PAGE i A M H E R C U L I S L I G H T C U R V E S 1 9 7 7 - 1 9 9 5 AAVSO MONOGRAPH 10 This monograph is dedicated to Roy R. Lee in recognition of his service and contributions to the Association. Prepared by Janet A. Mattei Elizabeth O. Waagen E. Grant Foster Funds for preparation and publication provided by Roy R. Lee Clinton B. Ford Additional funds provided by AAVSO Members International Astronomical Union (IAU) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PAGE ii ISBN 1-878174-21-5 COPYRIGHT 1997 by the American Association of Variable Star Observers 25 Birch Street Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 USA All rights reserved. All commercial use of any part of this book requires the written permission of the AAVSO. All non-commercial use by individuals and educators is granted without restriction. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PAGE iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction v Observers of AM Herculis vii Information on AM Herculis viii Key to Symbols viii Long-term Light Curve of AM Herculis, 1977 - 1995 1 Expanded Light Curves of AM Herculis, 1977 - 1995 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PAGE iv page iv is blank ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PAGE v AM HERCULIS LIGHT CURVES, 1977 - 1995 Introduction AAVSO long-term light curves of variable stars contain crucial information that has a significant bearing on many outstanding questions in astrophysics. These light curves define the behavior of variable stars and provide basic sets of observations for multiwavelength data correlation, data analysis, and for checking theories and matching models. The monograph format enables us to present long-term variable star behavior, with each Monograph containing 20 or more years of computer-generated light curves on one star. Each Supplement to a Monograph continues the light curves of the same star, bringing them more up-to-date. AM Herculis Light Curves, 1977 - 1995 AAVSO Monograph 10 contains light curves of the magnetic x-ray variable AM Herculis from April 1977 through December 1995 (JD 2443250 - 2450083). The AAVSO long-term light curve of AM Herculis from April 1977 through December 1995 (JD 2443250 - 2450083) is presented on pages 1 - 4. This light curve has been included to give a more complete picture of AM Herculis' behavior. The observations that comprise this light curve are visual and come from the AAVSO International Database. Pages 5 through 39 contain computer-generated expanded light curves from April 1977 through December 1995, with each dot representing one observation. Observations are plotted Julian date versus magnitude, and the start of each year (January 1) is indicated along the upper axis. A scaled grid is provided to assist in determining the exact date and magnitude of any data point. Factual information on AM Herculis and a Key to Symbols are given on page viii. The observations in this monograph are the contributions of AAVSO members or observers in the United States and abroad. 