The 2009 Eclipse of EE Cephei: An Educational and Collaborative Journey (Abstract)

Volume 37 number 2 (2009)

John Pye

Lauren Elder

Jeff Hopkins

Abstract

(Abstract only) In December 2008, Jeff Hopkins of the Hopkins Phoenix Observatory (HPO) put out a request for assistance in extracting data from images taken by the AAVSO SRO (Sonoita Research Observatory) of EE Cephei, an 11th magnitude (V) long period (5.6 years) eclipsing binary star system that was due to eclipse in January of 2009. The Hopkins Phoenix Observatory originally planned to do BVRI CCD photometry of EE Cep for the 2009 eclipse, but equipment and logistical changes at HPO meant the EE Cep project would not be possible. However, in the fall of 2008 Arne Henden of the AAVSO announced the availability of a remote robotic 16-inch telescope (the Sonoita Research Observatory) in southern Arizona for use by members of the AAVSO. Jeff Hopkins contacted Arne Henden and arrangements were made to have the EE Cep star system imaged with BVRI filters beginning in November 2008 and running through February 2009. Image files were archived on the AAVSO web site. Soon after his initial request went out, Jeff Hopkins was contacted by John Pye from Maui Community College, who agreed to help with the project by having one of his students, Lauren Elder, examine the image files and extract EE Cep and three comparison stars flux (ADU) counts for each band. The resulting data were then sent to the Hopkins Phoenix Observatory for data reduction and analysis. The project was a successful joint collaboration with forty nights of observations for over 300 BVRI data points from 20 November 2008 to 17 February 2009. Light curves for each band as well as color indices were plotted and eclipse contact points were determined. The data were also contributed to the EE Cep Campaign organized by Cezary Galan at the Centre for Astronomy at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun (Poland). Our results are plotted along with those of several dozen other observers from around the world.