Photometry and astrophysical modelling of the Eclipsing Binary BC Gruis
Presenter(s): David Moriarty
Affiliation(s): AAQ, VSS, UQ
Session details: Friday, 2016-03-25 00:35:00, LT106
Abstract
BC Gruis is an over-contact system with the components differing by about 9% in temperature and thus displaying uneven eclipse depths. The orbital period has changed since discovery, which may be due to error in the original determination and also possible mass exchange and/or the effects of a third component. A third component in the system, revealed by spectroscopy, has been reported from the ESO and may contribute to variability in the orbital period. An astrophysical model was developed by Plewa & Kaluzny in 1992 before the 3rd component was discovered. A revised model will be presented.
Biography
David has been an amateur astronomer since about 1955 as a member of ASSA (until 1969). He has been a member of the AAQ for more than 30 years; also a member of VSS and AAVSO. He is currently retired, but is a Professor Emeritus and Honorary Senior Fellow in the UQ School of Maths & Physics (although his field of research has been aquatic microbial ecology and biochemistry!)