Nova Cygni 1975 (V1500 Cyg) in 2000–2009 and the nature of its synodic period

Multicolor photometric data are presented for the asynchronous polar V1500 Cyg during 2000–2009, i.e., 23–35 years after its outburst. Some examples of individual light curves of the system are shown. An analysis of these reveals large variations in its brightness and color with the phase of the orbital period owing to a “reflection effect” caused by reradiation from the side of the red dwarf facing the hot white dwarf and heated by its hard ultraviolet radiation. The variations in the O-C residuals and in the maximum intensity with the phase of the synodic period are illustrated. It is found that the amplitude A of the orbital fluctuations increases in proportion to the intensity I at a rate dA/dI=0.64. This behavior of V1500 Cyg is most likely caused by periodic shading of the illuminated part of the red dwarf, where the degree of shading depends on the phase of the synodic cycle.     

Present Understanding of the Light Curves of Symbiotic Binaries

We explain a complex behaviour of the light curves (LC) of symbiotic binaries on the basis of their spectral energy distribution (SED) in the optical domain. During quiescent phases we observe a wave-like variation of the optical light as a function of orbital phase. This is produced by the orbitally-related variation of the emission measure (EM) of the symbiotic nebula. During active phases this type of variability disappears, the continuum level increases by 2–3 magnitudes in U and, in the case of a highly inclined orbit, narrow minima – eclipses – in the LC can occur. These phenomena are connected with the creation of a cool pseudo-photosphere around the hot star, whose contribution is significant in the optical, while the nebula practically disappears.     

On the possibility of systematizing classical novae by light curve type. I. Type criteria

Nova light curves, plotted on “outburst amplitude-logarithm of main shell radius” axes, have differences that can be systematized. As a result of a survey of over 90 novae, nova groups that are typical in light curve shape have been distinguished: DQ Her, CP Pup, RR Pic, PU Vul, V1974 Cyg, CP Lac, and GQ Mus. The light curve criterion is supplemented by other characteristics. The DQ Her group includes only novae having dust formation in the ejected shell. The GQ Mus group combines certain novae with smooth light curves that are separated into several subgroups with respect to outburst amplitude and the duration of the light curve section before the transitional stage, but for which the linear section of the light curve has the same slope. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 42, No. 1, pp. 61–74, January–March, 1999.     

Photometric and Hα Observations of the Cataclysmic Star UX UMa

UBVRI photometry and spectroscopic observations around the H_α line of the cataclysmic star UX UMa are presented. The analysis of the 9-year photometry shows that the out-of-eclipse brightness of the system and the depth of the eclipse changes in different time scales while the width of the eclipse remains constant. The observed features of the light curves as well as the features of the two-peaked H_α profiles were attributed to an inhomogeneity of the accretion disk. “Spiral arm” model for a fitting of the light curves of UX UMa is proposed. It reproduces well the observational data. The obtained azimuthal extent of the spiral arms is of ∼90° and their light contribution is about 17–30of the total V flux of the disk. The obtained two dense structures at the outer disk covering partially the inner hot disk and the white dwarf at orbital phases ∼0.7 and ∼0.2 is in agreement with the predictions of the theoretical computations.     

Distributions of Geometrical and Physical Parameters of Contact Binaries

The distributions of geometrical and physical parameters from the CCBS (Catalogue of Contact Binary Stars) and the ASAS-3 (The All Sky Automated Survey) are discussed. The distributions of orbital periods of light curves for 374 contact binaries from the CCBS as well as 3590 contact binaries, selected by Fourier decomposition of 4216 eclipsing binaries from the ASAS-3 database, are similar. The maxima of the period distributions are between 0.31–0.40 days (0.25–0.32 days for W-type and 0.35–0.40 days for A-type) and 0.40–0.45 days for the CCBS and ASAS-3 dataset, respectively.     

Spot activity in the RS CVn binary UX arietis

Photoelectric observations of the RS CVn type non-eclipsing binary UX Arietis obtained at Nizamiah Observatory during the observing seasons of 1975–76, 1981–82 and 1982–83 are presented. The light curve of UX Ari showed a distortion wave with an amplitude inV varying from 0.02 mag during 1975–76 to 0.15 mag during 1982–83. An analysis of the available data shows that the light maximum is almost constant. It is also evident that the light-curve minimum decreases as the wave amplitude increases. The constant light at maximum,V = 6.51 ± 0.03 indicates the unspotted photospheric brightness. It is also suggested that the variation in meanV brightness is mainly due to spot activity and not due to intrinsic variation.     

