Classical Cepheid Masses: U Aquilae

We have obtained medium-resolution spectra (λ/Δλ ~ 20,000) of the hot binary companion to the classical Cepheid U Aql with the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph on the Hubble Space T elescope ( HST ). These have been used to determine the orbital velocity amplitude. Combining this with the orbital velocity amplitude of the Cepheid from the ground-based orbit and the mass of the companion inferred from its spectral type, we measure a mass of the Cepheid of 5.1 ± 0.7 M ☉ . We discuss the full sample of Cepheids for which we have determined masses with HST (S Mus, V350 Sgr, Y Car, and U Aql) and also SU Cyg (mass from IUE ). The HST masses are in agreement with the luminosities predicted by recent evolutionary tracks with moderate overshoot. This comparison, however, may be altered by reassessment of Cepheid distances based on Hipparcos parallaxes.