Talk

Auxiliary Southern Double Star Catalogues

Andrew James

Non-Affiliated Independent Amateur Astronomer (NAIAA)

Since the early 19th Century, southern observers have created only a dozen or so prominent southern double stars catalogues. Likely the most important of these were the large number of discovered pairs made by J. Dunlop (DUN), J. Herschel (HJ), then later H.C. Russell (R) and R.T.A. Innes (I). These have all been reasonably well historically discussed elsewhere. Yet, there are many other smaller double star catalogues of which we continue to know little about. Most of these were extracted from either dedicated star sky surveys or were found by random happenstance while looking at other celestial objects or in measuring preexisting double stars.

This talk will specifically highlight the Captain W.S. Jacob (Jc) pairs found from Madras Observatory in India in 1850s, the Melbourne Double Star Catalogue (MLO) produced by Robert L.J. Ellery during the 1860s and 1870s, followed by the shorter catalogues of the Sydney Observatory observers, L. Hargrave (HRG), R.P. Sellors (SLR), and J.A. Pollock (POL) during the 1890s. A specific case will be the ninety-six listed Melbourne pairs, which has involved considerable time by the presenter in reconstructing the original data, not helped as this catalogue in its first outline now seems to be lost or no longer exists.

The talk will also discuss some of the most interesting examples of these pairs, which the presenter have been researching for a number of years. Most are probably more notable for the many oddities that these catalogues contain, and I will attempt to explain the reasoning behind listing them and the current real problems in finding some of the missing pairs. Also stated in particular detail is why earlier observers had missed some of the important and obvious bright double stars.

Telescopes in Schools

Jacinta den Besten

Astrophysics Group, The University of Melbourne

The Telescopes in Schools program works with 10 schools in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. Each of these schools has a 12" SCT installed and access to astrophotography equipment. The program serves to create aspiration in further education and science through the practical application of astronomy and bonds with Astronomers.

So far, students have learnt how to align and move the telescope, arranged whole school events to observe the 2013 partial Solar Eclipse and tried their hand at Astrophotography. Future aspirations for the program include student research projects, expansion to more schools, and greater linkages with the Australian astronomy community.

This outreach program has reached over 3000 students, held over 130 observing sessions in just two years and offers continual professional development for teachers and is a collaborative program between schools, the University of Melbourne and families. The program has the potential to be wide reaching, adaptable and create the next generation of Astronomers but also relies heavily on the passion and voluntary time of current Astronomers. More information can be found at http://telescopesinschools.wordpress.com.

How to Give Great Powerpoint Presentations

Lesa Moore

ASNSW, Princess Cruises

Some presentations are straightforward text and/or image presentations. To develop something more dynamic, you may include movies in many different formats. Sometimes playing movies can prompt annoying warnings or reveal projector incompatibilities. This talk will describe how to ensure that your movies will run smoothly: which players to use; best ways to launch the movies; expanding to full screen if necessary; when not to ‘escape’. I'll also provide other handy tips: text styles and image placement; checking the format of the display; things to know about your mouse; showing text and movies simultaneously; and general advice on what makes a good presentation.

Spotty Stars

Donna Burton

University of Southern Queensland, Astronomical Society of Coonabarabran

Magnetic and temperature spots on the surface of the Sun can be easily observed and studied. Other stars are too far away and can only be partially resolved even with the most powerful telescopes. However, high-resolution stellar spectra contain sufficient information to detect and map stellar surface inhomogeneities using Doppler imaging, a well-established method for probing the stellar magnetic dynamos responsible for the generation of magnetic fields and activity cycles. Dark surface spot features on rapidly rotating stars cause "bumps" in their spectral line profiles. Doppler Imaging inverts a time series of these "bumps" to produce a map of the surface spot features on a star. Photometry plays an important role in obtaining important information about these stars and there is the opportunity for a pro-am collaboration to assist in building the database of new southern targets.

Mount Burnett: An observatory for all the community

James Murray

Mount Burnett Observatory

Victoria's newest astronomical society has made a priority of reaching out to the community in the Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne. Bringing together some of Victoria's most experienced observers of the night sky with university researchers and a CSIRO Outreach program, we have made a big impact in our first two years. In this talk we share our ideas and propose a regular link-up of similar organisations.

