Proposal #300

Star names:
SY Dra
V Dra
Z Cep

Predicted approximate magnitude ranges in coming months:
SY Dra: 13.0 - 15.0 V
V Dra: 12.5 - 14.5 V
Z Cep: 13.5 - 15.5 V
Minimum and maximum magnitudes of these stars (in V band according to VSX) are shown in the target chart below.

Requested filters:
SY Dra: B, V, R, I
V Dra: V
Z Cep: V

Exposition times:
The best possible in telescope owner's opinion. I request two (2x) images per filter to be made during every run (and uploaded to my VPhot account).

Observation cadence:
SY Dra, V Dra, Z Cep: Weekly - once for 7 days preferably (all of them are Miras).

Observations start date:
As soon as possible.

Expiration date (YYYY-MM-DD format):
SY Dra: 2023-04-01 (in the future will probably want to extend expiration date for this star)
V Dra: 2023-04-01
Z Cep: 2023-04-01

SY Dra, V Dra, Z Cep are stars that I have been observing visually at astronomical observatory. They have gone too faint recently - this circumstance excludes them from my observing program for now and I would like to know when I could visually observe them again. They start rising in brightness rather abruptly. The plan is to make photometry measurements of V Dra and Z Cep for about 3 months - as long as they cannot be seen with my high school's observatory's main equipment - Celestron CPC 925.

I'm a high school student and this is my first AAVSOnet proposal. I have learned VPhot software on my own and being eager to test newly acquired skills. I'd like to have a start in the field.

SY Dra is a poorly investigated star. Only 501 observations have been reported to AAVSO so far (only 3 of them are in three bands). For example, Thomas Karlsson's "O-C diagram of Mira stars" website does not contain any information on it. Therefore, my idea is to gain more data (in BVRI bands, not only V) on SY Dra in upcoming months and analyse it in detail.

I'd like to point out that SY Dra and V Dra might be temporarily difficult to observe as their altitude is low (<30°) for most of the night (from perspective of most AAVSOnet telescopes). However, even mediocre SNR is acceptable for me. BSM-NH2 is probably the best suited site for this proposal.

All data would be submitted to AAVSO database after VPhot analysis.

Krzysztof Zieliński (ZKRA)