no X-rays Peter did not agree The bet was to check this within two years (1985) the loser should offer a bottle of Romanée-Conti I should be referee We thought, simple minds as we are, that the price was something like 50 $

The rest of the story occurs in Boulder Ed buys a bottle of Romanée-Conti. .

So, Ed asked Anne. Mike, when she went to the grocers to get her purchases for the kitchen, to add a case of Romanée-Conti. In the shop she was sent over to a wine store. She was greeted with consternation over her request for a case, but she managed to get a single bottle for a few hundred $. When Peter and Carolyn were both in Holland Ed gave them the bottle and they brought it home. It rested a year or two and was opened when Ed, myself and my spouse were in Boulder for a conference at the university. Carolyn had cooked for the five of us. Only the poor Anne. Mike was lacking at the party.

happy winner lucky referee sad loser apploading spouse

n Now, Peter and I feel a little bit guilty: the poor guy Ed had to take a mortgage on his house to pay off the price of a Romanée-Conti (at this moment it is approximately 3750 € or 5000 $) n So we offer him a new bottle of wine. . .

Of a special year from a special chateau