Star light, star bright
Follow this link to an article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette by Joyce Hartmann on last month’s Woolly Hollow State Park Star Party.
Meeting Announcement – Saturday, August 8 2009
Citizen Sky – Epsilon Aurigae Project
Every 27 years, Epsilon Aurigae goes through an eclipse and dims from about Magnitude 3 to Magnitude 3.8. The eclipse takes almost 2 years. This star was discovered to be variable in 1821 by Johann Fritsch and each eclipse has been recorded since. Each one has been different with the eclipse getting longer. There is a brightening at mid eclipse leading to all kinds of theories.
With Epsilon Aurigae being a bright star, it opens the way for amateurs and citizens with no equipment and even those living in cities to aid with the research by making brightness estimates and submitting them to a database. The AAVSO (American Society of Variable Star Observers) has set up a special website http://www.citizensky.org/content/about-citizen-sky to get people started.
The presentation Saturday night will introduce you to Epsilon Aurigae and supply the tools you need to start supplying valuable data to the scientific community. This is an opportunity to learn more about the heaven’s, do some observing, and contribute to valuable scientific research.