VariableStar Section
Director: Dave Scanlan
Director: Dave Scanlan
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Variable Star
Observing Programme
Stars marked in BLUE are new additions to the programme
Eclipsing Binaries (types EA & EB)
Star | RA | Dec | Range | Type | Period(s) |
| U Herculis | 17 17.3 | +33 06 | 4.6-5.3 | EB | 2.051d |
| Beta Lyrae | 18 50.1 | +33 22 | 3.4-4.2 | EB | 12.914d |
| Beta Persei | 03 08.2 | +40 57 | 2.1-3.4 | EA | 2.867d |
| Epsilon Aurigae | 05 01.5 | +43 49 | 3.0-3.8 | EA | 27.1y |
| Lambda Tauri | 04 00.4 | +12 29 | 3.3-3.9 | EA | 3.9d |
| Zeta Aurigae | 05 02.2 | +41 04 | 3.7-3.9 | EA | 972.6 |
Cepheid Variables
Star | RA | Dec | Range | Type | Period(s) |
| Eta Aquilae | 19h52.5m | +01o00′ | 3.5-4.3 | Cep | 7.177d |
| Delta Cephei | 22 29.2 | +58 25 | 3.4-4.3 | Cep | 5.366d |
| Zeta Geminorum | 07 04.1 | +20 34 | 3.7-4.2 | Cep | 10.150d |
Irregular & Semi Irregular Variables
Star | RA | Dec | Range | Type | Period(s) |
| Mu Cephei | 21 43.5 | +58 47 | 3.6-5.1 | SR | 750d,12yr |
| Eta Geminorum | 06 14.9 | +22 30 | 3.0-3.9 | SR+E | 233d,8yr |
| Alpha Herculis | 17 14.6 | +14 23 | 3.0-4.0 | SR | 100d,6yr? |
| R Lyrae | 18 55.3 | +43 57 | 3.9-5.0 | SR | 46d?? |
| Alpha Orionis | 05 55.2 | +07 24 | 0.4-1.3 | SR | 1600d? |
| Beta Pegasi | 23 03.8 | +28 05 | 2.3-2.8 | Irr | |
| Rho Persei | 03 05.2 | +38 50 | 3.3-4.0 | SR | 50d?? |
Miscellaneous Variables
Star | RA | Dec | Range | Type | Period(s) |
| Gamma Cassiopeiae | 00 56.7 | +60 43 | 1.6-3.0 | GC | |
| R Cor Borealis | 15 48.6 | +28 09 | 5.8-15 | RCB | |
| R Scuti | 18 47.5 | -05 42 | 4.5-8.3 | RVTau | 142d |
| P Cygni | 20 17.4 | +38 01 | 4.6-5.6 | SDOR | |
Suspected Variables
Star | RA | Dec | Range | Type | Period(s) |
| Delta Uma | 12 15.2 | +57 01 | ?? | ||
| Beta Leonis | 11 49.0 | +14 34 | ?? | ||
Please take a look at the Variable stars listed Telescopic and Binocular programme as many of the Mira type stars listed in this section can also be observed with the naked eye when they are at their maximum.
SPA VSS Programme – Binocular & Telescopic
Eclipsing Binaries (types EA & EB)
Star | RA | Dec | Range | Type | Period(s) |
| RZ Cassiopeiae | 02 48.9 | +69 38 | 6.4-7.8 | EA | 1.195d |
| U Cephei | 01 02.3 | +81 53 | 6.6-9.3 | EA | 2.493d |
Irregular & Semi Irregular Variables
Star | RA | Dec | Range | Type | Period(s) |
| Z Uma | 11 56.3 | +57 52 | 6.2-9.4 | Semi | 195.5d |
| RS Aurigae | 06 03.5 | +46 17 | 10.8-12.5 | Semi | 170.5d |
| RW Boo | 14 41.2 | +31 34 | 7.4-8.9 | Semi | 209d |
| Rho Cas | 23 54.2 | +57 29 | 4.1-6.2 | Semi | 320d |
Miscellaneous Variables
Star | RA | Dec | Range | Type | Period(s) |
| U CrB | 15 18.1 | +31 39 | 7.7-8.8 | EA | 3.45d |
| FU Ori | 05 45.2 | +09 04 | 9.6-16.5 | FU ? | |
Mira Type variables:
The ranges given in brackets for these Mira Type variables are the mean ranges.
The other ranges given are extreme ranges. Please note that these stars can also bee seen with the naked eye when they are at their maximum.
Star | RA | Dec | Range | Type | Period(s) |
| S UMa | 12 43.5 | +61 05 | 7.1-12.7 | M | 225.87d |
| T Uma | 12 36.2 | +59 29 | 6.6-13.5 | M | 256.6d |
| RR Aurigae | 06 12.0 | +43 09 | 8.2-15.0 | M | 307.8d |
| R Leonis | 4.8-11.0 | M | 312d | ||
| T Cephei | 21 09.5 | +68 29 | 5.4-11.0 | M | 389d |
| (6.0-10.3) | |||||
| Omicron Ceti | 02 19.3 | -02 59 | 1.7-10.1 | M | 332d |
| (3.6-9.3) | |||||
| Chi Cygni | 19 50.6 | +32 55 | 3.4-14.2 | M | 407d |
| (5.2-13.4) | |||||
| U Orionis | 05 55.8 | +20 10 | 5.3-12.6 | M | 372d |
| (6.3-12.0) | |||||
| R Serpentis | 15 50.7 | +15 08 | 5.7-14.4 | M | 357d |
| (6.9-13.4) | |||||
| R Trianguli | 02 37.0 | +34 16 | 5.4-12.0 | M | 266d |
| (6.2-11.7) | |||||
| R Ursae Majoris | 10 44.6 | +68 47 | 6.7-13.4 | M | 302d |
| (7.5-13.0) |