First Ground-Based Photometry and Light Curve Analysis of the Recently Discovered Contact Binary Hx Uma

Photoelectric UBV light curves of the recently discovered eclipsing binary HX UMa were obtained and studied to determine the preliminary physical parameters of the system for the first time. The observations were taken at the TüBİTAK¹ – Turkish National Observatory (TUG) on three nights in April 2003. A simultaneous analysis of the light and radial velocity curves yields a typical A-type contact binary with a high degree of overcontact. The influence of the close visual companion to the total light of the system was taken into account during the analysis. ¹TüBİTAK: The Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey.     

V2213 Cyg is a New W Uma-Type System

V2213 Cyg was discovered as a variable star by Pavlenko (1999) in 1998. We present our photometry of V2213 Cyg from 1998–2003 based on CCD observations with the K-380 Cassegrain telescope of CrAO and the 60 cm Zeiss telescope of SAI. Observations have been carried out mostly in R and sometimes in B and V Johnson system. The total amount of data is 2270 points, covering ∼50 nights. We classify this binary as a W UMa-type contact system. Using all data we determined the orbital period to be 0.350079 ± 0.000007 day. The mean brightness varies between R = 14.35 and 14.05. The mean 1999–2003 orbital light curve has two humps and a primary minimum (I), which is 0.04 mag brighter than the deeper secondary one (II). The mean humps have slightly different height. The difference between two individual maxima varies within 0.1 mag, which may indicate an activity of the components. The highest hump is an asymmetrical one: it has sort of a shoulder at phases 0.75–0.80, before entering the less deep primary minimum (phase 0.0). The system is rather reddened, its colour indices are: B−V ∼ 0.8 and V−R ∼ 0.7, and give a spectral class of V2213 Cyg earlier than K.     

UBV photometry of X-ray system with M2 III type red giant V934 her (4U 1700+24)

V934 Her is a detached system, consisting of a cool giant and a neutron star. The neutron star accretes matter fromthe stellarwind of the giant.Multicolor photoelectric observationsmade in 1997–2011 revealed a 415-day period, close to that, discovered spectroscopically from radial velocities. This period is considered to be the orbital period of orbital motion of the neutron star around the red giant. The wave with this period in the U-band has the largest amplitude 0^m.12. We also detected multiperiodic pulsations of the red giant. The light curve in the V -band is dominated by a pulsation wave with the period of 28.82 days and the amplitude of 0^m.10.     

Features of the orbital variability in the brightness of the WZ Sge type dwarf nova V1108 Her

Results are presented from photometric studies of the dwarf nova V1108 Her conducted at the primary focus of the 2.6-m G. A. Shajn Telescope at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory during June-July 2008, 4 years after the 2004 outburst. An orbital period of 0.05672(4) days is found for the system. An analysis of observations made earlier during the 2004 outburst reveals an orbital signal which indicates that V1108 Her is an eclipsing system. The mass ratio of the secondary component to the white dwarf is estimated to be q = 0.068, which makes it highly likely that the secondary component of this system is a brown dwarf. The orbital light curves indicate a complex structure for the accretion disk whose radius has reached a 2:1 resonance. An explanation is suggested for a quasi-periodic modulation in the brightness at 1/4 of the orbital period observed in V1108 Her and other WZ Sge systems.     

Photometric Solution of the Eclipsing Binary V351 Pegasi

BVR light curves of the recently discovered eclipsing binary V351 Peg were studied to derive the preliminary physical parameters of the system. The light curves were obtained at the TüBİTAK* – Turkish National Observatory (TUG) during three nights in August, 2003. The solutions were made using Djurašević’s inverse problem method. V351 Peg is a system in an overcontact configuration (f _over∼ 21 %) with a relatively small temperature difference between the components ΔT ≈ 20 K. The results suggest a significant mass and energy transfer from the more massive primary onto the less massive secondary. The hot area on the less massive star, near the neck region, can be considered as a consequence of this mass and energy exchange between the components through the connecting neck of the common envelope. TüBİTAK: The Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey.     

