Research Focus:
The LX200 is used almost exclusively for photometry with the SBIG ST-9 CCD camera. CCD observations focus primarily on variable stars, and eclipsing binaries (EBs) and RRLyrae stars are the main targets, though other types variable stars as well as other classed of objects are observed occasionally. One recent target of opportunity observed was an eclipse of one of Jupiter's satellites by another satellite. Every six years Jupiter and the earth are aligned such that Jupiter's four major satellites mutually eclipse and/or occult each other. On Feb. 10, 2003, this light curve
of Europa's shadow partially eclipsing Io was captured.
Current Research Projects:
- Monitoring RR Lyrae stars to discover those exhibiting Blazhko effect
- Photometry of double-mode (beat) Cepheids
- Photometry of multi-mode Delta Scuti stars
- Ongoing measurements of neglected EBs and RRLyraes
- Observations of faint LPV and CV stars in the AAVSO catalog
- Monitoring stars with planets for possible planetary eclipses
- Data collection and modeling of light curves for EBs with good RV measurments
Interesting Statistics About RHO Activity:
- 2007 CCD photometry statistics: 39823 images yielding 1,143,141 photometric measurements
- 2006 CCD photometry statistics: 56773 images yielding 1,194,750 photometric measurements
- 2005 CCD photometry statistics: 59000 images yielding 1,436,053 photometric measurements
- 2004 EB/RRLyrae CCD photometry statistics: 8434 measurements yielding 203 successful timings
- 2003 EB/RRLyrae CCD photometry statistics: 7970 measurements yielding 165 successful timings
- 2002 eclipsing binary CCD photometry statistics: 10278 measurements yielding 284 successful timings
- 2001 eclipsing binary CCD photometry statistics: 9037 measurements yielding 161 successful timings
- 2000 eclipsing binary CCD photometry statistics: 1873 measurements yielding 44 successful timings
- 1999-00 AAVSO visual observation statistics: 2838 observations, 505 inner-sanctum
- As of 01-Jul-08 the primary archive contained 273 CDs and 33 DVDs, or approximately 280GB of images. The Postgres table containing the image header information for all CDs and DVDs has 409,104 entries, and the photometry table has 5,131,003 rows
Publications
All articles (ADS author query)
Highlighted articles:
- "Times of Minima for Neglected Eclipsing Binaries 2006-2007", Dvorak, S., 2008IBVS.5814....1D
- "Times of Maxima for Selected Delta Scuti Stars", Klingenberg, G., Dvorak, S. W., Robertson, C. W., 2006IBVS.5701....1K
- "Serendipitous Photometric Observations of the October 2004 Lunar Eclipse", Dvorak, S., 2005JAVSO..34...72D
- "A New Cataclysmic Variable in Hercules", Price, A.; et.al, 2004PASP..116.1117P
- "Misidentified and Missing Southern Eclipsing Binaries", Dvorak S., 2004IBVS.5549....1D
- "Updated Elements for Southern Eclipsing Binaries", Dvorak S., 2004IBVS.5542....1D
- "The Double Supergiant Binary OW Geminorum", Terrell, D.; et.al., 2003AJ....126..902T
- "Times of Minima for Neglected Eclipsing Binaries in 2003", Dvorak S., 2003IBVS.5502....1D
- "Eclipsing Binaries Discovered on Stardial Images", Wils, P.; Dvorak, S. W., , 2003IBVS.5425....1W
- "Times of Minima for Neglected Eclipsing Binaries in 2002", Dvorak S., 2003IBVS.5378....1D
- "The 2002 Eclipses of OW Geminorum", Terrell, D.; Kaiser, D. H.; et.al, 2002AAS...201.0409T
- "Photometry of OW Gem", Kaiser, D. H.; Henden, A. A.; et.al, 2002IBVS.5347....1K
- "GSC 05178 01376: A New W UMa Variable", Dvorak, S., 2000IBVS.4945....1D
Last Updated: 15 Jul 2008