New Life for the Bright Star Monitors (Abstract)

Volume 48 number 2 (2020)

Arne A. Henden

ahenden@gmail.com

Abstract

(Abstract only) In 2009, the AAVSO created the Bright Star Monitor (BSM), an inexpensive CCD system optimized for stars brighter than 8th magnitude. Over the next few years, several more of these robotic systems were installed at urban sites around the world. Thanks to long-term equipment loans from the Tzec Maun Foundation and the availability of low cost CMOS cameras, we have upgraded this network and expanded its capabilities. Free to AAVSO members, this network contributes about a half-million images per year to the astronomical community. I will describe the new hardware configuration and some upcoming software improvements, as well as some photometric results from the network.