Search for orbital motion of the pulsar 4U 1626–67: Candidate for a neutron star with a supernova fall-back accretion disk

We report here results from a new search for orbital motion of the accretion powered X-ray pulsar 4U 1626–67 using two different analysis techniques. X-ray light curve obtained with the Proportional Counter Array of the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer during a long observation carried out in February 1996, was used in this work. The spin period and the local period derivative were first determined from the broad 2–60 keV energy band light curve and these were used for all subsequent timing analysis. In the first technique, the orbital phase dependent pulse arrival times were determined for different trial orbital periods in the range of 500 to 10,000 s. We have determined a 3σ upper limit of 13 lt-ms on the projected semimajor axis of the orbit of the neutron star for most of the orbital period range, while in some narrow orbital period ranges, covering about 10% of the total orbital period range, it is 20lt-ms. In the second method, we have measured the pulse arrival times at intervals of 100 s over the entire duration of the observation. The pulse arrival time data were used to put an upper limit on any periodic arrival time delay using the Lomb-Scargle periodogram. We have obtained a similar upper limit of 10 lt-ms using the second method over the orbital period range of 500–10,000 s. This puts very stringent upper limits for the mass of the compact object except for the unlikely case of a complete face-on orientation of the binary system with respect to our line-of-sight. In the light of this measurement and the earlier reports, we discuss the possibility of this system being a neutron star with a supernovae fall-back accretion disk.     

Classification of the light curves of Mira variables

Based on an analysis of light curves of 223 long-period variables of the Mira Ceti type, recorded using the HIPPARCOS space telescope, it is shown that all the light curves of these stars can be divided by outward form into two groups: stars exhibiting simple light curves of sinusoidal shape and stars with complicated light curves, with hump-shaped formations on the ascending branch of the curve. Some observational parameters of the investigated stars display a tendency to separation into groups of stars with complicated and simple light curves. Stars with complicated light curves have longer periods, they are brighter in absolute bolometric magnitude, and there is a greater probability of detecting polarization in their light. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 541–554, October–December, 1999.     

On the possible fractal nature of blazar light curves

Optical light curves of three blazars are analyzed by Hurst’s method of normalized range. It is shown that Hurst’s empirical relationship is satisfied for these curves, in accordance with which the Hurst parameters are found for each curve. Assuming that blazar light curves have self-affinity, they determine the fractal dimensionality of the curves to be D ≈ 1.1. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 341–348, August, 1997.     

Stability in Period and Amplitude: The High-Amplitude δ Scuti Star YZ Boötis

The variability of period and amplitude of the high-amplitude δ Scuti star YZ Boo was thoroughly investigated based on a comprehensive analysis of new time-series photometry and other available data. Fourier analysis, O–Cdiagram, and wavelet analysis establish a clear picture for the star's time-dependent behavior in period and amplitude. We detected no additional frequencies being intrinsic to the variable or caused by amplitude/frequency modulation confirming its mono-periodicity. We reveal the pulsation of YZ Boo is quite stable in both period and amplitude over the past 50 years. Short-term variations at cycle level including “anomalous cycles” are present clearly, while long-term variations in period and amplitude at annual base are insignificant. However, we note an increment from 2000 to 2003 in both period and amplitude. In 2000 the amplitude reached the lowest. This is indicated by the Fourier and wavelet results. In the long term, O–Cfits and wavelet analysis agree with the Fourier results that the period change of YZ Boo is still inconclusive.     

New CCD photometry for the extreme lower mass-ratio binary AW Ursae Majoris

This paper presents charge-couple device (CCD) photometric observations for the eclipsing binary AW UMa. The V-band light curve in 2007 was analyzed using the 2003 version of the Wilson–Devinney code. It is confirmed that AW UMa is a total eclipsing binary with a higher degree of contact f=80.2% and a lower mass ratio of q=0.076. From the (O−C) curve, the orbital period shows a continuous period decrease at a rate of dP/dt=−2.05×10⁻⁷ d yr⁻¹. The long-term period decrease suggested that AW UMa is undergoing the mass transfer from the primary component to the secondary one, accompanied by angular momentum loss due to mass outflow L ₂. Weak evidence indicates that there exists a cyclic variation with a period of 17.6 yr and a small amplitude of A=0. ^d 0019, which may be attributed to the light-time effect via the third body. If the existence of an additional body is true, it may remove a great amount of angular momentum from the central system. For this kind of contact binary, as the orbital period decreases, the shrinking of the inner and outer critical Roche lobes will cause the contact degree f to increase. Finally, this kind of binary will merge into a single rapid-rotation star.     

