Light Curve Analysis of Eclipsing Binary Stars LX Leo, V345 UMa, and MU Leo

Volume 50 number 1 (2022)

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Lauren Hoffman

Truman State University, 100 E. Normal Street, Kirksville, MO, 63501; gokhale@truman.edu

Vince Mazzola

Truman State University, 100 E. Normal Street, Kirksville, MO, 63501; gokhale@truman.edu

Vayujeet Gokhale

Truman State University, 100 E. Normal Street, Kirksville, MO, 63501; gokhale@truman.edu

Abstract

We present light curve analysis of three eclipsing binary stars, LX Leo, V345 UMa, and MU Leo, using data collected at the 31-inch NURO telescope at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, in three filters: Bessell B, V, and R. We generate truncated twelve-term Fourier fits for the light curves to: a) confirm that LX Leo and V354 UMa are W UMa type, and MU Leo is an Algol type eclipsing binary star system and, b) quantify the light curve asymmetries exhibited by each of these systems in each filter. The asymmetries in the light curves are quantified by calculating the difference in the heights of the primary and secondary maxima (ΔI), the “Light Curve Asymmetry” (LCA), and the “O’Connell Effect Ratio” (OER). Of the systems studied here, we find that V354 UMa has the most symmetric curve and LX Leo has the most asymmetric curve. We also find that for each object, generally, the asymmetries are more pronounced in the B-filter. NOTE: The authors of this article have posted an erratum: https://app.aavso.org/jaavso/article/3848/