In the Hunt for Variable Stars: Digging into the Data Mine

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In the Hunt for Variable StarsDigging into the
Data Mine

• Theo Jones
• 95th Annual Meeting of the AAVSO
• Newton, Massachusetts
• October 26 28, 2006
• Spacegeek4_at_gmail.com

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Abstract

• My name is Theo Jones. Im thirteen years
  old and currently in 7th grade. I just came back
  from competing as a finalist in the 2006
  Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge. I
  did not win any of the major prizes, but I did
  get a minor planet,15.1 magnitude, named after
  me. I have a strong interest in astronomy and
  physics, as well as computer programming. Ive
  attended several astronomy camps facilitated by
  the Conceptual Astronomy and Physics Education
  Research (CAPER) team at the University of
  Arizona.

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Abstract

• Im currently working with the Pebble Richwine,
  a member of the CAPER team at the University of
  Arizona, using the curriculum packet In the Hunt
  for Variable Stars. I am presenting data results
  from studying the following variablesV558 AQL
  ,NSV 12374, and GX Aql. Software applications
  utilized include Fitsview , Astrometrica, and
  Mira 6.

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Stars of Study
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Methods

• Fitsview
• Register images
• Photometry
• Excel
• Compare data

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Data NSV12374
NSV 12374
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Data GX Aql
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Data V558 AQL
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Conclusions Trouble Shooting

• Finding the Variable Star
• Star Hopping
• Getting Good Registration
• Jumping Variables
• Flat Graph
• Data Management
• Graphing

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Conclusions Good Stuff

• FUN
• COMPUTERS
• ASTRONOMY
• GRAPHING
• MEETING NEW PEOPLE