Short time scale pulse stability of the Crab pulsar in the optical band

The fine structure and the variations of the optical pulse shape and phase of the Crab pulsar are studied on various time scales. The observations have been carried out on 4-m William Hershel and 6-m BTA telescopes with APD photon counter, photomultiplier based 4-channel photometer and PSD based panoramic spectrophotopolarimeter with 1 μs time resolution in 1994, 1999, 2003 and 2005–2006 years. The upper limit on the pulsar precession on Dec 2, 1999 is placed in the 10 s–2 hr time range. The evidence of a varying from set to set fine structure of the main pulse is found in the 1999 and 2003 years data. No such fine structure is detected in the integral pulse shape of 1994, 1999 and 2003 years. The drastic change of the pulse shape in the 2005–2006 years set is detected along with the pulse shape variability and quasi-periodic phase shifts. This work has been supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant No 04-02-17555), Russian Academy of Sciences (program “Evolution of Stars and Galaxies”), by the Russian Science Support Foundation, and by INTAS (grant No 04-78-7366).     

Activity Profile of the Sextantid Meteor Shower

The detailed activity profile of the Sextandids - one of the day-time meteor showers - is poorly known and still unclear. Using the forward-scatter radio technique we have successfully been able to obtain further detailed overall activity profile of the Sextantids for seven consecutive years: 1991–1997. Analysis confirmed the Sextantid activity duration in solar longitude (J2000) of at least 184–193° and the maximum solar longitude at 188.35 ± 0.10° with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 2.0 ± 0.2°. Performing the numerical integrations, we also substantiated a possibility of the association between Apollo-type asteroid (3200) Phaethon and the Sextantids. Furthermore, we roughly estimated relative maximum flux rate of Sextantids : Geminids as 1 : 3 amplitude ratio. Depending upon the flux rates and the time lags of the orbital evolution with Phaethon, we conclude that the Sextantids are at a more progressive stage of orbital evolution than the Geminids if both meteor streams are really associated with Phaethon. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Possible Connection Between the Variation of Light Curve and theChange of the Orbital Period in the Contact Binary CK Bootis

The O–C curve of the contact binary CK Boo have been analyzed with Kalimeris et al. (1994) method. It is shown that the orbital period is changing in a quasi-sinusoidal form with a period of about ∼ 14 yr superposed on a secular period increase. The correlation of the variations of the light level at MinI, MaxI and II in the light curve implies that the luminosity of secondary component is variable. Comparing the change of the quasi-periodic component in the orbital period with that of the secondary's luminosity, we find that the luminosity of the secondary component and the orbital period may vary with the same cycle length ∼14 yr; the variation of the secondary's luminosity is in the same phase with that of the orbital period. This connection is different from those of the RS CVn-type close binaries (e.g. CG Cyg, V471 Tau, RT Lac). The mechanisms that may have produced this relation of the variations of the orbital period and the luminosity of the secondary are also discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Model of the Dust Envelope of the Carbon Mira Star V CrB from Photometry,Infrared Spectroscopy,and Speckle Polarimetry

$$UBVJHKLM$$ photometry for the carbon Mira star V CrB are presented. The infrared observations were carried out in the time interval 1989–2018, while the $$U$$, $$B$$, and $$V$$ data were obtained in 2001–2014. The light and color curves are analyzed. The pulsation period of V CrB has been found to be $$355\overset{\textrm{d}}{.}2$$ in the infrared $$JHKLM$$ bands and $$352^{\textrm{d}}$$ for the optical $$BV$$ band. In the $$JHK$$ bands, apart from periodic pulsations, there are distinct sinusoidal variations in the average brightness level with a characteristic period of $${\sim}8300$$ days. Color–magnitude relationships have been revealed for the infrared and optical bands. The phase curves exhibit the wavelength dependence of the brightness variability amplitude. The light curves for various bands and colors are discussed. We have constructed the model of a spherically symmetric circumstellar dust envelope that allows the observed spectral energy distribution at both maximum and minimum light to be reproduced equally well (within the model assumptions) and is consistent with the observations of V CrB by differential speckle polarimetry. The model is characterized by the following parameters: the optical depth is $$\tau_{K}=0.33$$, the inner and outer radii of the envelope are 8 and 40 000 AU, respectively. The envelope contains spherical carbon dust grains ($$3/4$$ by mass) and silicon carbide dust grains. Dust grains with a radius of 0.5 $$\mu$$m account for $$90\%$$ of the envelope mass. The remaining $$10\%$$ of the mass is accounted for by finer dust with a grain radius of 0.1 $$\mu$$m. Based on the observational data, we have estimated the bolometric flux from V CrB: $$2.6\times 10^{-7}$$ and $$5.1\times 10^{-7}$$ erg cm$${}^{-2}$$ s$${}^{-1}$$ at minimum and maximum light, respectively. The effective temperature of the star is $$T_{\textrm{max}}=3000$$ K at maximum light and $$T_{\textrm{min}}=2400$$ K at minimum light.