Eps Aur monitoring requested in Alert Notice 504

Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
Wed, 09/17/2014 - 21:46

AAVSO Alert Notice 504 has been issued. It requests photometric observations (particularly V) of epsilon Aur over the coming months. Please see the Alert Notice for details.

Many thanks and Good observing,

Elizabeth Waagen, AAVSO HQ

Affiliation
None
Epsilon Aurigae monitoring

 

It was suggested that the V band be used for the monitoring. The greatest changes occur in the shorter wavelengths. While few, if anyone, are doing U band work (a great shame) the next best band would be the B band. Longer wavelength bands will show changes, but the change magnitude decreases the longer the wavelength.

 

Jeff Hopkins 187283
Hopkins Phoenix Observatory

Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
eps Aur monitoring, alert notice 504

Greetings and happy new orbit around the sun.  Thank you to the photometric observers who have helped to confirm the predicted sinusoidal light variation of epsilon Aur during Dec 2014.  This set of observations also coincides with 6, weekly Spitzer spacecraft IRAC observations since Thanksgiving, through New Year's day.  The combination of a well-defined V & B light curve along with the IRAC data (being processed but not available for some weeks), will allow for a careful evaluation of the F star variation effect on measurement of the excess flux due to the dark disk.  We hope to have a report on this to share later this year.  The visual reports also are appreciated but show a scatter greater than the 0.05 mag amplitude seen in the photometric bands.

The observers reporting photometric data include, who we thank again - and encourage all to continue observations during this winter season:

AFSA
ALFARP, FRANCISCO CARLOS
ES, AAVSO
BRIA
BIERNIKOWICZ, RICHARD
PL, AAVSO
CQJ
CENTALA, JOHN
US, AAVSO

EHEA
EGGENSTEIN, HEINZ-BERND
DE, AAVSO
PGD
PERSHA, GERALD
US, AAVSO
SAH
SAMOLYK, GERARD
US, AAVSO