2003A&A...403..637C

Here we present the first Johnson-Cousins VR_C light curves of the over-contact binary star GSC 3822-1056. A period study and the light curve solution are also given. An extremely high rate of period increase (+11.6s/century) was found. The origin of this period change can be: (i) partly covered light-time effect due to the orbital motion around the mass center of a possible third body; (ii) mass transfer between the components. The light curve was solved using the 1998 Wilson-Devinney Code. We examined the light curve with and without third light. Both solutions yielded a contact configuration with high temperature difference between the components. Despite the high degree of the contact (f=0.57), the temperature difference between the components ΔT=T_primary-T_secondary=1045K. The high mass ratio of the system and its other unusual properties suggest that GSC 3822-1056 may be a recently formed contact binary.