I recently passed 300 variable star observations, having started in 2010.
That’s a tiny number compared with prolific Australian visual observers like Rod Stubbings or those doing CCD photometry (e.g. of eclipsing binary variable stars) who quickly reach the thousands, such as fellow ASSA member Robert Jenkins or AAVSO’s Mike Simonsen.
Still, I’m pleased with my few hundred plodding individual observations of 16 variable stars, namely:
- pulsating variables: R Car, l Car, W Sgr, X Sgr, L2 Pup, eta Aql, alf Ori
- novae: T Pyx, V1369 Cen, V339 Del, Nova Sgr 2015 No. 2
- eclipsing binaries: zet Phe, BL Tel, V Pup, eps Aur
- the massive, once naked eye visible, unstable star: eta Car
Most of these are visual observations, and most of those were with 7×50 binoculars:
I started making DSLR photometry observations in early 2015 after taking Mark Blackford’s first AAVSO CHOICE course on the subject:
While visual estimates are quick and convenient in a time-poor life, photometry requires some effort from imaging through to processing and analysis, but the additional accuracy and error characterisation are satisfying, as is the ability to capture multiple bands in a single image, Johnson V and B primarily.
My last DSLR submission was in April. I’m looking forward to some nicer weather so I can get out and do more soon, in addition to the visual estimates I sneak in between the clouds.