First X-ray examination of a mysterious quasi Wolf-Rayet star

We propose to use the unmatched sensitivity of XMMNewton to detect andcharacterize Xray emission of an enigmatic quasiWolfRayet star for thefirst time. Thousands members of this important class of postinteractionbinaries are expected to lurk in the Milky Way, but so far only one star waspositively identified our target, HD 45166. To advance our understanding oflate stages of binary evolution and of the progenitors of stripped supernovae,the Xray examination of HD 45166 is urgently needed. We propose a lowriskhighgain XMMNewton study designed to determine Xray luminosity and measurethe spectral hardness of this important object. With only 17 ks of EPIC time wewill explore a new territory not yet charted in the Xray . truncated!, Please see actual data for full text [truncated!, Please see actual data for full text]