21st Annual Student Research Conference
Spectroscopic Observations of the Cepheid type Variable Star X Cygni
Robert D. Chapman
Dr. Matthew M. Beaky, Faculty Mentor
By monitoring the spectra of periodic variable stars, it is possible to establish a link between variations in spectral features and changes in the star's atmospheric conditions. In recent years, advances in technology have made it possible to perform phase-dependent spectroscopic studies with small telescopes and relatively inexpensive spectrographs. We report the results of a project to search for changes in the spectrum of the Cepheid variable star X Cygni over a five-week period during Summer 2007. We employed a 14-inch Meade LX200GPS telescope and two spectrographs; a low resolution transmission spectrograph based on the Rainbow Optics diffraction grating, and the SBIG Self- Guiding Spectrograph. A comparison and analysis of spectra obtained at five different phases in the pulsation cycle of X Cygni will be presented.
Keywords: astronomy, spectrograph
Topic(s):Physics
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 12-1
Location: OP Lobby
Time: 4:15