The frequency of appearance of bright naked eye comets since 1750

It is a typical lament of the astronomers of today that there has been a dearth of bright comets in the 20th century and, particularly in its latter half. Many go on to point out the large number of very bright comets that were observed in the 18th and 19th century to reinforce the unfavourable comparison with modern times. Analysis of bright naked eye comet apparitions since 1750 demonstrates that there was a superavit of very bright comets in the second half of the last century. The second half of the twentieth century has shown exactly the average of one bright naked eye comet per 2.5 years that has been seen over two and a half centuries. The probable cause of theapparent lack of bright comets is the great increase in light pollution and the shift of population to the big cities. The observed statistics for the appearance of bright comets show no obvious evidence of perturbations of the Kuiper Belt by Planet X.     

Short-Period Features of the Interplanetary Plasma and Their Evolution

The solar wind plasma exhibits many features of the solar surface passed on to the interplanetary medium as temporal variations due to the solar rotation. The yearly average values of solar wind velocity, and geomagnetic index A _p during 1965–1999 were found to exhibit long period evolution. They were found to peak around the declining phase of each solar cycle. While the solar wind velocity peaks around the second half of the declining phase, the IMF field strength increases around the first half of the declining phase of each solar cycle. The power spectrum of these parameters shows peaks around 37-day, 30-day, 27-day, 13.5-day, 9-day, and 7-day periods. The temporal evolution of the power spectrum of the solar wind plasma parameters and the geomagnetic activity index A _p are also studied in detail and presented with the help of contour graphs. These studies indicate that the strength of the quasi-periodicities in the interplanetary medium evolves with time.     

Photometric modelling of close binary star CN And

The results of two color photometry of active close binary CN And are presented and analyzed. The light curves of the system are obviously asymmetric, with the primary maximum brighter than the secondary maximum, which is known as the O’Conell effect. The most plausible explanation of the asymmetry is expected to be due to spot activity of the primary component. For the determination of physical and geometrical parameters, the most new version of W-D code was used, but the presence of asymmetry prevented the convergence of the method when the whole light curves were used. The solutions were obtained by applying mode 3 of W-D code to the first half of the light curves, assuming synchronous rotation and zero eccentricity. Absolute parameters of the system were obtained from combining the photometric solution with spectroscopic data obtained from radial velocity curve analysis. The results indicate the poor thermal contact of the components and transit primary minimum. Finally the O-C diagram was analyzed. It was found that the orbital period of the system is changing with a rate ofd P/dt = − 2.2(6) × 10⁻¹⁰ which corresponds to mass transfer from more massive component to less massive with the rate ofd M/dt ∼4.82 × 10⁻⁸ M _sun/year.     

A photometric study of the eclipsing binary V 1073 Cygni

Photoelectric observations of the eclipsing binary V 1073 Cyg have been carried out inB andV colours at the Ege University Observatory. The light curves were analyzed with the Wilson-Devinney approach. A period study reveals that the orbital period of the system is decreasing at the rate of (3.21 ± 0.17) second per century.     

Second order rotational effect on the oscillation frequencies of V1162 Ori

V1162 is a δ-Scuti type variable star for which a rotational velocity of V  sini=46±4 km s⁻¹ has been observed. The star has been modelled according to its observed parameters and oscillation frequencies. The results obtained by approximating rotation to the first order have been compared with the ones provided by new calculations that include rotation up to the second order. We found that second order rotation term should be included in frequency calculations for comparatively high rotation speeds.     

Photometric Observations and Light Curve Studies of the Semi-Detached Eclipsing Binary R CMa

We present observations and light curve analysis of the eclipsing binary R CMa in the narrow band filters v and b. Observations were made during 1993 at Biruni Observatory and the light curves have been analyzed using the Wilson-Devinney light curve interpretation program. Assuming a semi-detached configuration for R CMa, the parameters i, Ω₁, L ₁, T ₂ and A ₂ were adjusted for the best fit between the synthesized light curves and observations. Both light curves were fitted well with a lower value of bolometric albedo than what would be expected for a normal cool star with a convective envelope. The masses of the primary and secondary components and the absolute dimensions of the stars have been calculated using the derived relative dimensions from Wilson-Devinney codes and the spectroscopic observations.     

