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ECLIPSING BINARY STARS: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

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Dirk Terrell

Department of Space Studies

Southwest Research Institute

1050 Walnut St., Suite 426

Boulder, CO 80302

Based on a workshop lead by the author at the 90th Spring Meeting of the AAVSO, May 4, 2001

Abstract

A brief history of eclipsing binary star light curve analysis and an overview of the current state of affairs is given. The photometric searches for extra-solar planets in the next few years will eventually result in millions of light curves and such volumes of data will require the efforts of amateur astronomers in their analysis. This article is a thinly veiled plea to AAVSO members to join the current efforts of a few AAVSO members in the observation and analysis of eclipsing binary stars.

Link to ADS abstract, article and citation information