Starlight In The Lab – Observing A Variable Star

Abstract

Using the go.itelescope.net facility in New Mexico USA, observation of a variable star AY Cam with Right Ascension (RA) 08 25 51.7861  and Declination (Dec) +77 13 06.847 was carried out between 15^th January 2015 to 28^th January 2015 for 60 seconds and 120 seconds exposure time using the V-filter with the go.itelescope.net facility located at New Mexico USA.  Observation of a stellar field with a Field of View (FOV) centered on RA 06 50 51.19 and Dec +25 25 18.33, for 60 seconds and 120 seconds with the V-filter and the B-filter, from which 8 stars were identified - TYC 1898-3073-1, TYC 1898-3040-1, TYC 1898-3068-1, TYC 1898-1295-1, TYC 1898-3107-1, TYC 1897-711-1, TYC 1898-409-1 and HD 264712. The observation was carried out between 5^th of November 2015 and ended on 22^nd November 2015. The analysis of the light curves of two of the stars - HD 264712 (RA 06 50 45.7998 and Dec +25 15 57.891) and TYC 1898-1295-1 (RA 06 50 51.190 and Dec +25 25 18.33) were made. From the already calibrated data, the Analogue-Digital Unit (ADU) was extracted using the ASTROART software, which were converted into stellar magnitude for each observations. The plot of the magnitudes against periods of observation indicates that there is a form of variation in the luminosity of the stars. The light curve analysis indicates that AY Cam has a period of about 2.8 days, light curve analysis of HD 264712and TYC 1898-1295-1 indicates some form of variability in these stars but with no period variation.  Using the average value of the magnitude in the B-filter ( ) and in the V-filter ( ), the Color Index (C. I.) is estimated to be in the range of  for HD 264712. This implies that HD 264712 may be classified in the spectral class K0V with a surface temperature of 5150 Kelvin. For TYC 1898-1295-1, using the median values of the magnitude in B-filter ( ) and V-filter ( ), the C. I. ranges from , implying that  TYC 1898-1295-1 may be classified as F0V/G0V spectral type star with surface temperature in the range of 5940 – 5150 kelvin.