177 observers have contributed 10,960 observations to the light curves from April 1977 through 1995. The names and observer codes of these observers are given on pages vii. Organizations whose members have contributed observations to the AAVSO either individually or through their organization are also listed on page vii. In preparing the data for publication in this monograph, each of the observations was evaluated by my senior technical assistant Elizabeth O. Waagen and by me. Software used in evaluating and plotting the observations was developed by my technical assistant E. Grant Foster. The observations from 1977 through 1995 included in this monograph have been preserved on compact disc, cartridge, and printout. Electronic, diskette, or printout copies of observations for further analysis may be obtained by writing or sending email to the AAVSO Director at aavso@aavso.org. The data may also be retrieved for personal use (not for publication or distribution) from the AAVSO's ftp site: ftp.aavso.org (198.116.78.2) in /pub/monographs, or its home page: http://www.aavso.org. Acknowledgements We dedicate AAVSO Monograph 10 to Roy R. Lee, who has contributed generously towards the preparation of the AAVSO monographs and supplements. We extend our sincere thanks to him. We remember with special thanks Clinton B. Ford for his very generous contribution for the preparation of this and subsequent monographs and monograph supplements. v ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PAGE vi Our sincere thanks go to AAVSO members and friends for their contributions to prepare these monographs and monograph supplements. We thank the International Astronomical Union (IAU) for their support of our monograph series and for the grant provided to the AAVSO to publish this and other monographs and monograph supplements. We acknowledge with thanks the computer support of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory for the processing of part of the data and data preservation. The evaluation of the data and the preparation of this monograph were accomplished using the computer facilities at AAVSO Headquarters. This computer hardware was purchased through grants from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (grant awards NAGW 1493 and NAG 5-1459), the Kenilworth Fund, and the Theodore H. Dunham Fund for Astrophysical Research. We gratefully acknowledge these grants. Many AAVSO assistants helped in the preparation of the data for publication. My special thanks go to Elizabeth O. Waagen for her careful evaluation of the observations and plotting of the light curves, and to E. Grant Foster for developing the computer programs for the IBM-PC compatible MS-DOS computers at AAVSO Headquarters to evaluate, plot, and prepare the data for publication. Robert S. Hill, Charles M. Jones, and Richard J. Strazdas assisted in the initial development of the computer programs to manage the large volumes of data. Barbara Silva, Donna Eldridge, Douglas Van Orsow, Young Lim, and Michael Bickford, and several student-assistants helped in making the data computer-readable. The dedication, the many, many hours of observing, and the untiring efforts of our observers in pursuit of contributing to variable star astronomy have made this publication possible. Our very sincere thanks and gratitude go to them for their valuableastronomical contributions. Janet Akyuz Mattei Director Cambridge, Massachusetts April 1997 vi ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- PAGE vii CONTRIBUTORS TO AAVSO DATA ON AM HERCULIS 1977 - 1995 AAP ABBOTT, A. PATRICK 33 | GOP GOODWIN, PAUL N. 36 | AMT ADAMS, MARK T. 17 | GRL