Alpha Com eclipse observing campaign
Abstract:
Drs. Matthew W. Muterspaugh and Gregory W. Henry (Tennessee State University) have requested AAVSO observers' assistance in monitoring the possible Algol-like binary star alpha Com before, during, and after the eclipse they have predicted for mid-to-late January 2015. The PIs will be using the Fairborn Observatory automated photometric telescopes on Mt. Hopkins in Arizona to monitor the event, but they are requesting additional observations not only to supplement theirs but also specifically to have good coverage in the event of bad weather at Mt. Hopkins.
Justification:
The precision photometry in the weeks before and after the eclipse is requested in order to catch possible evidence for planets or other materials around the eclipsing star. The PIs recommend using the comparison stars: HD 113848 (39 Com, HR 4946, HIP 63948, V=5.990, B-V=0.39, F4V) and HD 114520 (HIP 64312, V=6.820, B-V=0.46,F2II). They comment that "Both comparison stars are constant to one millimag (0.001 mag) or so on night-to-night and year-to-year timescales; the standard deviation between comparison stars for the complete 22 year dataset with over 2000 observations is only 0.0018 mag."
Requested Data Types:
Photometry
Targets
| Name | Magnitude | Variability Type | Photometry Notes | Spectroscopy Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| alf Com | 4.33 | EA: |
Cadence: Not Specified Precision: 100 |
Not Requested |
Spectroscopy Lines:
No spectroscopy lines provided
Photometry Filters:
No photometry filters provided
Comparison Stars:
No comparison stars provided
Co-Authorship
Observers are not eligible for co-authorship.
Additional Observer Input:
Not provided
Additional Submission Location:
Not provided
Forum URL
N/A
Notes:
Principal Investigator: Drs. Matthew W. Muterspaugh and Gregory W. Henry; Imported Campaign (Alert Notice #506)