August's Featured Variable: R Star Finder Chart Aquilae in Aquila the Eagle for R Aquilae
I bet you have seen a star twinkling —the air You can estimate a star's brightness surrounding Earth makes it look like the (magnitude), but first note: in star comparison star is sparkling! Even if we went to outer and finder charts like below or on space, we could see many stars change www.aavso.org/featured-variables: brightness. • brighter stars are indicated by larger dots “Variable stars" continuously dim, brighten, and dim. Some complete this pattern in • the brighter the star, the lower the under a second, while others take years. magnitude number to enable anyone, anywhere, to • any magnitudes given are to the nearest tenth—but without a decimal point, participate in scientific discovery One variable star YOU can see this month is R Aquilae, located off the trailing edge of the which could be confused as a star. So, 88 through variable star astronomy western wing of Aquila the Eagle. It is about 5 = magnitude 8.8. degrees south of Zeta Aquilae, the wing tip. Find two comparison stars close to your American Association of Variable Star Observers given variable star's brightness—one brighter At its brightest, R Aquilae is visible to the 49 Bay State Road, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA and one dimmer. Then observe in the night naked eye as a dim, red star. Dimmed, it is Telephone: +1 (617) 354-0484 sky: is the variable's brightness half-way just visible in binoculars. Its period from one www.aavso.org | [email protected] between the two comparisons'? A quarter? dimming to the next is about 270 days, but this has been decreasing at an average rate of Really close? Apply that fraction to the 9 hours per year since first known in 1915. difference between the two magnitudes and you estimated the star's brightness for that To view the "Summer Triangle," which time! includes this star, find two more stars: This finder chart will help you find R Aquilae in the night sky. The icon indicates the Beta Lyrae (a.k.a. Sheliak) in the constellation location of R Aquilae. Lyra, the Harp. It is even visible in light- polluted urban skies! It is at the southwest corner of the parallelogram of bright stars that make up the Lyra constellation.
Chi Cygni in Cygnus the Swan nearby!
Time Magnitude ______AAVSO can help YOU About the AAVSO Connect with the AAVSO become a citizen astronomer!
The American Association of Variable Star Who are AAVSO Members? Discover the benefits of membership and Observers (AAVSO) is an international join us! nonprofit organization of citizen and A citizen scientist—contributes to science professional astronomers interested in stars by acquiring data on variable objects and https://www.aavso.org/join-aavso#benefits that change in brightness—variable stars. submitting them to our databases, or other activities, such as data mining. Benefits include being able to participate in From its earliest days in 1911, AAVSO An educator or mentor—teaches our mentor program: beginners are paired members have included some of the most observing skills to fellow AAVSO observers, with an experienced observer for guidance prolific astronomers of the 20th & 21st through instructing AAVSO CHOICE courses and techniques: centuries. or being a mentor. https://www.aavso.org/mentor-program
AAVSO Databases A student—is learning how to find a star, * * * * * set up a telescope, observe, submit data, or AAVSO International Database (AID): The is increasing their astronomy knowledge AAVSO Tools for Beginner Observers: largest and most comprehensive digital variable star database in the world, with over A professional astronomer— uses AAVSO Beginner Tutorials: aimed at those with 43 million variable star observations—a free data and services to advance their research absolutely no experience, these introduce resource for the entire scientific community An AAVSO Ambassador—a student or variable star science basics and then provide Variable Star Index (VSX): a collection of up- young professional representing AAVSO "challenges" for you to apply the concepts: to-the-minute data on over 200,000,000 through astronomy education and activities https://www.aavso.org/tutorials specific variable stars Interested in becoming an ambassador? AAVSO Online Forum: talk to peers for Spectroscopy Database: spectroscopic • www.aavso.org/ambassador-program advice: https://www.aavso.org/forum observations of stars • Email [email protected] Solar Database: Sudden Ionospheric * * * * * Observing Manuals: each one is dedicated Disturbance (SID) Database, and data relating You, your friends, and colleagues are also to a type of observing, including visual, CCD, to sunspot observations invited to join us for: DSLR, Spectroscopy, Solar, and more: https://www.aavso.org/observing-manuals Exoplanet Database: long-term follow-up AAVSO's free-to-all 2021 Webinar Series! information on planets orbiting other stars Come to one or all! Most Saturdays of the year. CHOICE Courses: peer-taught informal See the schedule and sign up: online observing courses: https://www.aavso.org/choice-astronomy https://www.aavso.org/2021-webinars Community Explore Education Let’s connect and explore