Period Changes in delta Scuti Stars: rho Puppis

Volume 37 number 1 (2009)

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Terry Moon

Astronomical Society of South Australia (ASSA) GPO Box 199, Adelaide,

Coen van Antwerpen

8 Carman Close, Hillbank, South Australia 5112, Australia

Abstract

Using new and published photometric observations of ρ Pup spanning 62 years, a period of pulsation of 0.14088143(3) day was determined. Unfortunately the value for the period of ρ Pup listed in the GCVS appears to be inconsistent with the value determined from this extensive body of data. The epoch given by Struve et al. (1956) at HJD 2435560.756 was chosen from existing epochs as it displays the maximum light near the middle of the magnitude-phase plot. Additionally, it was determined that any period change for ρ Pup is within ± 8 × 10-9 yr–1, although a period change arising from evolution of this star would be expected to be positive in the sense of the period lengthening.