Back before where
I reside, Carmel Indiana, became as light-polluted as downtown Indianapolis,
I would submit observations of variable stars (a variable star is one that
doesn't shine at a constant brightness) to the American Association of Variable
Star Observers (AAVSO). The AAVSO cooperates with various organizations comprised
of amateur and professional astronomers to gain an understanding about these
stars.
On this page are my suspected variable star discoveries. Following AAVSO preference, each star is listed by its GSC name, unless it doesn't have one, in which case a GSC2.3 name is shown. On the left are finder charts (courtesy of the Aladdin Sky Atlas), and on the right are phased plots and in some cases 3D models of what the system might look like. Below each plot is some information about each star, as well as a link to the AAVSO page concerning the star. The stars are listed in order of increasing right ascension. If you've got the equipment and the time, additional observations of any of these objects can be submitted to the AAVSO.
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EW type
eclipsing binary - AAVSO UID 000-BKD-818 http://www.aavso.org/vsx/index.php?view=detail.top&oid=270313 J-K = 0.651
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type eclipsing binary - AAVSO UID 000-BKG-687 http://www.aavso.org/vsx/index.php?view=detail.top&oid=271338 J-K = 0.340 |
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type eclipsing binary - AAVSO UID 000-BKJ-023 http://www.aavso.org/vsx/index.php?view=detail.top&oid=276914 J-K = 0.378 |
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type eclipsing binary - AAVSO UID 000-BKJ-686 http://www.aavso.org/vsx/index.php?view=detail.top&oid=278135 J-K = 0.361 |
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Lyra type (RRab) pulsating variable - AAVSO UID 000-BKL-112 http://www.aavso.org/vsx/index.php?view=detail.top&oid=278886 J-K = 0.358 |
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EW
type eclipsing binary - AAVSO UID 000-BKK-781 http://www.aavso.org/vsx/index.php?view=detail.top&oid=278423 J-K = 0.273 |
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type eclipsing binary - AAVSO UID 000-BKK-749 http://www.aavso.org/vsx/index.php?view=detail.top&oid=278415 J-K = 0.464 |
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EW
type eclipsing binary - AAVSO UID 000-BJK-626 http://www.aavso.org/vsx/index.php?view=detail.top&oid=278121 J-K = 0.303 |
Top:
Five night lightcurve, reduced in MPO Canopus. |
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EW type eclipsing
binary - AAVSO UID 000-BKH-102 http://www.aavso.org/vsx/index.php?view=detail.top&oid=275576 J-K = 0.328 |
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RR Lyra type
(RRab) pulsating variable - AAVSO UID 000-BKL-293 |
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EW
type eclipsing binary - AAVSO UID 000-BKN-584 |
EW type eclipsing
binary - AAVSO UID 000-BKD-680 http://www.aavso.org/vsx/index.php?view=detail.top&oid=270271 J-K = 0.546 |
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Top: Four
night lightcurve, reduced in MPO Canopus. |
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EB type
eclipsing binary - AAVSO UID 000-BDP-894 https://www.aavso.org/vsx/index.php?view=detail.top&oid=13117 J-K = 0.36 |
Top: Three night lightcurve, reduced in MPO Canopus. Why no phase model? An explainer courteys of the AAVSO: EB's are
ß Lyrae-type eclipsing systems. These are eclipsing systems having
ellipsoidal components and light curves for which it is impossible to
specify the exact times of onset and end of eclipses because of a continuous
change of the system's apparent combined brightness between eclipses;
secondary minimum is observed in all cases, its depth usually being
considerably smaller than that of the primary minimum; periods are mainly
longer than 0.5 days. The components generally belong to early spectral
types (B-A). Light amplitudes are usually <2 mag. in V. |
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EW type
eclipsing binary - AAVSO UID 000-BKD-506 http://www.aavso.org/vsx/index.php?view=detail.top&oid=270073 J-K = 0.417 |
Top:
Four night lightcurve, reduced in MPO Canopus. Bottom: Synthetic lightcuve generated in Binary Maker (blue line) with red dots showing observed data points. Overlay is a 3D model. |
Variable Star not *officially* discovered.
I ran across GSC 01560-000210 in 2012. It is, without doubt, an EW type eclipsing binary. However, I don't have a dense enough light curve to submit it to the AAVSO for official recognition, and given that it's now six years later, I doubt I'll ever get around to it. So, if anyone wants to officially discover a variable star feel free to do so you can start from scratch with this one.
RA 17h 48' 47" DEC +19 56' 02"
Previously known (not discovered by me) variable star observations
BH AUR is a RR Lyra AB (RRAB) type star pulsing in fundamental mode. 180 data points, 120 second integratons, J/C V* filter. Observations requested by the AAVSO.
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| TZ AUR is a RR Lyra AB (RRAB) type star pulsing in fundamental mode. 181 data points, 150 second integrations, J/C V* filter. Observations requested by the AAVSO.
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SW AND is a RR Lyra AB (RRAB) type star. 45 second integrations, J/C V* filter. Observations requested by the AAVSO. |
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SZ LYN is a Delta Scuti type variable, remarkable for their short periods. In the case of SZ LYN, it runs through its entire brightness range is less than three hours. 20 second inetgrations, J/C V* filter. Observations requested by the AAVSO. |
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RR LEO is a RR Lyra type AB (RRAB) type star pulsing in fundamental mode. 796 data points, 45 second integrations, J/C V* filter. Observations requested by the AAVSO.
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Below is a plot
of XX Andromeda, another RR Lyra type star that shows the Blazko effect. The
image below was binned 4x, acutual data points used were 2707.
J/C V* Filter. Observations submitted to the AAVSO
Questions/comments,
E-mail me at john at theastroimager
dot com
