The Z CamPaign: Year 1

Volume 39 number 1 (2011)

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Mike Simonsen

AAVSO, 49 Bay State Road, Cambridge, MA, 02138; mikesimonsen@aavso.org

Abstract

The Cataclysmic Variable Section of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) has initiated an observing campaign to study a subset of dwarf novae (DNe), known as Z Cam type (UGZ). We call this program the Z CamPaign. Since there is no strong agreement between the various published catalogues as to which few dozen DNe are actually Z Cam type systems, our primary goal is to accumulate enough data to construct detailed light curves, covering the entire range of variability, to determine unequivocally the 30 Z CamPaign subjects' membership in the UGZ class of DNe. We discuss the organization, science goals, and some early results of the Z CamPaign in detail.