From jop at astro.columbia.edu Tue Jul 8 15:10:34 1997 From: jop at astro.columbia.edu (Joe Patterson) Date: Tue, 8 Jul 1997 15:10:34 -0400 (EDT) Subject: (cba:news) summer trinkets, and v sge Message-ID: <199707081910.PAA00330@tristram.phys.columbia.edu> Dear CBAers, July 7, 1997. Great campaigns on DQ Her and V503 Cyg going on now. But the DQ Her data, while of excellent quality, has pretty much told us everything we want and/or could ever learn. Namely, there is a fairly but not completely stable orbital waveform (see end of this letter), and there is no superhump (unless it is <0.025 mag semi-amplitude, or coincides with a 1-day alias to an accuracy <0.02 c/d). These are solid results and mean that it's time to quit. V503 Cyg is better. Although hanging around mag 17-17.5, the amplitude of the 109 min signal is very large at 0.9 mag, so we get good timing data anyway. At the end I attach one night's data from Bob Fried - pretty impressive! We'd like to keep watching it throughout the season, because we want to study the long-term timing effects. So basically, let's pepper this star with occasional nightly time series through December or so. We don't need the *continuous* coverage any more. Avoid outburst and superoutburst; quite difficult to get useful data then since the outbursting thing doesn't seem to know much about the 109 m signal (as we discussed earlier in the Harvey et al. 1995 paper). The most urgent and timely star is V Sagittae. This has been a low- priority target for years now, so has never gotten done. Maybe ('fess up) you folks have been scorning it because it's too bright to impress the neighbors with. Anyway, I'm writing up the other results (X-ray, spectroscopic, etc.) and it's now urgent to get a very dense time series for a few weeks on it. Let's do it now! The star has also cooperated by diving into a semi-low state (at magnitude 12.2); no previous time series have been obtained with the star this faint. From my reconaissance it looks like the most promising comp star is the V=13.13, B-V=0.40 star located 3.1 arcmin ESE from the variable. This is also a very good star for people new to our network, by the way. We still want to follow AM CVn and EC1533-1403 into the western twilight. One-hour time series will suffice to yield acceptable pulse timings under good conditions; two hours are needed under poor conditions. I estimate late July is the end of both seasons, though southerners (anyone down there still doing it?) could do mister EC for 4-6 more weeks. Finally, there's our old friend RX1940-10. Too southerly for the Europeans, and too faint for the small telescopes, but we want to keep tracking the 3.3 hr wave through October 1. Unfortunately our top three targets (V Sge, RX1940, V503 Cyg) have very similar RAs. I suggest that the Europeans and smaller telescopes should concentrate heavily on V Sge now, while the bigger scopes could select between the other stars, with coverage of V Sge in bright time (some coverage would be awfully nice to give a better longitude spread). Anyway I am most psyched for V Sge precisely now because I'm trying to get this paper beaten into shape. Make me a happy man! joe Now here's the average orbital waveform of DQ Her over the last 17 days. It's a funny looking