Photometry of Z Tauri to Minimum

Volume 37 number 2 (2009)

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Walt R., Jr. Cooney

Arne A. Henden

AAVSO, 49 Bay State Road, Cambridge, MA 02138

John Gross

Dirk Terrell

Abstract

The long period Mira variable, Z Tauri, was followed to near minimum magnitude in late 2006 and early 2007. Z Tau reached a minimum V magnitude of 18.0, well below the minimum of about 14 as found in the archival AAVSO data. Photometry from previous minima at the USNO confirm similar minima in previous cycles. The presence of a close companion star resulted in the erroneous minima derived from the visual data. A preliminary phased light curve of a field star located near Z Tau that was found to be variable is also presented.