Chi Cygni has been known as a variable for more than 300 years. Annie J. Cannon in Harvard Annals Vol. LV, part II listed the first observed maximum as 1686 October 19 by Gottfried Kirch in Germany. One of the large range mira variables, it cycles in about 408 days from below mag 14 to maximum - often approaching mag 3.5 - and then fades at a slower rate back to minimum again.
BAA observers have followed chi Cygni's majestic variations almost continuously since the formation of the VS Section. Recent work by Roger Pickard and colleagues of the Crayford Manor House A.S., has extended the database record back to 1891 beginning with E E Markwicke's series of observations. Only four of the pre-1899 years completely lack observations.
The section has always encouraged reporting of estimates in full. Over 98% of the chi Cygni observations have been checked and verified to sequence comparisons by the logging program. The database as a whole currently has 93% verification of 1.07 million observations. Entry work is continuing and the records on other stars will be extended back to the early years.
chi Cyg; 18579 observations, 197 named observers F Addey, S W Albrighton, C M Allen, S Allmand, S J Anderson, R G Andrews, T W Backhouse, J A Bailey, M K Bappu, M Barrett, J R Bazin, D E Beesley, B J Beesley, J H Best, T P Bhaskaran, R Billington, J T Bird, G C Blair, N M Bone, J J Bougon, R J Bouma, T Brelstaff, J H Bridger, R M Brook, C L Brook, M A Brookes, A Brown, A N Brown, F G Brown, A T A Bueno, J S Bullivant, E F Bunt, A B Burbeck, C F Butterworth, J P M Cables, B A Carter, R H Chambers, R G Chandra, A Chapman, R F Churchhouse, M Clarke, G A V Coady, J W Cole, E H Collinson, A Cook, H Corder, A Cosgrove, L A Cox, H W Cox, R W Cripps, M J Currie, K Darbyshire, C D Devoy, R C Dryden, H G Duncan, L F Edwards, P E Ells, J W Ells, K J England, W Fawssett, H Feijth, R B I Fraser, V J Freeman, J Friends, R M Fry, D Fry, D L Fulcher, P J Garner, M E J Gheury, J S Glasby, S Godwin, A Good, B H Granslo, L Green, J A Greenwood, R F Griffin, J Grills, H R Grimwood, G P B Hallowes, F Hamilton, M A Hapgood, G H Hartley, P Harvey, A Heath, C Henshaw, P Heppenstall, F M Holborn, A J Hollis, P W Hornby, E H Horsley, S Hoste, I D Howarth, D Hufton, G M Hurst, J E Isles, P Jenkins, C P Jones, S J Kay, G F Kellaway, J Kelly, R E Kelly, I H Kennedy, H C King, G J Kirby, N F H Knight, O J Knox, A Kocsis, G B Lacchini, A W Lane-Hall, J Lashley, G H Lepper, P C Leyland, W M Lindley, V W Littlejohn, S J Lubbock, J W Macvey, W Maffett, A Mark, T Markham, E E Markwick, L R Matthews, T C B McLeish, R H McNaught, J Meacham, J Meeus, G Merton, E Metson, P Mettam, I A Middlemist, G W Middleton, R Miles, I Miller, P A Moore, A J Morrison, T J C A Moseley, M Moye, I P Nartowicz, A A Nijland, D J Northwood, G O'Mara, W Oakes, J M Offord, J Parkinson, R A H Paterson, G E Patston, E E Peacock, M Peel, J De Moraes Pereira, C Pezzarossa, R D Pickard, D A Pickup, G Pointer, A K Porter, G Poyner, P Quadt, N Reid, M J Ring, T A Robinson, F A Roper, D A Rothery, F de Roy, P M Ryves, G W Salmon, F Sargent, A M Savill, T G Saville, D R B Saw, J Saxton, A B Scott, J D Shanklin, W L Shepherd, J Shepherd, A J Shorten, J C Smith, A L Smith, S Solberg, W H Steavenson, G E B Stephenson, D Stott, D M Swain, P J Swift, T Tanti, M D Taylor, F C Thomson, H Thomson, J Thorpe, J Toone, G D R Tucker, C Washington, W F H Waterfield, M L Webber, P J Wheeler, H Wildey, L A Williams, J W Wilson, D L Young, P J Young.