Robin Leadbeater

Forum Replies Created

Viewing 20 posts - 241 through 260 (of 1,123 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • in reply to: Nova And 1979 ? #584678
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Yes  that is a a copy of the IAUC with a request for observations. (confusingly that IAUC covers several diverse object discoveries)

    Could the difference be epoch 1950 for the IAU notification as opposed to epoch 2000 for Simbad”

    I was  comparing with the FK4 (1950) coordinates for the object in SIMBAD

    Cheers

    Robin

    in reply to: Nova And 1979 ? #584677
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    The answer perhaps lies closer to home !

    From VSSC #83 page 7

    931207 LL And B.Marsden, CBAT, Paul Wild, Switzerland, Steve

    Howell, USA, T.Kato, Japan, Bruce Margon, USA Object reported as a ‘nova’ in IAUC 3412 (1979) seen again in outburst by Tony Vanmunster, Belgium 1993 Dec 7 mag 14.Ov. Confirmed by Poyner. Kato obtains CCD images at Ouda on Dec 9 V=14.0. Suggests position needs correction. Howell obtains spectra and paper planned!

    Robin

    in reply to: Nova And 1979 ? #584675
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Tracked down the discovery IAUCDifficult to say without knowing the precision of the coordinates given there but  they could be up to ~1 arcmin away from the ones in SIMBAD for this star so not sure yet where the association comes from

    in reply to: LL And rare outburst #584674
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    A spectrum (R~500)

    Robin

    in reply to: Spectra of some planet eating white dwarfs #584653
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Ah interesting. I see that paper suggested Oxygen might be found as well through the same process. One was  found with just O in the spectrum, though by a suggested different mechanism where the He/H is stripped away.

    https://physicsworld.com/a/white-dwarf-with-nearly-pure-oxygen-atmosphere-surprises-astronomers/

    in reply to: Nova in Perseus #584652
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    I see this has now faded to Vmag ~15 so  time for perhaps a last low resolution spectrum.  It shows a nebula type spectrum with strong forbidden emission lines, particularly [OIII] and a very weak almost undetectable continuum (The Y scale is relative to the continuum at 5500A and the signal/noise in the continuum is down in single figures). In fact I estimate 78% of the light in the V passband comes from just the [OIII] pair of lines at 4959/5007 A

    in reply to: Spectra of some planet eating white dwarfs #584650
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    A quick literature search though brought up this reference which talks of WD with initial He atmospheres evolving an H dominated atmosphere through upward diffusion of H.

    https://arxiv.org/abs/2008.07469

    Anything heavier though I suspect must have been accreted.

    in reply to: Spectra of some planet eating white dwarfs #584649
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    I don’t know how it relates to the progenitor but as I understand it, naked electron degenerate white dwarfs don’t show any spectral features and there are indeed some WD like that, designated spectral type DC.  The spectral features then come from a thin skin of accreted material, the heavier elements rapidly sinking into the interior to become part of the electron degenerate material so most show just H while others have He or a mix of H/He. You do also find some cool white dwarfs with Carbon in their spectrum, presumably also recently accreted.  

    in reply to: Spectra of some planet eating white dwarfs #584647
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Another interesting WD. No metals or Hydrogen, just  Helium

    in reply to: Fireball spectrum #584640
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Yes it was already clear in 2019 😉

    The OI 7774 line is possibly there under the 2nd order but out of focus

    in reply to: Nova in Hercules #584630
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Now at mag 16 but still within range of a very low resolution spectrum with the ALPY200.

    The spectrum with several forbidden nebula lines looks similar to that of  another very fast nova Sgr 1991 at similar age in Gray & Corbally , where the tentative line identifications come from

    Cheers

    Robin

    in reply to: VV Cep eclipse paper in JBAA #584619
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

     (is a 50% increase in effective radius due to pulsations feasible?)”

    Though of course a smaller change in radius would be sufficient depending on the path of the hot star behind the M star 

    in reply to: VV Cep eclipse paper in JBAA #584618
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Yes I agree. If the continuous brightness variations are  due to radial pulsations of the M star, these would produce changes in the effective radius (and opacity?)  of the M star. These could could asymmetrically shift the mid eclipse point dependent on their timing. (is a 50% increase in effective radius due to pulsations feasible?)

    Cheers

    Robin

    in reply to: VV Cep eclipse paper in JBAA #584614
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    Hi Andy,

    The measurements pre 1997 were all based on the light curves which are indeed tricky to estimate the mid eclipse point from due to the continuing  brightness variability of the red giant throughout the eclipse seen in the AAVSO data in fig 5 of Hugh’s paper.  The photometry and spectroscopy were in good agreement within 7 days in 1998 though. 

    I have extracted  B-V  from the AAVSO data which is less influenced by brightness variations than using using V I think. I have marked Hugh’s spectroscopic mid eclipse and  the expected values based both on the earlier ephemeris and assuming a 60 day increase in period post 1978.

    Hugh’s value agrees well with the B-V data. The prediction based on a permanent increase in period is clearly not compatible  with the current data but perhaps there is enough wriggle room to say that the original ephemeris is ok and the 1997-1998 eclipse data (both spectroscopic and photometric) was anomalous for some reason? 

    Cheers

    Robin

    in reply to: VV Cep eclipse paper in JBAA #584615
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    The argument for something to have happened though between 1978 and 1998 is convincing from fig 4 of the 1999 Graczyk et al paper if the error bars are to be believed

    in reply to: Recurrent Nova RS Oph #584594
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    There is an absolutely stunning high resolution  echelle spectrum covering 3750-9300A in the BAA database from Joan Guarro Flo taken 20210809.838 using an amateur designed (by Tim Lester) home built remotely operated instrument. (zoom in to view the narrow P Cygni lines from the stellar wind superimposed on the broad nova ejecta lines)  An impressive example of the progress in amateur spectroscopy since the last outburst.

    Cheers

    Robin

    in reply to: Recurrent Nova RS Oph #584591
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    “The narrow unshifted feature comes from the circumsystem material from previous outbursts”

    Correction that should be  ….from interaction with the relatively slow moving red giant wind. This looks a good reference for the evolution of the optical spectrum in the 2006 outburst

    https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/474/3/4211/4768437

    Robin

    in reply to: Recurrent Nova RS Oph #584589
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    This is only the start!  (The narrow unshifted feature comes from the circumsystem material from previous outbursts). If it follows earlier outburst there is lots more strangeness to come. Watch for highly ionised coronal lines (like [Fe X, XI, XIV]  and [A X] etc) produced as the shock heats the gas to 1 million K plus. There is an interesting account of taking spectra early in the 1958 outburst by George Wallerstein in the 2005 S&T article.

    https://skyandtelescope.org/observing/celestial-objects-to-watch/when-will-rs-ophiuchi-next-blow-its-stack/

    Robin

    in reply to: Recurrent Nova RS Oph #584579
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    A series of spectra from 2006 taken using a Star Analyser. 

    http://www.threehillsobservatory.co.uk/astro/spectra_24.htm

    I expect there will be many more spectra this time

    Cheers

    Robin

    in reply to: Ticket to ride! #584576
    Robin Leadbeater
    Participant

    I was thinking I might offset some of the cost (~0.3%) by applying for a Ridley grant but unfortunately I see the conditions specifically exclude travel expenses.

    Robin

Viewing 20 posts - 241 through 260 (of 1,123 total)