thing, not quite resembling the waveforms recorded in the past. I dunno what to make of it. Orbital phase, Delta mag: .006 -2.6085 .016 -2.435063 .026 -2.189286 .036 -1.870052 .046 -1.631412 .056 -1.425606 .066 -1.263403 .076 -1.133649 .086 -1.069159 .096 -1.006228 .106 -.9204114 .116 -.8597136 .126 -.8597605 .136 -.8209498 .146 -.8256414 .156 -.8139953 .166 -.8286847 .176 -.8001378 .186 -.8108318 .196 -.803881 .206 -.800639 .216 -.7897092 .226 -.7730477 .236 -.7546591 .246 -.7684167 .256 -.7528352 .266 -.7376708 .276 -.7413386 .286 -.7403155 .296 -.7419331 .306 -.7468812 .316 -.7518453 .326 -.7286333 .336 -.7321488 .346 -.7189626 .356 -.7254566 .366 -.7047671 .376 -.6707221 .386 -.6900691 .396 -.6856071 .406 -.6696476 .416 -.6679889 .426 -.6645251 .436 -.6634535 .446 -.670595 .456 -.6636628 .466 -.6506196 .476 -.67495 .486 -.6660105 .496 -.6702794 .506 -.667255 .516 -.6633062 .526 -.6536176 .536 -.6525001 .546 -.6456429 .556 -.6538186 .566 -.6341058 .576 -.6419746 .586 -.6304075 .596 -.6410802 .606 -.6453045 .616 -.6325589 .626 -.6396251 .636 -.6439998 .646 -.6545833 .656 -.6713443 .666 -.6744501 .676 -.6956698 .686 -.69807 .696 -.6973623 .706 -.7061747 .716 -.6983125 .726 -.7062499 .736 -.6999118 .746 -.698948 .756 -.6847048 .766 -.6788549 .776 -.6885201 .786 -.6737176 .796 -.69029 .806 -.6916471 .816 -.6864895 .826 -.6916735 .836 -.69982 .846 -.7032041 .856 -.6814845 .866 -.6998351 .876 -.6894198 .886 -.708965 .896 -.7307091 .906 -.765516 .916 -.8349938 .926 -.932689 .936 -1.09568 .946 -1.309414 .956 -1.577079 .966 -1.891065 .976 -2.199688 .986 -2.4934 .996 -2.667965 1.006 -2.6085 1.016 -2.435063 1.026 -2.189286 1.036 -1.870052 1.046 -1.631412 1.056 -1.425606 1.066 -1.263403 1.076 -1.133649 1.086 -1.069159 1.096 -1.006228 1.106 -.9204114 1.116 -.8597136 1.126 -.8597605 1.136 -.8209498 1.146 -.8256414 1.156 -.8139953 1.166 -.8286847 1.176 -.8001378 1.186 -.8108318 1.196 -.803881 1.206 -.800639 1.216 -.7897092 1.226 -.7730477 1.236 -.7546591 1.246 -.7684167 1.256 -.7528352 1.266 -.7376708 1.276 -.7413386 1.286 -.7403155 1.296 -.7419331 1.306 -.7468812 1.316 -.7518453 1.326 -.7286333 1.336 -.7321488 1.346 -.7189626 1.356 -.7254566 1.366 -.7047671 1.376 -.6707221 1.386 -.6900691 1.396 -.6856071 1.406 -.6696476 1.416 -.6679889 1.426 -.6645251 1.436 -.6634535 1.446 -.670595 1.456 -.6636628 1.466 -.6506196 1.476 -.67495 1.486 -.6660105 1.496 -.6702794 1.506 -.667255 1.516 -.6633062 1.526 -.6536176 1.536 -.6525001 1.546 -.6456429 1.556 -.6538186 1.566 -.6341058 1.576 -.6419746 1.586 -.6304075 1.596 -.6410802 1.606 -.6453045 1.616 -.6325589 1.626 -.6396251 1.636 -.6439998 1.646 -.6545833 1.656 -.6713443 1.666 -.6744501 1.676 -.6956698 1.686 -.69807 1.696 -.6973623 1.706 -.7061747 1.716 -.6983125 1.726 -.7062499 1.736 -.6999118 1.746 -.698948 1.756 -.6847048 1.766 -.6788549 1.776 -.6885201 1.786 -.6737176 1.796 -.69029 1.806 -.6916471 1.816 -.6864895 1.826 -.6916735 1.836 -.69982 1.846 -.7032041 1.856 -.6814845 1.866 -.6998351 1.876 -.6894198 1.886 -.708965 1.896 -.7307091 1.906 -.765516 1.916 -.8349938 1.926 -.932689 1.936 -1.09568 1.946 -1.309414 1.956 -1.577079 1.966 -1.891065 1.976 -2.199688 1.986 -2.4934 1.996 -2.667965 And here's a recent nightly light curve of V503 Cyg, from Bob Fried. JD, Delta Mag 636.68523 0.3623 