Period variations in BZ Eridani

The O-C diagram of BZ Eri has been presented for the first time, and the period variations present in the system have been analysed. In all, eight period decreases and eight period increases are noticed. Of these, four period decreases and seven period increases are appreciable. The strongest period changes are noticed in the interval 1960 to 1962. The total period change in different portions of the O-C diagram ranges from 1.17×10^–3 d to 3.96×10^–6 d. The trend of the period variation appears to have reversed around the year 1980.     

Photoelectric study of the eclipsing system CD Eridani

Limiting photometric solutions for the system CD Eri inB andV filters have been obtained. The secondary minimum was found to be absent.     

Period variations in BZ Eridani?

Recent claims that strong period variations are indicated in the O–C diagram of the eclipsing binary BZ Eri are shown to be based on a gross overestimation of the accuracy of photographic and visual times of minima. There is no evidence for any period change within the last fifty years.     

Multicolor Photometric Study of the NOVA V1494 Aql in 2002

R and I band CCD observations of the nova V1494 Aql during July-November 2002 are reported and the V, R, and I light curves are analyzed. The orbital light curve of this nova has an eclipse-like form with two unequal humps before and after the eclipse. The approach to the eclipse lasts twice as long as the emergence from it. The overall duration of the eclipse is about 0.45P _orb. The depth of eclipse increases with wavelength and averages 0^m.3 (V), 0^m.5 (R), and 0^m.7 (I). The secondary, shallow minimum has an average depth of 0^m.1 in R and I and about 0^m.03 in V. The hump at phase 0.65 is higher than the one at phase 0.17. The most probable explanation for the observed variations in the light with the phase of the orbital period may be self eclipsing of the accretion column in the magnetic exploding variable (white dwarf) together with partial eclipsing of the accretion region by the secondary component.     

A note on the BBSAG visual observations

This Letter contains some comments on the communication by Diethelm and Locher (1988) concerning the period variations in the eclipsing binary systems EE Aqr, BZ Eri, IZ Per, and VZ Hya. Significance of the BBSAG visual observations has been discussed.     

Orbital Light Curve of the Peculiar Binary V Sagittae in ExtendedHigh States of Brightness

We have analyzed the orbital modulation of V Sge in two intervals, each several years long, when the long-term light curve was relatively flat, in extended high state of brightness, and displayed just minor fluctuations. We used extensive sets of the visual AAVSO data. The two-sided moving averages with various values of Q were applied to the data folded with the orbital photometric phase – it allowed to pick out the general properties of the orbital component of the variations. We found that the modulation is always present but its shape near the secondary minimum (phase 0.5) remarkably varies for the two respective intervals. The secondary minimum is very prominent in one interval, but is almost absent in other interval. The standard deviation of brightness, computed for each bin of the folded light curve, displays variations through the orbital phase and has its minimum near phase 0.6. All these findings are confirmed for various values of Q. We argue that the source of the scatter of the orbital modulation is located in the lobe of the primary between its center and the L ₁ point, shifted slightly from the line of centers of the stars. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Spectral investigation of some Be stars for NRP variability

Spectroscopic observations of the Be stars Eri, Oph, 66 Oph, and Ori for the period 1982–1988 are reported. The NRP hypothesis was verified on the ground of rapid line profile variability, radial velocities, and equivalent widths. The star Eri is pulsating in bothl=2 andl=8 with period 0 _. ^d 7. Pulsation in modesl=2 andl=4 are observed in Hei profiles of Oph for May 1982. For radial velocities has been obtained a period 0 _. ^d 913. The H and H lines of 66 Oph for April–August 1983 are in emission state with two clearly expressed components with intensity variations. All the parameters measured have the same period of variation — 0 _. ^d 025. For Ori variations in line profiles for component Ab have been observed and a period of 0 _. ^d 463 found for the radial velocities.     

A photometric and spectroscopic study of the short-period eclipsing binary BV Eridani

UBV observations of the short-period eclipsing binary BV Eri are reported and analyzed. The radial velocity curve is given. The system shows a light curve distortion, making an analysis difficult. The secondary fills its critical Roche lobe. The system seems to be in an interesting evolutionary.     

