22nd Annual Student Research Conference
Time-Dependent Variability in Hypergiant Stars
Ashley A. Ray
Dr. Matthew M. Beaky, Faculty Mentor
Hypergiant stars are stars that are classified as being very large, very luminous, and highly unstable. In relation to this instability comes variability in the spectra of the light that these stars emit. During summer 2008 we acquired spectra of three hypergiant stars on about eight separate nights, using a Santa Barbara Instruments Group Self-Guiding Spectrograph and the 14-inch telescope at the Truman Observatory. Even though this group of stars have not had extensive studies conducted on them, the data collected from these observations indicates that more studies need to be completed. All three stars that we studied, P Cygni, rho Cassiopeia, and HR 8752, showed spectral variability over the eight weeks while they were being observed at the Truman State University observatory.
Keywords: Physics, Astronomy
Topic(s):Physics
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 12-1
Location: PML
Time: 4:15