The BSU Short Period Variable Stars Progam (Poster abstract)

Volume 43 number 2 (2015)

Robert Berrington

Ball State University, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Muncie, IN 47306; rberring@bsu.edu

Thomas Jordan

Ball State University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Muncie, IN 47306

Erin Tuhey

Ball State University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Muncie, IN 47306; emtuhey@bsu.edu

Abstract

(Abstract only) Recent large area sky surveys like the Northern Variability Sky Survey (NSVS), and the All Sky Automated Survey (ASAS) have discovered numerous variable stars in the magnitude range 8 < V < 15. While these surveys will extend our knowledge of luminosity variability to much fainter systems (V < 15) their large area coverage prevents the systematic temporal coverage or accurate photometric coverage needed to accurately study these systems. We have begun a program to obtain accurate photometric measurements of select variable stars detected with both the NSVS and ASAS for further study. All photometric measurements are obtained by the Cooper Science Rooftop observatory located on the BSU campus in Muncie, Indiana, the SARA-KP 1-meter or the SARA-CT 0.6-meter telescopes at Kitt peak and Cerro Tololo. The naturally modular nature of the study makes this program ideal for students. I will summarize the work that has been done to date with both students and faculty at BSU.