The Visual Observation of some interesting Long Period Variable Stars

Presenter(s): Andrew Pearce

Affiliation(s): AAVSO, VSS

Session details: Friday, 2016-03-24 23:00:00, LT106

Abstract

The presentation describes the author’s long term visual monitoring program of a large number of long period variables between declination 10S and 60S. It discusses the aims of the program, the simple telescopic equipment being used and some initial results and insights. It hopes to dispel the myth that long period variable stars are predictable and mundane with some examples of stars which show humps on the ascending portions of their light curves, standstills as well as the useful activity of establishing periods and amplitudes for some lesser known southern NSV stars.

Biography

Andrew Pearce has been visually observing variable stars from WA on and off since 1982 with simple equipment with less than ideal skies within 7 kms of the Perth CBD.