Binary star research using „microtelescopes“

Miloslav Zejda, Zdeněk Mikulášek, Jiří LiškaMasaryk University Brno, Czech Republic

Petr Svobodaprivate observatory, Brno, Czech Republic

KOLOS 2011, Kolonica, December 1, 2011

first telescopes – diameter only several cm!

Galileo & Castelli:discoveries of binaries or multiple systems: Mizar (1616),

J1 Orionis – Trapez (1617) b Scorpii …

Variable stars observations (in modern history since 1596)

Means:

• naked eye – limits – 6-7 mag, • telescope + eye – 1844 Argelander• telescope + photography – 1881 Draper – 14.7 mag• telescope + photoelectric photometer

1892 Monck, 1907 Stebinns• 1946 Kron, early 50‘s Johnson & Morgan UBV• telescope + CCD – 1979 – Kitt Peak NO

Silicon age

spread of objective measurements among many observatories and amateur astronomers

increasing number of photometric measurements observing of fainter and fainter objects

HOWEVER stars brighter than 6 mag are too bright

=> lack of observations of bright stars!

Do we need observations of bright stars?

yes, indeed!

Why?

• variability of bright stars is usually known for a long time => unique possibility to study long-term variations

• usage of different methods except photometry

objections?

surveys – ASAS… - monochromatic, unsatisfactory time resolutionspace missions – Hipparcos – good, but old, time resolution

Kepler, COROT – excellent jobs, but …GAIA – bright limit 6 magnano-satellite – BRITE project

solution?

• return to Galileo‘s size telescopes=> usage of micro/nanotelescopes• „windows astronomy“• „balcony astronomy“

• break down the prejudices• suitable for amateurs and small

observatories

Advantages: • cheap acquisition• cheap and efficient practise• excellent opportunity to obtain unique long sets of observations • possibility for students and travellers

suggestions?• to equip the observers with a kit (CCD, photometric filters, nanotelescope)

• tell them what and how they should observe (targets, filters, time resolutions…)

• establish a network of observers – see for an example http://var.astro.cz

Examples of usage nanotelescopes

Minima timings of eclipsing binaries

J. Liška: RF 0.04m + CCD ATIK 16IcP. Svoboda; 0.035m refractorCCD SBIG ST7 filter I

TW Dra

NO Pup

Phe

DI = 0.15 mag

SAAO 0,5m + single-channel PEPMJUO 0,6m + single-channel PEP

L. C. Watson, J. D. Pritchard, J. B. Hearnshaw,P P. M. Kilmartin and A. C. Gilmore: MNRAS 325, 143–150 (2001)

J. Liška: 0.04m refractor + CCD G2-0402

Light curves

P. Svoboda; 0.035m refractor, CCD SBIG ST7

amplitude DV≈ 0.02 mag

P. Svoboda; 0.035m refractor, CCD SBIG ST7

HD 1438 (And)

It is worth to do it!

Thank you for your attention!

In the presentation we used observations and materials from:

VSES archiveNYX archivepersonal archives of authorsMNRAS 325, 143–150 (2001)NASA ADS servisewebpages: http://ccd.mii.cz

http://var.astro.czhttp://www.astronomie2009.czhttp://en.wikipedia.org

and others

Your notes are welcome!

zejda@physics.muni.cz