Determinacy of the eclipse elements from a part of the light curves of eclipsing binaries

A part of the light curves of two detached (CD Tau and V909 Cyg) and one semi-detached (Algol) binaries have been analysed with the emphasis on the determinacy of the parameters of different systems from a part of their eclipse curves. A model light curve for whichr ₁=0.050,r ₂=0.150,i=90°, andL ₁=0.800 were chosen, has also been considered for a further clarification of the determinacy problem of the eclipse parameters. Some insight into the determinacy is gained by varying one parameter and adjusting the others for the best fit to the light curves in the considered eclipse phases. It was realised that the determinacy problem of the unknown parameters is stored in the determinacy of the type of the eclipse minima. The attempts of the solutions with a false choice of initial elements result in finding (i) no minimum of ² to give any acceptable solution, (ii) rapid departure from the false start and convergence on the correct solution, or (iii) a false solution mostly with a true inclinationi, but wrong sense of the ratio of the radii.     

Five years of photometry ofσ geminorum

Five years of photoelectric photometry of this bright K1 III RS CVn binary has been obtained at thirteen different observatories. Except for one year, the light curve has shown two minima, separated by roughly a half cycle. At the epoch of discovery (1977.2) one minimum was shallower but as of 1980.2 the two became comparable in depth. During the 1979–80 season the light curve changed shape rapidly, the shallower minimum becoming as deep as the other within about 80 days or perhaps less. Times of both minima can be fit with a photometric period of 19 ^d .423, which is 0.9% shorter than the 19 ^d .603 orbital period. The overall brightness range during the five years has been 4 ^m .13<V<4 ^m .29.Guest Observer, Kitt Peak National Observatory, operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

The photometric solution of W UMa-type star BW draconis

The photometric solutions of W UMa-type binary BW Dra have been determined by applying the Wilson and Devinney Code toUBV observations of Rucinski and Kaluzny.It is shown that BW Dra is corresponding to a system with an overcontact configuration and smaller mass ratioq=0.392 andUBV light curves give the converging solutions with non-zero third light.It is proved that the components of BW Dra are older stars (the spectral types are G0 and G3, respectively). They could come into contact later stage of evolution. The photometric solution is similar to the results of Kaluzny and Rucinski. According to the photometric solution and spectroscopic results of Batten and Lu, the absolute parameters are presented too.     

The early-type eclipsing contact binary TY Puppis

In this paper we present theBV photoelectric light curves of the W UMa-type eclipsing binary TY Pup. We have gained ephemerides by means of the times of minima. The obtained light curves have been solved using Wilson-Devinney's synthetic code. The results indicate that TY Pup is a contact system with mass ratio 0.185 and a large degree of overcontact of 52%. Combined with spectroscopic material, absolute parameters of TY Pup are derived. It may be concluded that TY Pup is an evolved contact binary.     

Transient accretion disc‐like envelope in the symbiotic binary BF Cygni during its 2006–2015 optical outburst

The optical light of the symbiotic binary BF Cyg during its last eruption after 2006 shows orbital variations because of an eclipse of the outbursting compact object. The first orbital minimum is deeper than the following ones. Moreover, the Balmer profiles of this system acquired additional satellite components indicating a bipolar collimated outflow at one time between the first and second orbital minima. This behaviour is interpreted in the framework of the model of a collimated stellar wind from the outbursting object. It is supposed that one extended disc‐like envelope covering the accretion disc of the compact object and collimating its stellar wind forms in the period between the first and second minima. The uneclipsed part of this envelope is responsible for the decrease of the depth of the orbital minimum. The calculated UBVR_CI_C fluxes of this uneclipsed part are in agreement with the observed residual of the depths of the first and second orbital minima. The parameters of the envelope require that it is the main emitting region of the line Hα but the Hα profile is less determined from its rotation and mostly from other mechanisms. It is concluded that the envelope is a transient nebular region and its destruction determines the increase of the depth of the orbital minimum with fading of the optical light. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The bolometric light curve of SN 1993J and the nature of its progenitor

We have constructed the bolometric light curve of SN 1993J based on UBVRI(JHK) photometric data obtained from various sources and assumingA _V = 0 and a distance modulus of 27.6. Effective temperatures and photosphere radius at various times have been obtained from detailed blackbody fits. The bolometric light curve shows two maxima. The short rise time to the second maximum, and the luminosities at the minimum and the second maximum are used to constrain the properties of the progenitor star. The total mass of the hydrogen envelope M_H, in the star is found to be ≲ 0.2 M_⊙ at the time of explosion, and the explosion ejected about 0.05 M_⊙ of Ni⁵⁶. Thin hydrogen envelope combined with a sufficient presupernova luminosity suggest that the exploding star was in a binary with a probable period range of 5yr ≤P _orb ≤ 11yr.     