Magnetic fields and rotation of the white dwarfs 40 Eri B and WD 0009+501

We describe the results of our magnetometric monitoring of two white dwarfs: 40 Eri B and WD 0009+501. We found periodic variations in the longitudinal magnetic field of 40 Eri B. The field variability with an amplitude of ～4 kG and a zero mean is discussed in terms of an oblique rotator model. The rotation period is ～5 h 17 min, but there is another period of 2 h 25 min that may be related to nondipolar field components. The published projected rotational velocities of 40 Eri B measured from a narrow non-LTE Hα peak V sin i?8 km s^?1 are in good agreement with our measurements of the magnetic field and the rotation period. The combined effect of magnetic and rotational broadening of the central Hα component constrains the rotation period, P? 5.2 h. We discovered the rotation period (1.83 h) of the magnetic white dwarf WD 0009+501. The period was found from the periodically varying magnetic field of the star with a mean 〈B_e〉 = ?42.3±5.4 kG and a half-amplitude of 32.0±6.8 kG.     

UBV photometry of the eclipsing binary RZ Eridani

U, B, andV observations of RZ Eri have been reported. Colours of comparison stars BD-10°994, BD-10°996 and of the variable RZ Eri have been presented. The observations of RZ Eri do not indicate the distortion wave in the light curve beyond observational scatter.     

Y Leonis: light curve solution revised and search for photometric variations of the primary minima

The interest in the study of the Algol binary system Y Leonis is justified not only by its light curve having a very deep primary minimum, and pulsating character of its primary component, but also by the complex behavior of its O–C curve which is featured by the presence of long and short time scale modulations. Taking into account the previously inferred K spectral type of the secondary component, one may expect that one of the involved periodicities could be related to magnetic cycles of this star. We gave the Wilson-Devinney solution of the eclipse light curve using our observational data obtained during 2009. The long- and short-term photometric variability of Y Leo is approached both through literature data and new CCD data. Even though these data are scarce, they revealed significant variability in the maximum and minimum brightness of this binary system at long time-scale. The nature of the rapid photometric variations during the deepest phase of primary minima can hardly be explained only by weak δ Scuti pulsations of the primary component which is still visible in partial eclipses.     

A Colliding-Winds Interpretation of the U Orbital Variation of the Symbiotic Binary AG Pegasi

The photometric U orbital variations of the symbiotic binary AG Peg, caused by occultation of a bright gaseous region by the M giant in this system, are used to determine the geometry of this region whose existence is explained in the framework of the colliding winds model. The emission of the bright region varies and a particular value of its mean density of 2–3 10¹⁰ cm^-3 has been derived. The causes for the irregular variations of the light in the orbital minimum and maximum are discussed. It is also obtained, when the mass-loss rate of the hot companion of the system decreases to about 5 10^-10 Ms _⊙ yr^-1, this bright region will disappear. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The early-type variables

We review the observational status of several different kinds of intrinsic variables among the early-type stars and attempt to interpret the variations in terms of our current understanding of stellar pulsation. Four distinct types of intrinsic variable can be defined: the Cep, 53 Per, Oph and Eri stars. A simple observational classification scheme, which is readily interpreted in terms of pulsation properties, is proposed. The limits of the instability strip and pulsation constants for the Cep and 53 Per stars is discussed. Problems with the interpretation of Eri stars in terms of pulsation are pointed out. The observations are consistent with rotational modulation. A problem with mode identification in Eri stars is discussed.     

A photometric study of BO Canum Venaticorum

Photometric BV light curves of BO CVn obtained in 1992 and new times of minima are presented. The primary minimum shows a transit, whereas the secondary minimum, shows an occultation. The system may be classified as an A‐type W UMa system. A complete study of minima allows one to detect a possibly increasing period by about 0.037 s/yr. This indicates that the conservative mass transfer rate from the less massive component to the more massive one is 1.57 10^—10M_⊙ /yr. Because of the variable period, the new ephemeris is determined for future observations. Using the Wilson‐Devinney code a simultaneous solution of the B and V light curves is also performed. The analysis shows that the system is in a contact configuration with q = 0.205 ± 0.001 and fillout factor (f) = 0.18, T₁ = 7240 K (fixed), T₂ = 7150± 10 K. The high orbital inclination i = 87°.54 ± 0.26 was con firmed by photometric observations of the secondary minimum.     

