We present CCD photometry in the Washington system C and T1 passbands down to T1~22 in the fields of L35, L45, L49, L50, L62, L63 and L85, seven poorly studied star clusters in the inner region of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). We measured T1 magnitudes and C-T1 colours for a total of 114826 stars distributed throughout cluster areas of 13.7x13.7arcmin^2^ each. Cluster radii were estimated from star counts distributed throughout the entire observed fields.
We present CCD photometry in the Washington system C, T1 and T2 passbands down to T1~23 in the fields of L3, L28, HW 66, L100, HW 79, IC 1708, L106, L108, L109, NGC 643, L112, HW 84, HW 85 and HW 86, 14 Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) clusters, most of them poorly studied objects. We measured T1 magnitudes and C-T1 and T1-T2 colours for a total of 213 516 stars spread throughout cluster areas of 14.7x14.7arcmin^2^ each. We carried out an in-depth analysis of the field star contamination of the colour-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) and statistically cleaned the cluster CMDs.
With the aim of enlarging the number of studied LMC clusters in the age range 8.0~<log(t)~<9.0, we focus here on a sample of mostly unstudied cluster candidates. We present, for the first time, CCD Washington CT1T2 photometry of stars in the field of 26 LMC clusters. The studied clusters turned out to be small angular size objects with ages within the age range 8.0~<log(t)~< 9.0, which are projected or immersed in dense star fields.
We present Washington photometry of the giant branches of the relatively metal-rich globular cluster NGC 6388 and compare it with 47 Tuc. By examining the spatial distribution of stellar colors across the red giant branch and using spectroscopic data on several bright giants, we found that NGC 6388's center is affected by differential reddening of at least {DELTA}E(B-V)~0.1. Most of the width of the red giant branch is caused by that differential reddening. The southeastern outer regions of the cluster seem to be less affected by variable dust extinction, and we find that NGC 6388 is slightly more metal-rich than 47 Tuc, with a distinct asymptotic giant branch. We have put an upper limit on possible variations in [Fe/H] for NGC 6388, finding that it must be less than ~0.2dex. It is unlikely that such a small range in metallicity could be responsible for the blue horizontal branch and blue tail stars in a cluster with a metallicity similar to the more massive 47 Tuc, which only exhibits a red horizontal branch.
In order to measure the variations of the magnetic chemically peculiar star CU Vir, we obtained 2821 good Stroemgren uvby photometric values from the Four College Automated Photometric Telescope in the period 1998-2012 and 5529 values from the Solar Mass Ejection Imager in the period 2003-2006, allowing us to further clarify the situation concerning its rotational period, described previously by Pyper et al. (1998A&A...339..822P). Our main result is that the O-C data since 1993 are consistent with a constant period of 0.5207137+/-0.0000010d, which is longer than the period 0.52070308d of Pyper et al. (1998A&A...339..822P). The data during the time period 1993-2012 show no evidence of glitches. The data between 1987 and 1993 correspond to a shorter period of 0.520701d, and the inclusion of those data in the previous study made the published period come out shorter. We also cannot rule out a constantly lengthening period if the data since 1987 are included; however, the fit is slightly better for a constant period. At least five more years of consistent data will be required to distinguish between these two models. Radio astronomy data published since 1998 show phase shifts in the radio emission peaks that are inconsistent with the rotation period inferred from the optical photometry. These shifts may be due to instabilities in the region where the radio emissions originate; they indicate that the photosphere and the upper atmosphere are not rigidly coupled.
This paper completes the series of cataclysmic variables (CVs) identified from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) I/II. The coordinates, magnitudes, and spectra of 33 CVs are presented. Among the 33 are eight systems known prior to SDSS (CT Ser, DO Leo, HK Leo, IR Com, V849 Her, V405 Peg, PG1230+226, and HS0943+1404), as well as nine objects recently found through various photometric surveys. Among the systems identified since the SDSS are two polar candidates, two intermediate polar candidates, and one candidate for containing a pulsating white dwarf. Our follow-up data have confirmed a polar candidate from Paper VII and determined tentative periods for three of the newly identified CVs. A complete summary table of the 285 CVs with spectra from SDSS I/II is presented as well as a link to an online table of all known CVs from both photometry and spectroscopy that will continue to be updated as future data appear.
Based on more than 37 partial nights of CCD monitoring, we derive 64 new times of maximum light of the SX Phoenicis star CY Aquarii. These times support a linear ephemeris for the time interval 2013-2018.
Based on 28 partial nights of CCD monitoring, we derive 49 new times of maximum light of the SX Phoenicis star CY Aquarii. These times extend the linear ephemeris for a time interval covering the last eight years.
We present 24 new times of maximum of the SX Phoenicis star CY Aquarii. These times lead to a slightly more precise local linear ephemeris for 2003-2010.
Based on more than a dozen partial nights of filterless CCD photometry combined with Stromgren uvby photomultiplier photometry, we derive 29 new times of maximum light of the SX Phoenicis star CY Aquarii. These times support a linear ephemeris for 2003-2011. In addition, we present uvby light curves for this star. Our dataset displays the smallest residual spread compared to any other substantial dataset published during the last decade.
