Difference between revisions of "Variable Stars"
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A '''variable star''' is a star where its brightness as seen from Earth fluctuates. The study of variable stars involves the recording of its magnitude, and how that fluctuates over time. The plotting of a variable star's magnitude vs. time is known as a light curve. The light curve plotting of variable stars combined with the study of supernovae events help physicists understand the formation of the universe. | A '''variable star''' is a star where its brightness as seen from Earth fluctuates. The study of variable stars involves the recording of its magnitude, and how that fluctuates over time. The plotting of a variable star's magnitude vs. time is known as a light curve. The light curve plotting of variable stars combined with the study of supernovae events help physicists understand the formation of the universe. | ||
| − | ==Variable Star Resources | + | =Variable Star Types= |
| + | Variable stars have a wide number of classifications, with the main types listed below. | ||
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| + | ==Intrinsic== | ||
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| + | ===Pulsating Stars== | ||
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| + | ===Eruptive (cataclysmic stars)=== | ||
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| + | ==Extrinsic== | ||
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| + | ===Eclipsing Binaries=== | ||
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| + | ===Rotating Variables=== | ||
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| + | =Variable Star Resources= | ||
[http://www.aavso.org American Association of Variable Star Observers] - (AAVSO) is a non-profit worldwide scientific and educational organization of amateur and professional astronomers who are interested in stars that change in brightness—variable stars. | [http://www.aavso.org American Association of Variable Star Observers] - (AAVSO) is a non-profit worldwide scientific and educational organization of amateur and professional astronomers who are interested in stars that change in brightness—variable stars. | ||
Revision as of 12:07, 27 April 2014
A variable star is a star where its brightness as seen from Earth fluctuates. The study of variable stars involves the recording of its magnitude, and how that fluctuates over time. The plotting of a variable star's magnitude vs. time is known as a light curve. The light curve plotting of variable stars combined with the study of supernovae events help physicists understand the formation of the universe.
Contents
Variable Star Types
Variable stars have a wide number of classifications, with the main types listed below.
Intrinsic
=Pulsating Stars
Eruptive (cataclysmic stars)
Extrinsic
Eclipsing Binaries
Rotating Variables
Variable Star Resources
American Association of Variable Star Observers - (AAVSO) is a non-profit worldwide scientific and educational organization of amateur and professional astronomers who are interested in stars that change in brightness—variable stars.
arXiv.org Astrophysics - An e-print service in the fields of physics, mathematics, computer science, quantitative biology, quantitative finance and statistics maintained Cornell University.
Astrophysics Data System - The ADS maintains three bibliographic databases containing more than 10.8 million records: Astronomy and Astrophysics, Physics, and arXiv e-prints.
The British Astronomical Association: Variable Star Section - The VSS was formed in 1890, the year the BAA was founded, with the aim of collecting and analysing observations of variable stars.
Konkoly Observatory, Hungary - Variable Stars - The Information Bulletin on Variable Stars is a bulletin of the Commissions 27 and 42 of the International Astronomical Union, published by the Konkoly Observatory, Budapest, Hungary.
Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand - The RASNZ has links to Variable Stars South, a group focused on Variable Stars in the Southern skies.
The SIMBAD astronomical database provides basic data, cross-identifications, bibliography and measurements for astronomical objects outside the solar system.
