Possible Optical Detection of the Anomalous X-Ray Pulsar CXOU J010043.1-721134

Abstract

Archival Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 observations of the Small Magellanic Cloud have serendipitously revealed a possible counterpart to the anomalous X-ray pulsar CXOU J010043.1-721134. The candidate is faint, but its location and strange colors make it an interesting object. We estimate that the probability of such a detection being due to a nonphysical source is less than 1.5%. We have tried to confirm the identification with Gemini South and Magellan, but the conditions were insufficiently favorable. If confirmed, the object will allow the first detailed studies of the optical and ultraviolet emission of magnetars.