636.68606 0.5261 636.68771 0.5597 636.68853 0.5820 636.68935 0.6049 636.69017 0.6624 636.69100 0.6805 636.69184 0.7788 636.69266 0.7142 636.69348 0.8009 636.69431 0.8383 636.69513 0.8277 636.69596 0.8231 636.69678 0.8814 636.69761 0.7855 636.69843 0.9931 636.69925 0.7617 636.70008 0.8202 636.70090 0.8272 636.70172 0.8875 636.70254 0.8192 636.70336 0.8838 636.70418 0.8139 636.70500 0.7260 636.70583 0.7558 636.70665 0.6817 636.70829 0.6678 636.70911 0.7819 636.70994 0.7157 636.71077 0.7011 636.71159 0.7881 636.71241 0.7246 636.71324 0.8373 636.71406 0.7977 636.71488 0.9810 636.71572 0.9564 636.71655 0.7972 636.71738 0.9237 636.71822 0.9426 636.71905 0.8774 636.71987 0.9376 636.72070 0.9701 636.72154 0.8686 636.72237 0.8922 636.72320 0.8059 636.72403 0.7186 636.72487 0.7186 636.72570 0.6938 636.72653 0.7320 636.72737 0.6906 636.72820 0.6584 636.72903 0.5607 636.72987 0.5680 636.73070 0.5999 636.73153 0.6121 636.73236 0.6749 636.73320 0.6489 636.73403 0.5885 636.73486 0.6085 636.73570 0.4678 636.73653 0.5080 636.73736 0.5009 636.73820 0.4877 636.73903 0.3900 636.73986 0.3174 636.74069 0.2803 636.74153 0.2084 636.74236 0.2408 636.74319 0.1654 636.74403 0.1510 636.74486 0.1807 636.74653 0.1037 636.74736 0.0506 636.74819 0.0394 636.74902 0.0544 636.74986 0.0143 636.75069 0.1312 636.75152 0.0696 636.75236 0.1681 636.75319 0.1018 636.75402 0.0483 636.75486 0.0602 636.75569 0.0943 636.75652 0.0846 636.75735 0.1093 636.75819 0.1025 636.75902 0.1320 636.75985 0.2150 636.76067 0.3630 636.76151 0.3757 636.76234 0.3556 636.76317 0.3758 636.76401 0.4248 636.76484 0.4234 636.76567 0.5385 636.76651 0.6139 636.76733 0.5298 636.76816 0.5464 636.76899 0.7228 636.76983 0.6640 636.77065 0.7192 636.77148 0.7470 636.77231 0.8482 636.77315 0.7478 636.77398 0.6973 636.77481 0.7288 636.77565 0.7844 636.77647 0.7377 636.77730 0.7985 636.77813 0.7551 636.77897 0.7258 636.77980 0.7891 636.78062 0.7427 636.78145 0.6914 636.78229 0.7912 636.78312 0.7059 636.78395 0.7496 636.78478 0.7110 636.78561 0.6536 636.78644 0.6694 636.78727 0.6675 636.78811 0.7223 636.78894 0.7442 636.78976 0.7416 636.79059 0.7755 636.79143 0.7535 636.79211 0.7584 636.79294 0.7616 636.79377 0.7988 636.79461 0.7177 636.79544 0.7229 636.79627 0.8011 636.79711 0.7832 636.79794 0.7517 636.79877 0.7590 636.79961 0.7259 636.80044 0.6560 636.80127 0.5395 636.80210 0.5181 636.80294 0.5380 636.80377 0.5906 636.80460 0.4688 636.80544 0.4768 636.80627 0.5205 636.80710 0.5310 636.80794 0.5762 636.80877 0.5170 636.80960 0.4713 636.81043 0.4652 636.81127 0.4992 636.81210 0.4984 636.81293 0.4029 636.81377 0.4274 636.81460 0.3599 636.81543 0.3653 636.81627 0.3221 636.81710 0.3457 636.81793 0.3523 636.81876 0.3034 636.81960 0.2517 636.82043 0.2346 636.82126 0.1790 636.82210 0.1424 636.82293 0.1535 636.82376 0.1469 636.82459 0.1023 636.82543 0.1082 636.82626 0.1400 636.82709 0.1084 636.82793 0.0812 636.82876 0.1174 636.82959 0.1644 636.83043 0.0872 636.83126 0.0683 636.83209 0.1515 636.83292 0.1576 636.83375 0.1550 636.83458 0.1775 636.83541 0.2310 636.83625 0.2248 636.83708 0.2431 636.83791 0.3185 636.83873 0.4270 636.83955 0.4291 636.84039 0.4464 636.84122 0.5566 636.84204 0.5887 636.84286 0.5421 636.84370 0.5699 636.84453 0.6680 636.84536 0.6114 636.84618 0.6800 636.84700 0.7905 636.84784 0.7784 