Observational studies of 12DD Lacertae

Analysis of the light curves of 12DD Lacertae obtained during the years 1918-'71 shows that the primary period,P ₁, is decreasing at the rate of about 1 s per 500 yr. The secondary period,P ₂, is nearly constant but the third and fourth periods,P ₃ andP ₄, appear unstable with some irregular changes in frequency and amplitude. It is confirmed that the color in the primary variation is bluest around the phase of a half quarter before maximum light, 0. ^P 875. The third variation also shows a similar tendency in color, while the secondary and fourth variations do not seem to show any meaningful color change, presumably indicating that the latter two are different from the pulsational nature of the primary and third variations. The method of power spectrum analysis is further applied to examine the structure of the multiperiodicity in more details and to search for any unknown periods in the light variation.     

Spectral and photometric observations of TT Ari. III.

The nova-like cataclysmic variable (CV) TT Ari was detected in its second deep minimum in November 2009. Study of its evolutionary phase is very important for research on the nature of CVs in the VY Scl group. During this phase the spectral energy distribution of the star changed rapidly. The emission lines of elements with high excitation, such as HeII λ4686 and NIII/CIII, as well as broad absorption in the hydrogen Balmer series, originating in the photosphere of the white dwarf or in the lower layers of an accretion disk, vanished. The average ratio of the intensities of the Balmer series emission lines in the normal state and in the deep low state can be explained in terms of a simple photoionization-recombination model. At the same time, the intensity ratios of the triplet-singlet levels of neutral helium, HeIλ5876/ HeIλ6678, differ greatly in the normal state of the star and in its deep minimum. In the deep minimum, the star’s spectrum contains only a very faint trace of the G band at a wavelength λ4300?, together with flarelike events with amplitudes up to Δm ≈ 2^m.0 or greater. These and some other observed characteristics indicate that during the deep minimum it is mainly emission from the secondary companion of the binary system, which is probably a T Tau star of an early K spectral class, that is observed.     

Seven years photometry of the W UMa‐type eclipsing binary V2612 Oph

We present the first long‐term Johnson UBVR observations and comprehensive photometric analysis of the W UMa‐type eclipsing binary V2612 Oph. Observations in the time interval between 2003 and 2009 enabled us to reveal the seasonal and long‐term variations of the light curve. Hence, we found that the mean brightness level of the light curve shows a variation with a period of 6.7 years. Maximum and minimum brightness levels of the light curve exhibit a variation from year to year which we attribute to a solar‐like activity. The O – C variation of eclipse timings of the system shows a decreasing parabolic trend and reveals a period decrease at a rate of P = 6.27×10^‐7 day yr^‐1 with an additional low‐amplitude sinusoidal variation that has a similar period as the long‐term brightness variations. Our light curve analysis shows that the system is a W‐subtype W UMa eclipsing binary. We calculated masses and radii of the primary and secondary components as M₁ = 1.28 M_⊙, M₂ = 0.37 M_⊙ and R₁ = 1.31 R_⊙, R₂ = 0.75 R_⊙, respectively. The derived absolute photometric parameters allow us to calculate a distance of 140 pc, which confirms that the system is a foreground star in the sky field of the Galactic open cluster NGC 6633. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Light variations of RT Lac during the last ten years

The RS CVn-type eclipsing binary star RT Lac has been observed inB andV colours, during 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1988 observing seasons. The orbital period of the system was found to be decreasing with an amount of 62 s century^–1. The brightnesses both at minima and maxima are changing with time. It seems that the variations of the brightnesses at mid-primary and second quarter are similar, but at second first quarters are opposite to each other. We believe that these variations are mainly related with the spots (or spot groups) located on the surface of the component star which is in front during the primary minimum. We also estimate the period of the spot activity cycle to be approximately six years.     

Eclipsing binary UW Bootis

Photometric observations of primary minimum inU, B, andV filters have been discussed. The amplitude of variation in all the three filters is 0 ^m .66. We do not find variations in the period and its revised value is 1^d.0047115.     

The new light curves and period study of AK Herculis

B andV observations of the W Ursae Majoris-type eclipsing variable system AK Her were made on five nights at the Ege University Observatory. Several times of minima were obtained during the observations and the new light elements were calculated. The light-time period was found to be about 75.72 years. The light curve of the system appears to change in each cycle for both colours. The secondary minimum of the system seems to be a total eclipse with a duration of about 42 ^m .5.