Life After Messier

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Life After Messier

• NGC or GCVS?
• Mike Simonsen
• C.E. Scovil Observatory
• Imlay City, MI, USA

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Evolution of a Stargazer

• Stars
• Constellations
• First telescope
• The Moon
• Planets
• Messier Objects
• Aperture fever!
• NGC catalog
• Fainter and fainter and fainter fuzzies
• Photography or CCD imaging
• Insanity and bankruptcy!

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Evolution of a Variable Star Observer

• Stars
• Constellations
• First telescope
• The Moon
• Planets
• Messier Objects
• Variable Stars!
• Aperture fever!
• Fainter and fainter and fainter variables
• CCD imaging

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WARNING!!!

•  
• "I feel it my duty to warn any others who may
  show signs of star susceptibility that they
  approach the observing of variable stars with the
  utmost caution. It is easy to become an addict
  and, as usual, the longer the indulgence is
  continued the more difficult it becomes to make a
  clean break and go back to a normal life.
•   Leslie C. Peltier
• Never were truer words spoken.

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M13 Hercules Globular Cluster
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W Her (Herculis)Mira 8.2-13.5v
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M57 Ring Nebula in Lyra
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RX Lyr (Lyrae)Mira 10.9-lt15.5v
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M31 Andromeda Galaxy
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RX And/ U And
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RX And (Andromedae)

• UGZ
• Z Cam type variable
• Outbursts and standstills
• Very active!
• Can be followed nightly for signs of activity
• Magnitude range 10.3-14.0v

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U And (Andromedae)

• Mira
• Period 346 days
• Magnitude range 9.9-14.0v
• Bright stars in field make it easy to find and
  identify

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M33 Triangulum Galaxy
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V Tri (Trianguli)

• Eclipsing binary system
• You can observe an entire eclipse in one night
• Total duration approximately 4 hours

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TY Psc (Piscium)

• UGSU
• Outbursts and Superoutbursts
• Very handy, recognizable asterism in the field

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M42The Great Nebula in Orion
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M42, a giant stellar nurseryChock full of
variables!
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S Ori (Orionis)
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S Orionis

• Mira
• Period 419 days
• Magnitude range 8.4-12.9v

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M10 and M12Nice warm summer night targets
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Two globulars point to one nice variable star
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SS Ophiuchi

• Mira
• Period 180 days
• Magnitude range 7.8-14.5V

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Get close to SS Oph!
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M81 and M82 in Ursa Major
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Star hop to variables while everyone else is
looking at M82 for the 100th time!
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CI UMa UG 13.8-lt17.7v
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CH UMa UG 10.7-14.9V
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R UMa Mira 6.6-14.3v Period 301 days
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EvolutionSurvival of the Fittest

• Learn to star hop like a MONSTER observing
  variable stars
• The most interesting things to look at are those
  that change
• The Sun, planets, comets
• VARIABLE STARS!
• Are you looking for a challenge?
• Do you need a motivation to get that telescope
  out of the closet?
• Have fun, expand your horizons, and contribute to
  science
• Observing Variable Stars is Fun and Rewarding
• The AAVSO Wants YOU!