636.84867 0.7095 636.84949 0.7680 636.85031 0.7324 636.85115 0.8004 636.85198 0.7166 636.85281 0.8041 636.85363 0.7853 636.85446 0.7199 636.85529 0.6495 636.85612 0.6767 636.85694 0.8032 636.85776 0.7002 636.85859 0.6678 636.85941 0.7388 636.86023 0.6739 636.86105 0.7184 636.86187 0.7084 636.86269 0.8011 636.86353 0.7156 636.86435 0.7755 636.86517 0.7568 636.86599 0.7079 636.86682 0.7993 636.86764 0.7604 636.86929 0.6356 636.87011 0.7326 636.87093 0.6558 636.87176 0.6792 636.87258 0.7327 636.87341 0.7851 636.87423 0.7243 636.87506 0.7401 636.87588 0.7124 636.87670 0.6426 636.87752 0.6189 636.87835 0.6183 636.87917 0.5181 636.88000 0.4910 636.88082 0.3858 636.88164 0.4540 636.88330 0.4164 636.88412 0.4295 636.88494 0.4583 636.88659 0.4798 636.88742 0.3626 636.88824 0.3964 636.88907 0.3763 636.88989 0.3957 636.89071 0.3592 636.89153 0.3443 636.89237 0.3439 636.89319 0.2949 636.89401 0.3154 636.89483 0.2707 636.89567 0.2962 636.89649 0.1703 636.89732 0.1425 636.89814 0.1333 636.89897 0.1341 636.89981 0.0182 636.90063 0.0879 636.90146 0.0261 636.90230 0.0008 636.90312 0.0376 636.90394 0.0827 636.90477 0.0483 636.90560 0.0484 636.90644 0.1070 636.90727 0.1041 636.90810 0.0915 636.90892 0.0873 636.90976 0.1282 636.91059 0.1000 636.91142 0.1693 636.91224 0.2195 636.91307 0.3063 636.91473 0.3198 636.91556 0.3796 636.91640 0.4504 636.91806 0.5047 636.91890 0.6488 636.91973 0.6367 636.92056 0.5724 636.92140 0.6821 636.92223 0.6510 636.92306 0.6755 636.92389 0.7290 636.92473 0.7350 636.92556 0.7272 636.92639 0.7672 636.92723 0.7946 636.92806 0.8131 636.92889 0.8473 636.92973 0.8316 636.93056 0.8630 636.93139 0.8082 636.93222 0.8287 636.93306 0.8112 636.93389 0.7710 636.93472 0.8072 636.93556 0.8684 636.93639 0.8517 636.93722 0.9159 636.93806 0.7806 636.93889 0.6996 636.93972 0.7412 636.94055 0.8153 636.94139 0.7204 636.94222 0.8040 636.94305 0.7580 636.94389 0.7844 636.94472 0.9135 636.94555 0.9052 636.94639 0.8043 636.94722 0.7883 636.94805 0.8206 636.94888 0.8461 636.94972 0.8585 636.95055 0.8386 636.95138 0.8470 636.95222 0.8030 636.95305 0.7383 636.95388 0.6871 636.95472 0.7119 636.95555 0.6541 636.95638 0.6610 636.95721 0.5663 636.95805 0.5832 636.95888 0.5583 636.95971 0.5177 636.96055 0.6400 636.96138 0.6805 636.96221 0.5526 636.96305 0.4863 636.96388 0.4567 636.96471 0.4183 636.96554 0.3341 636.96638 0.4192 636.96721 0.5018 636.96804 0.5650 636.96888 0.4369 636.96971 0.6045 636.97054 0.4341 636.97137 0.3702 636.97221 0.2012 636.97304 0.2422 636.97387 0.2369 636.97471 0.1670 636.97554 0.1546 636.97637 0.0699 636.97721 0.3251 636.97804 0.2542 636.97887 0.3291  From jop at astro.columbia.edu Fri Jul 25 23:48:55 1997 From: jop at astro.columbia.edu (Joe Patterson) Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 23:48:55 -0400 (EDT) Subject: (cba:news) summer drought Message-ID: <199707260348.XAA28261@tristram.phys.columbia.edu> Dear CBAers, I fear that summer vacations and a few hardware problems have dulled the usual voracious vigilance of the CBA. But I hope you'll return refreshed and eager for ever more daunting forays into our favorite stars. Priorities haven't changed. I'm still really, really keen on V Sge. RX1940-10 and V503 Cyg are long-term season's projects for the bigger telescopes. And I'm getting hungry! Joe