Analysis of Bimodality in Histograms Formed from GALLEX and GNO Solar Neutrino Data

A histogram display of the solar neutrino capture-rate measurements made by the GALLEX experiment appears to be bimodal, but that of the follow-on GNO experiment does not. To assess the significance of these results, we introduce a “bimodality index” based on the probability-transform procedure. This confirms that the GALLEX measurements are indeed bimodal (at the 99.98% confidence level) and that the GNO measurements are not. Tracking the bimodality index as a function of time shows that the strongest contribution to bimodality comes from runs 42 to 62 (i.e., from the time interval 1995.1 to 1996.9). The bimodality index for the first half (runs 1 through 33) is 2.56, whereas that for the second half (runs 33 through 65) is 7.05. A power-spectrum analysis shows a similar distinction: The peaks in the power spectrum formed from the second half are stronger than those in the power spectrum formed from the first half, suggesting that bimodality and rotational modulation are related.     

Photometric observations of the supernova 2009nr

We present the results of our UBVRI CCD photometry for the second brightest supernova of 2009, SN 2009nr, discovered during a sky survey with the telescopes of the MASTER robotic network. Its light and color curves and bolometric light curves have been constructed. The light-curve parameters and the maximum luminosity have been determined. SN 2009nr is shown to be similar in light-curve shape and maximum luminosity to SN 1991T, which is the prototype of the class of supernovae Ia with an enhanced luminosity. SN 2009nr exploded far from the center of the spiral galaxy UGC 8255 and most likely belongs to its old halo population. We hypothesize that this explosion is a consequence of the merger of white dwarfs.     

1992 UBV observations of UV piscium and light curve analysis

In 1992 UBV photometry of short period binary system UV PSc were presented. The results obtained from the analysis ofU, B andV light curves represent transit solutions. The light fluctuations of out-side eclipses have been interpreted in terms of cool star-spots on the photosphere of the primary component. Its parameters have been determined.     

Effects of gravitational microlensing of binary and multiple stars

The observation of microlensing events towards the Large Magellanic Cloud and Galactic Bulge discovers a new population of our Galaxy which is that of dark bodies with masses of the order of 0.1M . Astronomy has now a unique ability: one can use the microlensing as a space telescope with extremely high angular resolution. Here we discuss the opportunity of the application of this ability to observation of close binaries. Stars in a binary system move around their barycenter and as a result the apparent motion is modulated by binary motion. The light curve of this microlensing event becomes nonsymmetrical. If a binary has two stars with different spectral types, one can expect significant variation of color during microlensing effect. Accurate light curves for some typical binaries have been calculated and are presented here. The total fraction of binaries in our Galaxy is around 50%. Therefore one can expect half of the microlensing events to have nonsymmetrical and wavelength depending light curves which would indicate that background star is binary. Our opinion is that the absence of these light curves are due to some selection effect. This leads to an underestimation of the density of the dark body population in our Galaxy by a factor of about two.     

Cosmological evolution and?statefinder diagnostic for?new holographic dark energy model in?non?flat universe

In this paper, the holographic dark energy model with new infrared cut-off proposed by Granda and Oliveros has been investigated in spatially non flat universe. The dependency of the evolution of equation of state, deceleration parameter and cosmological evolution of Hubble parameter on the parameters of new HDE model are calculated. Also, the statefinder parameters r and s in this model are derived and the evolutionary trajectories in s−r plane are plotted. We show that the evolutionary trajectories are dependent on the model parameters of new HDE model. Eventually, in the light of SNe + BAO + OHD + CMB observational data, we plot the evolutionary trajectories in s−r and q−r planes for best fit values of the parameters of new HDE model.     

Aq Psc – Analysis of New Light Curves

New BV light curves of the A-type W UMa star AQ Psc (P = 0.476d) have been observed and are described. A few times of minimum light are obtained and the ephemeris is improved. The light curves are analyzed for the binary parameters with a light curve synthesis method. Combining the results with Lu and Rucinski’s spectroscopic mass ratio we determined the masses and radii of the components: M ₁ = 1.69M _⊙, M ₂ = 0.38M _⊙, R ₁ = 1.77R _⊙, and R ₂ = 0.89R _⊙.     

Photometric elements of the eclipsing binary DN UMa=HR 4560

A total of 704 previously published photoelectricB colour observations of the multiple system HR 4560 are analyzed by means of the light curve models NDE (Popper and Etzel, 1981) and WINK (Wood, 1972) in an iterative procedure. As a result, we have found that componentC of the multiplpe system ADS 8347 is the most probable origin of the observed eclipses. Some relevant astrophysical parameters of the component stars which indicate a normal Main-Sequence binary star have also been estimated.     

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.