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Posted by Gary Poyner at 19:12 on 2011 Jul 07
I’m so fed up with seeing the Variable Star forum empty of messages, that I felt I really must do something about it. So…The Symbiotic star V1413 Aql is now entering eclipse (July). See this for more information…http://www.garypoyner.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/v1413aql_article.htmlLets have some more chat!Gary
Posted by Tom Moran at 19:19 on 2011 Jul 07
GaryI really must get into observing variables this coming autumn. I have estimated magnitudes of some of the’easy ones’, but I would like some suggestions as to a way into this fascinating branch of astronomy. I get the feeling that once I start properly I’ll get hooked.Tom MOran
Posted by Gary Poyner at 19:24 on 2011 Jul 07
Well thanks for replying promptly to my post Tom, thus doubling our VS contribution to this forum :-)Yes you will get hooked. No doubt about it. The VSS is the place for you. Why not subscribe to the VSS Circular? Always a good place to start. Details on the VSS web page.Good observing!Gary
Posted by Paul A Brierley at 06:43 on 2011 Jul 08
Hi Guy’s,I would also love to try and observe VS, and follow in the in foot steps of George Alcock and Colin Henshaw.I will read UP and take a look at you’re website, Gary.
Posted by Paul A Brierley at 06:55 on 2011 Jul 08
Sorry to be a pain, but can you recommend an easy variable, to begin with. I use a 25cm f4.8 Newtonian but I also have 10×50 glasses and a WO 66mm f5.6.I would love to know. How does one go about estimating the brightness, of a variable star? Thank you for any help you can give me.
Posted by Gary Poyner at 10:58 on 2011 Jul 08
Hi Paul,One easy question and one difficult. Easy first…V Sge is well placed for observation at the moment, and is a perfect star to begin VS observing with. It’s a Nova Like star which also displays eclipses. It’s ALWAYS active, and you can observe two or three times a week and you will see some variation. It’s range is 8.6-13.9 but it’s rare it gets brighter than mag 9 or fainter than 13.0 – perfect for your telescope. I have a 20 year light curve on my web pages if you want to take a look.We don’t have a BAA chart for it, but you can get one from the AAVSO. Their chart plotter is easy to use, but if you haven’t done it before it can take a bit of practice to get the best chart for you. With this in mind I have created a 30 arc minute chart with the correct orientation for a Newtonian from the AAVSO chart plotter, and uploaded it to my web page. This will be easier for you and save you messing around. We want to get you observing this star asap :-)http://www.garypoyner.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/VSge_chart.gifIt’s impossible to answer your second question here – too involved. We do have literature on this subject in the VSS, so if you contact the Director Roger Pickard, he will send you the details. It’s one of those things which looks very difficult when written down, but actually quite easy to do. You might want to have a look at this brief introduction I put together years ago when I was Director of the VSS (updated in 2009)…http://www.garypoyner.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/intro.htmlWe have a VSS meeting in Salford in October (details to be announced in due course), and we’d love to see you there. Bring all your mates too :-)If you want more information on VS observing, you can contact me directly. Details on the BAAVSS web pages. Cheers,Gary
Posted by Paul A Brierley at 17:34 on 2011 Jul 08
Thank you for the links and help.The difficulty I have is finding it. I use Skymap Pro6 and this star doesn’t appear to shown. Does V Sge have another name?
Posted by Gary Poyner at 19:15 on 2011 Jul 08
Hi Paul,Well if you look for TYC 1643 1764 or A2 1050 17303878, this will drop you right onto V Sge. Instead of looking for V Sge in your software, look for the 82 star (the magnitude without the decimal point). This should be easy if you go to the coordinates of V Sge in Skymap. You can then compare the AAVSO chart with your Skymap chart.I’ve just drawn up a 3 degree chart using the AAVSO software, which shows a 57 star as well. You can get it here…http://www.garypoyner.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/VSge_wide.gifYou should be able to ID the field easier using this.Gary
Posted by Paul A Brierley at 19:28 on 2011 Jul 08
Hi Gary,Since writing back, I have identified the field in SMP 6 and saved it. I will of cause be cheating using GOTO, and I have charts. I have you’re chart and my Sky Map chart. I have also saved the chart with a eyepiece overlay, for my 24mm TV Panoptic and 10" RFT.I was able to find TYC 1643-1764, after first finding V Sge using WIKISKY.ORG. I then simply typed in TYC 1643-1764 into Skymap Pro6 which then, took me to the correct star field.I will endeavour to make an attempt to find, and try to observe this variable, but don’t hold you’re breath. I can see that I will have a long way to go, and a big learning curve, when it comes to making visual magnitude estimates.Thank you again for you’re help, and advice.
Posted by Gary Poyner at 20:23 on 2011 Jul 08
Wel you won’t really be cheating using a GOTO, but it is more fun finding it yourself.Good luck, and looking forward to you posting your first VS observation here!Gary
Posted by Paul A Brierley at 21:27 on 2011 Jul 08
Thank you Gary.I will try. But I have to tell you. Mathematics isn’t my strong point. It’s this fractional business, for estimating the magnitude of the variable, that really makes me nervous. Is there an easier method I wonder?
Posted by Gary Poyner at 21:57 on 2011 Jul 08
It really is the easiest method to do, and has always been regarded the best for beginners. You don’t need to work anything out at the telescope, just make the estimate. It’s just simple division, addition and subtraction to reduce the estimate to a magnitude. I can help you with that once you have secured your estimate. Just send me an e-mail and we’ll crack it!The Pogson method requires a bit more experience, as it requires you to recognise tenths of a magnitude. That’s not hard either, but harder if you’ve never done it before.Have a go, and let me know how you get on. My e-mail is…garypoyner@blueyonder.co.ukDon’t be put off by the numbers.Good luck,Gary
Posted by Paul A Brierley at 07:47 on 2011 Jul 09
Thank you Gary,We need more people. Like you. To help and encourage people like me!I suppose another good target star to begin with, when he’s visible from August. Is Algol.
Posted by Gary Poyner at 20:11 on 2011 Jul 09
Yes Algol is a good target, but a naked eye one of course. Eclipse predictions appear in the BAA Handbook, or can be downloaded from the VSS web pages.A nice binocular star – and a good object to start with – is R Sct. You can get a chart for this from the BAAVSS web pages. One observation every 7 days is more than enough. It has to be one of the easiest variables to find and identify. Good luck to you Paul, and anyone else who has been reading these exchanges and decides to have a go for the first time – but remember it’s a bug that bites deep :-)Gary
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