We took a total of 1175 B, V, and Ic-band CCD frames for 11 GCVS RR Lyr-type variables, for which only the coordinates were known. Observations were made with the 76-crn telescope of the South African Astronomical Observatory. We confirm the variability types, determine the periods, and build the light curves for five objects: BL Aps (P=0.598d), GR Pav (P=0.583d), HI Pav (P=0.643d), HZ Pav (P=0.803d), and IR Pav (P=0.561d). The objects SY Aps (P=0.279d) and IV Pav (P=0.408d) proved to be W UMa-type eclipsing variables; TW Aps (P=0.149d), an SX Phe-type variable; TT Aps (P=482d), an SRD-type semiregular variable, and SW Aps and GI Pav, constant stars.
We present a spectroscopic and photometric analysis of the multiple system and early-type eclipsing binary SZ Cam (O9 IV + B0.5 V), which consists of an eclipsing SB2 pair of orbital period P=2.7-days in a long orbit (~55yrs) around a non-eclipsing SB1 pair of orbital period P=2.8-days. We have reconstructed the spectra of the individual components of SZ Cam from the observed composite spectra using the technique of spectral disentangling. We used them together with extensive and accurate BV IC CCD photometry to obtain an orbital solution. Our photometry revealed the presence of a beta Cep variable in the SZ Cam hierarchical system, probably located within the non-eclipsing SB1 pair. The pulsation period is 0.33265+/-0.00005-days and the observed total amplitude in the B band is 0.0105+/-0.0005mag. NLTE analysis of the disentangled spectra provided atmospheric parameters for all three components, consistent with those derived from orbital solution.
Light curves in the B, V, and Ic passbands have been obtained for the type II Cepheids V154 in M3 and V42 and V84 in M5. Alternating cycle behavior, similar to that seen among RV Tauri variables, is confirmed for V84. Old and new observations, spanning more than a century, show that V154 has increased in period while V42 has decreased in period. V84, on the other hand, has shown large, erratic changes in period that do not appear to reflect the long-term evolution of V84 through the Hertzsprung-Russel diagram.
We present time-series data on the variable stars of the galactic globular cluster Messier 3 (M3). We give BVI_C_ light curves for 226 RR Lyrae, 2 SX Phe and 1 W Vir type variables, along with estimated fundamental photometric parameters such as intensity and magnitude-averaged brightness and pulsation periods. In some cases, the periods we have found significantly differ from the previously published ones. This is the first published light curve and period determination for variable V266. The I-band light curve has not been observed previously for numerous (76) variables. Three new RR Lyrae variables have been discovered. Groups of RR Lyrae variables that belong to different evolutionary stages and have been separated previously on the basis of V data were found here for all colours and colour indices by cluster analysis. The I-band period-luminosity relation is also discussed. From the 66 modulated (Blazhko type) RR Lyrae stars we investigated, six are newly identified and two of them are first overtone pulsators. In the case of 13 RR Lyrae, the period of Blazhko cycle has been estimated for the first time. V252 is identified as a new RRd variable. Amplitude ratios of RRd stars have been investigated to search possible mode content changes. In contrast to previous publications no changes have been found. Problems with the sampling of the time-series of typical cluster variability surveys are demonstrated.
A total of 2097 photometric observations in the BVI_C_ system are presented for 117 Cepheids located in the southern hemisphere. The main purpose of the photometry is to provide new epochs of maximum brightness for studying Cepheid period changes, as well as to establish current light elements for the Cepheids.
We have obtained CCD BVI_KC_ photometry down to V~21.5 for the open cluster Lynga 11 and its surrounding field. This previously unstudied object appears to be rich and highly absorbed. A cluster angular radius of 4.5+/-0.5, equivalent to (3.0+/-0.3)pc, is estimated from star counts in 100-pixel a side boxes distributed throughout the whole observed field. Our analysis suggests that Lynga 11 is moderately young and probably of solar metallicity.
We present BVIc photometry of the brightest stars and compact star clusters in NGC 2976, a dwarf galaxy in the interacting M81/M82 group. Deep CCD images of the galaxy were obtained with the 6m-Telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory (Russia) at arcsec resolution. About 290 young stars and concentrated young clusters were measured. Supplementaxy data in the ultraviolet are taken from the literature. The extinction to the measured objects is comparatively low, E(B-V)~0.15-0.20mag. We estimate the ages of youngest resolved stars and concentrated star clusters to be ~5x10^6^years. This population is concentrated in a broad stripe facing M81. In the central disk the population is a bit older, about 8x10^6^years, this may be a hint to an outward spreading star formation process. The metallicity of the disk population is estimated as solar (z~0.02) from a fitting to Padova theoretical stellar isochrones.
In 2008-2010, we obtained 6095 CCD frames in the BVIc photometric system for 49 classical Cepheids discovered in the ASAS-3 project. The observations were obtained on the 76-cm telescope of the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO, RSA) and the 40-cm telescope of the Cerro Armazones Observatory of the Catholic University of the North (OCA, Chile), with a SBIGCCD ST-10XME camera. We present tabulated observations, light curves, and revised elements for the brightness variations.
We present a new, BVIc photometric survey of the young open cluster IC 4665, which improves on previous studies of this young cluster by incorporating a rigorous standardization procedure, thus providing high-fidelity colors and magnitudes for cluster members. We use this new photometric dataset to reevaluate the properties (age and distance) of IC 4665.
We present new photometric data for 14 galactic open clusters taken by the 65cm telescope at Gunma Astronomical Observatory. They were in the anti-galactic center region selected from the Catalog of Open Cluster Data (Lynga, 1987, See Cat. <J/A+A/438/1163>). We estimated the parameters of the clusters, i.e., age, metallicity, distance, and reddening, by fitting Padova isochrones to the color-magnitude diagram.
