Proposal #144

Young star objects in open clusters with star-forming regions are one of the most suggestive fields of photometry-related work available to the advanced amateur astronomer. The need for long-term monitoring of these regions is perfectly in line with the working method of amateur astronomy, and can also be part of Pro-Am observation campaigns thanks to the initiatives developed by various institutions.

For this reason, we request the observation during the summer months (July / September 2020) of one of these objects: the Berkeley 86 open cluster (within de Cygnus X region), an object well located during this time of year in the skies of the northern hemisphere. We would be interested in multi-band photometry (BVRI), with the characteristics described below.

Our observations, in addition to being forwarded to the AAVSO database, would form part of the project led by Dr. Dirk Froebrich of the University of Kent (UK) to monitor these types of objects: HOYS Citizen Science (Hunting Outbursting Young Stars). In this way, both the AAVSO and the AAVSOnet initiative would participate in an international project that would give visibility to these Pro-Am collaboration initiatives, with the commitment that in the papers that are published as a result of this observational campaign, the express mention of AAVSO participation in this campaign.

For all these reasons, we request the use of one of the AAVSOnet telescopes as follows:

- A multiband observation (B, V, R, I and Clear) be properly corrected with the usual flats, darks, bias.
- We suggest 5 exposures of 150 seconds in each filter every night.
- We request to obtain a complete series of images every 4 nights.
- We believe that the Arizona Sonoita Research Observatory telescope is the most suitable for this purpose.

We understand that it is a reasonable proposal because it is not necessary to use the telescope for a long time every night we ask for observations.

Thank you very much and best regards,
Juan-Luis Gonzalez Carballo (GCJ)