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Space Forum / Astronomy / January 2005Interesting high declination photometry project
I am after suggestions for worthwhile photometry projects with high northern declination (>60degreesN) and relatively bright (brighter than 6.0mag). I suffer from increasing light pollution and would like to try to follow long term, a few different types of variables. Not keen on eclipsing binaries. I can achieve accuracy of about 0.01mags. Thanks Zinc  Signaturezincnews123@tiscali.c123o.u123k To reply to address don't click. Cut and paste, then delete all digits ------------------------------------ > I am after suggestions for worthwhile photometry projects with high northern > declination (>60degreesN) and > relatively bright (brighter than 6.0mag). What about Cepheid variables? In particular, what about Polaris? I seem to recall reading that it used to be variable but is now constant; maybe it will start varying again. There are probably other stars whose pulsation mode is not known; maybe good light curves will help sort them out. I expect more information and suggestions will be available at aavso.org. SignatureSteve Willner Phone 617-495-7123 swillner@cfa.harvard.edu Cambridge, MA 02138 USA (Please email your reply if you want to be sure I see it; include a valid Reply-To address to receive an acknowledgement. Commercial email may be sent to your ISP.) > What about Cepheid variables? In particular, what about Polaris? I > seem to recall reading that it used to be variable but is now > constant; maybe it will start varying again. Polaris hasn't stopped being variable, although the amplitudes has decreased. I have done a bit of photometry on Polaris but it is very difficult with an equatorial mount and worse there are very few suitable comparison stars close to it. Zinc Signaturezincnews123@tiscali.c123o.u123k To reply to address don't click. Cut and paste, then delete all digits ------------------------------------ >> What about Cepheid variables? In particular, what about Polaris? I >> seem to recall reading that it used to be variable but is now >> constant; maybe it will start varying again. > > Polaris hasn't stopped being variable, although the amplitudes has > decreased. > I have done a bit of photometry on Polaris but it is very difficult with an > equatorial mount > and worse there are very few suitable comparison stars close to it. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. OK, I'm joking, but if you want to do something no one else is already doing, you have to look for a project that isn't easy with ordinary equipment or find some other advantage you have over other observers. All very bright stars are difficult targets for accurate photometry because of the absence of nearby comparison stars. You can make an equatorial mount into an alt-az by tilting the polar axis. Of course that will make ordinary tracking harder. (By the way, thanks Greg for the correction on the behavior of Polaris. As you can tell, this isn't a subject I follow closely.) SignatureSteve Willner Phone 617-495-7123 swillner@cfa.harvard.edu Cambridge, MA 02138 USA (Please email your reply if you want to be sure I see it; include a valid Reply-To address to receive an acknowledgement. Commercial email may be sent to your ISP.) > (By the way, thanks Greg for the correction on the behavior of > Polaris. As you can tell, this isn't a subject I follow closely.) No problem. If Polaris wasn't a cepheid, I'd probably not have known about its status either. :) |
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