Infrared Photography of the Solar System

Barry Adcock

Photography of the solar system bodies may now be extended at both ends of the visible spectrum due to technological advances in the extra sensitivity of modern digital recording devices and the production of high quality infrared and ultraviolet filters.

A survey of the spectral sensitivity of digital sensors as well as the spectral characteristics of interference filters will be presented. The equipment now offers the opportunity to acquire high resolution images of the planets during daylight hours thus offering an extended window for discovery. Results of the photography of the planets taken in infrared and ultraviolet light during dark and daylight hours will be presented.
Several unforeseen pitfalls will be discussed. These include the use of ultraviolet filters that leak in the infrared and spurious patterns generated by background fluorescent tubes.

The Nucleosynthesis of all Elements by a Supernova

Dr. Peter Norman

Mornington Peninsula Astronomical Society

This paper briefly outlines the synthesis of elements up to iron by the original supergiant before becoming unstable and exploding as a supernova. The subsequent synthesis of all heavier nuclei by neutron capture and beta decays will be outlined in terms of nuclear bond structures.

It takes Two to Tango: the Intertwined Lives of Close Binary Stars

Tom Richards

Variable Stars South

It's well known that eclipsing binaries provide the only direct way of measuring absolute stellar masses, radii, sizes, luminosities and distances – all together. That alone provides powerful tests for theories of stellar structure and evolution, as well as extending those properties to other stars of all classes. Moreover as one star eclipses another, we can detect and measure starspots, limb darkening and other photospheric and atmospheric phenomena.

But more than that: binaries close enough to eclipse can also affect each other by tidally changing their shapes and rotation periods, irradiating each other, and exchanging mass. This leads to quite different and often startling evolutionary behaviour for the half or more of all stars in close binary orbits. All of that provides more complex and demanding tests for the theories of stellar structure and evolution than do isolated stars.

Unfortunately acquiring the photometric and spectroscopic data that underpins all this is very demanding of telescope time so not popular professionally. But since thousands of eclipsing binaries are bright enough for study with very small telescopes – under half a metre – the amateur armed with a tracking telescope and a camera and a computer can fill the gap and make significant contributions to astrophysics.

Delta Scuti–type pulsating stars in eclipsing binary systems

Margaret Streamer

Variable Stars South, Canberra Astronomical Society, Astonomical Society of New South Wales

Isolated δ Scuti-type (DSCT) stars show pulsations with low amplitude (less than 0.1 magnitudes) and short periods (less than 3 hours).

They can also be found in binary systems which can be detached or semi-detached. In the detached systems, the δ Scuti component is a typical DSCT star. However in more evolved, semi-detached systems the pulsator is accreting mass from the other component in the binary system.

Although not particularly common, several δ Scuti-type pulsating components in short-period (<5days) eclipsing systems have been discovered as part of the Southern Eclipsing Binaries Programme of Variable Stars South. The light curves of each system are all slightly different but are characterised by a very shallow secondary eclipse compared to the primary eclipse. The longer-period magnitude changes due to the eclipses can be separated from the much shorter pulsation periods, thus allowing the determination of the frequency and amplitude of the pulsations.

Near Infrared Phase Lag of Mira Variable, R Carinae

Anthony Dutton, Gregorie Bond and Julian West

Astronomical Association of Queensland

Near infrared (NIR) photometry in the J and H bands has been undertaken over a 4 year period on the oxygen rich Mira type variable star R Carinae. Comparison of near infrared photometry with visual observations and DSLR photometry reveals the NIR light curve is asymmetric with the star rising to maximum brightness at a slower rate than it falls, also the NIR maximum is broader with a lower amplitude than the visual maximum. The measured phase lag of 40 to 60 days between visual maximum the NIR maximum is at the lower limit of published data for other oxygen rich Mira stars. This presentation compares the J and H band photometry results with visual observations and DSLR photometry. Spectra measured throughout 2011 with a 0.3nm resolution spectrograph will be used to consider changes in spectral classification, temperature and metallic oxide absorptions. The photometry and spectroscopy will be used to examine possible causes of the phase lag such as absorption of visual wavelengths by Vanadium Oxide molecules that form in the star’s atmosphere.