GRANSLO, BJOERN H. 17 | AB ALBRECHT, WILLIAM 169 | GRW GREEN, DANIEL W. E. 4 | ALG ALDERING, GREGORY 4 | GRI GRIESE III, JOHN W. 273 | ALN ALLISON, RUDIE J. 8 | GRZ GRZELCZYK, HEINZ 251 | AJR ANDRESS, J. ROBERT 1 | GUB GUBBELS, GUIDO 9 | ANN ANNAL, ROBERT J. 55 | GUG GUGUMUS, VINCENT 5 | ARI ARIAIL, ROBERT B. 50 | HTY HAGER, TIMOTHY 22 | ARN ARNOLD, LUC 31 | HK HALBACH, EDWARD A. 36 | BOZ BAGO, BALAZS 5 | HAQ HAMVAI, ANTAL 6 | BBN BARBIN, WADE D. 15 | HNN HANON, CHRISTIAN 11 | BSR BARONI, SANDRO 2 | HAV HARVAN, RICHARD P. 22 | BBA BEAMAN, BARRY B. 2 | HZL HAZEL, LAWRENCE 7 | BBE BERENTE, BELA 1 | HEF HEIFNER, MARK A. 368 | BML BERNSTROM, MARVIN 21 | HEV HEVESI, ZOLTAN 1 | BIL BILODEAU, GERALD A. 1 | HRI HILL, RICHARD E. 3 | BAX BOATTINI, ANDREA 80 | HIR HIRASAWA, YASUO 3 | BOH BOHME, DIETMAR 2 | HSR HOSTE, SERGE 45 | BOD BOHN, DENNIS 1 | HR HURLESS, CAROLYN J. 1 | BOI BOIS, BERNARD 27 | JJT JEFFREY, J. THOMAS 3 | BRJ BORTLE, JOHN E. 244 | JLT JENSEN, LASSE TEIST 115 | BAP BRADLEY, PHILIP A. 7 | KB KAMINSKI, WALTER J. 2 | BTB BRETL, THOMAS C. 6 | KLY KELLEY JR., GEORGE 38 | BSM BRINCAT, STEPHEN M. 25 | KRB KING, ROBERT P. 13 | BOS BROENS, ERIC 1 | KOC KOCSIS, ANTAL 1 | BOA BRUNO, ALAIN 11 | KHL KOHL, MICHAEL 14 | BRY BRYAN JR., JAMES T. 8 | KRT KORTH, STEFAN 132 | BYD BRYDEN, ROBERT K. 42 | KOS KOSA-KISS, ATTILA 1 | BUO BUENO, ANTONIO T. 1 | KOA KOSHIRO, MASAMI 13 | CMP CAMPBELL, RICHARD 26 | KKO KOSS, KAREL 3 | CEA CANDELA, BERNARD 19 | KVI KOVACS, ISTVAN 2 | CIT CAVAGNA, MARCO 4 | LGT LACASSIN, GILBERT 155 | COO COOK, LEWIS M. 11 | LTW LANGHANS, THOMAS W. 96 | CSD COSTANZO, DANIEL 6 | LEB LEBERT, ROLAND 1 | DAK DANSKIN, KEITH H. 2 | LNB LINDBLOOM, GEORGE 18 | DAM DARRIBA MARTINEZ, ADOLFO 2 | LWT LOHVINENKO, TODD W. 3 | DFR DEMPSEY, FRANCIS S. 6 | LOL LORSIGNOL, JEAN 4 | DEK DEQUICK, KURT 1 | MDD MADDEN, PATRICK J. 40 | DEY DE YOUNG, JAMES A. 6 | MIC MARILLER, C. 7 | DPA DIEPVENS, ALFONS 22 | MYR MAYER, ERNST H. 323 | DRG DIETHELM, ROGER 2 | MKJ MCKENNA, JEROME F. 158 | DLA DILL, ALBERT G. 2 | MKD MILLYARD, KAI 1 | DIL DILLON, WILLIAM G. 19 | MIS MINOIS, JOEL 6 | MDS DIONISI, MASSIMO 10 | MZS MIZSER, ATTILA 101 | DPL DOMBROWSKI, PHILIP 4 | MMI MOELLER, MICHAEL 1 | DZM DONZEL, MARC 2 | MHK MONCURE, HELEN K. 1 | DRY DUCOTY, RICHARD B. 23 | MAR MONELLA, RINALDO 68 | DUP DUPASQUIER, PAUL 10 | MJ MONTAGUE, ALLEN C. 1 | DUR DURUY, MAURICE V. 3 | MOJ MORGAN, JAMES E. 191 | DGP DYCK, GERALD P. 1098 | MOI MORILLON, ERIC 21 | FET FETTERMAN, THOMAS 34 | NTL NATALE, MICHAEL 1 | FRF FIDRICH, ROBERT 40 | NBY NORDBY, JOHN M. 32 | FFC FOLDESI, FERENC 2 | NVK NOVAK, MICHAEL 12 | FD FORD, CLINTON B. 13 | OER OFEK, ERAN 3 | FT FORTIER, GEORGE L. 23 | OJR OSORIO, JOSE RIPERO 242 | GBZ GABZO, OFER 4 | OSV OSVALD, LASZLO 2 | GAP GARNAVICH, PETER 4 | OB OVERBEEK, M. DANIEL 1 | GAZ GARSZTKA, J. 8 | PPS PAPP, SANDOR 209 | GFB GOFF, WILLAM 11 | PZA PEREZ-REVILLA, ALAIN 70 | PTZ PIETZ, JOCHEN 129 | PFU PINEAU, FRANCOIS 1 | POX POXON, MICHAEL 1 | PYG POYNER, GARY 125 | RRB RAPHAEL, ROBERT B. 8 | RFB REIGNIER, FABIEN 1 | RPR ROBBINS, PHILLIP 81 | RGL ROTEM, GILAD 21 | RR ROYER, RONALD E. 55 | SAH SAMOLYK, GERARD 5 | SNL SANDEL, JEFF G. 3 | SPQ SAPI, CSABA 9 | SKI SARNECZKY, KRISTIAN 2 | SMJ SCHOLL, JAMES F. 5 | SCZ SCHWEITZER, EMILE 50 | SCE SCOVIL, CHARLES E. 78 | SHS SHARPE, STEVEN B. 9 | SSA SHARPLESS, ALBERT 2 | SHB SHERROD, CLAY 10 | SNE SIMMONS, NEIL A. 5 | SKP SKALAK, PETR 11 | SC SPRATT, CHRISTOPHER 4 | STR STANTON, RICHARD H. 1 | SKS STECKNER, THOMAS 5 | STI STEFFEY, PHILIP C. 56 | SPU STEPAN, PETR 18 | SET STEPHAN, CHRISTOPHER 1 | SDR STEPHENS, ROBERT D. 1 | SWT STEWART, ROBERT J. 130 | SVN SVENTEK, PAUL L. 29 | SBT SZABO, ROBERT 28 | SNO SZENTASKO, LASZLO 268 | TDB TAYLOR, DANIEL 12 | THU THOUET, BERNARD 6 | TMB TOMBELLI, MAURA 14 | VCP VAN CAUTEREN, PAUL 2 | VER VAN DER ENDE, BARRY 3 | VMT VANMUNSTER, TONNY 18 | VED VEDRENNE, PAUL 5 | VET VERDENET, MICHEL 1193 | VJF VIENS, JEAN-FRANCOIS 18 | VGP VIGNIER, PHILLIPE 85 | VJC VLASIC, JOHN C. 17 | VOL VOLLMANN, WOLFGANG 17 | WRG WATSON III, ROBERT 8 | WER WEBER, RICHARD J. 57 | WEI WEIER, DAVID D. 1 | WEM WESOLOWSKI, MIKE 5 | WTJ WEST, JOHN 1 | WI WILLIAMS, DAVID B. 1 | WLM WILLIAMS, THOMAS R. 6 | WLP WILS, PATRICK 37 | WDN WILSON, DANNY RAY 7 | WSN WILSON, THOMAS W. 5 | WNB WINGATE, BRUCE I. 22 | WFJ WRIGHT JR., F. 11 | YRK YORK, DAVID O. 630 | ZLT ZALEZSAK, TAMAS 6 | ZRE ZISSELL, RONALD E. 54 | CONTRIBUTING ASTRONOMICAL ORGANIZATIONS Association Francaise des Observateurs d'Etoiles Variables (France) Astronomical Society of Southern Africa, Variable Star Section Astronomisk Selskab (Scandinavia) British Astronomical Association, Variable Star Section (England) Bundesdeutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Veranderliche Sterne e.V.(BAV)(Germany) Israeli Astronomical Association, Variable Star Section Madrid Astronomical Association M1 (Spain) Magyar Csillagaszati Egyesulet, Valtozocsillag Szakcsoport (Hungary) Norsk Astronomisk Selskap, Variable Stjernegruppen (Norway) Red de Observatores de Estrellas Variables - MIRA (Spain) Unione Astrofili Italiani (UAI) Vereniging Voor Sterrenkunde, Werkgroep Veranderlijke Sterren (Belgium) vii ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- PAGE viii INFORMATION ON AM HERCULIS Right Ascension Declination Position: (1900) 18h 13m 44s +49o 49.8' (1950) 18 14 59 +49 50.8 (2000) 18 16 14 +49 51.9 Type: Prototype of AM Herculis system - a polar cataclysmic variable consisting of a late-type main sequence star and a magnetized white dwarf in synchronous rotation; exhibits irregular "high" (optically bright) and "low" (optically faint) states and transient quasiperiodic oscillations. Orbital Period: 0.128927 day Spectrum: Pec + M4.5V Mass Ratio (primary/secondary): 2.4: +/- 0.4 Mass (primary): 0.39: Mo Mass(secondary): 0.26: Mo Orbital Inclination: 60: degrees Other Information: x-ray source KEY TO SYMBOLS Symbols used in this monograph are: . = 1 visual observation v = variable is fainter than the magnitude indicated by the vertex of the "v" on the light curve (variable not seen) Please note that there may appear to be horizontal lines in some parts of the light curves. These "lines" are in fact very dense concentrations of individual observations. viii ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PAGE ix AM HERCULIS LIGHT CURVES 1977 - 1995 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PAGES 1 - 4 Caption for long-term light curve Pages 1 - 4: AAVSO long-term light curve of 1813+49 AM Herculis for JD 2443250 - 2450083 (April 1977 - December 1995). All observations are visual and are taken from the AAVSO International Database. ----------------------------------EDN OF FILE---------------------------------