We present spectroscopic time series observations on one of the brightest northern RRc star, T Sex. Additionally, we also analysed extended photometric data sets, particularly the recent observations of the TESS space telescope. The main findings of our studies are as follows: T Sex, unlike all RRc stars whose space photometry has been analysed, shows only the $0.5f_x$ frequency as an additional pulsation frequency. With this, T Sex may be the first represent of such rare RRc stars found from space photometry. The spectroscopic data show a periodic distortion of the H$α$ line with the pulsation phase. This phenomenon has not been reported for any RR Lyrae stars. The characteristic line distortion is probably caused by the turbulent convection, which resulted in higher macroturbulent velocity for T Sex than for typical RRab stars. Line doubling of the Na D line was observed between the 0.37 and 0.80 pulsation phases. The explanation of this phenomenon is that the two absorption components originate from different sources. The redder component comes from the pulsating atmosphere of the star, while the bluer one from the interstellar space. At phase 0.438, we detected emission on the Na D line, which may indicate a weak shock wave.
By analyzing photometric and spectroscopic time series in this paper, we show that the pulsator V764 Mon, assumed to be the brightest RR Lyrae star in the sky, is in fact a rapidly rotating delta Scuti star with an unusually long dominant period (P1=0.29 d). Our spectroscopy confirmed the discovery of the Gaia satellite about the binarity of V764 Mon. In the case of HY Com, a `bona fide' RRc star, we present its first complete radial velocity curve. Additionally, we found that the star continues its strong phase variation reported before.
This study investigates periodic modulation of the light curve of the RRc star TV Boo and its physical parameters based on photometric data. This phenomenon, known as Blazhko effect, is quite rare among RRc stars. Frequency analysis based on the data gathered at Masaryk University Observatory (MUO) and also using SuperWASP data revealed symmetrically structured peaks around the main pulsation frequency and its harmonics, which indicate two modulation components of the Blazhko period. The main modulation periodicity was found to be 9.7374(54) d. This is one of the shortest known Blazhko periods…
We describe and employ a stacking procedure to investigate abundances derived from the low S/N spectra obtained in the Carnegie RR Lyrae Survey (CARRS; Kollmeier et al. 2013). We find iron metallicities that extend from [Fe/H] ~ -2.5 to values at least as large as [Fe/H] ~ -0.5 in the 274-spectrum CARRS RRc data set. We consider RRc sample contamination by high amplitude solar metallicity delta Scuti stars (HADS) at periods less than 0.3 days, where photometric discrimination between RRc and delta Scuti stars has proven to be problematic. We offer a spectroscopic discriminant, the well-marked …
We report here on a detailed study of a c-type RR Lyrae variable (RRc variable), SB 796, serendipitously discovered in a search of the WASP public data for stars that display large photometric periodic modulation. SB 796 displays a period of $P = 0.26585$ d and semi-amplitude of $\sim$ 0.1 mag. Comparison of the modulation shape and period with the detailed analysis of LMC variables indicates that SB 796 is an RRc variable. Gaia DR2 classification corroborated our result. Radial-velocity (RV) follow-up observations revealed a periodic variation consistent with a sine modulation, with a semi-am…
Learned et. al. proposed that a sufficiently advanced extra-terrestrial civilization may tickle Cepheid and RR Lyrae variable stars with a neutrino beam at the right time, thus causing them to trigger early and jogging the otherwise very regular phase of their expansion and contraction. This would turn these stars into beacons to transmit information throughout the galaxy and beyond. The idea is to search for signs of phase modulation (in the regime of short pulse duration) and patterns, which could be indicative of intentional, omnidirectional signaling. We have performed such a search among …
We conducted a spectroscopic and photometric study of SDSS J075653.11+085831. X-ray observations were also attempted. We determined the orbital period of this binary system to be 3.29 hr. It is a deep eclipsing system, whose spectra shows mostly single-peaked Balmer emission lines and a rather intense He II line. There is also the presence of faint (often double-peaked) He I emission lines as well as several absorption lines, Mg I being the most prominent. All of these features point towards the affiliation of this object with the growing number of SW~Sex-type objects. We developed a phenomeno…
We analysed the light curve of four, apparently extremely metal-rich fundamental-mode RR Lyrae stars. We identified two stars, MT Tel and ASAS J091803-3022.6 as RRc (first-overtone) pulsators that were misclassified as RRab ones in the ASAS survey. In the case of the other two stars, V397 Gem and ASAS J075127-4136.3, we could not decide conclusively, as they are outliers in the period-Fourier-coefficient space from the loci of both classes, but their photometric metallicities also favour the RRc classification.
Space-based photometric telescopes stirred up stellar astrophysics in the last decade, and RR Lyrae stars have not been an exception from that either. The long, quasi-continuous, high-precision data from MOST, CoRoT and Kepler revealed a wealth of new insights about this well-known variable class. One of the most surprising mysteries turned out to be the apparent omnipresence of a common additional mode in all RRd and RRc stars. Moreover, fundamental-mode stars seem to populate two distinct classes, one of which is characterized by the presence of additional modes and/or modulation, and anothe…
The population of cataclysmic variables with orbital periods right above the period gap are dominated by systems with extremely high mass transfer rates, the so-called SW Sextantis stars. On the other hand, some old novae in this period range which are expected to show high mass transfer rate instead show photometric and/or spectroscopic resemblance to low mass transfer systems like dwarf novae. We discuss them as candidates for so-called hibernating systems, CVs that changed their mass transfer behaviour due to a previously experienced nova outburst. This paper is designed to provide input fo…
We analysed a wealth of optical spectroscopic and photometric observations of the bright (V=11.9) cataclysmic variable BG Tri. TheGaiaDR2 parallax gives a distance d=334(8)pc to the source, making the object one of the intrinsically brightest nova-like variables seen under a low orbital inclination angle. Time-resolved spectroscopic observations revealed the orbital period of P(orb)=3.h8028(24). Its spectroscopic characteristics resemble RW Sex and similarnova-like variables. We disentangled the H alpha emission line into two components, and show that one component forms on the irradiated face…
The light curves of 50 RRab (RR0) stars in M5 collected in Paper I are investigated to detect Blazhko modulation. 18 Blazhko stars are identified, and modulation is suspected in two additional cases. The mean pulsation period of Blazhko stars is 0.04 d shorter than the mean period of the entire RRab sample in M5. Among the RRab stars with period shorter than 0.55 d the incidence rate of the modulation is as high as 60 per cent. The mean $B-V$ colours of Blazhko stars overlap with the colours of first overtone RRc (RR1) pulsators. The mean $V$ magnitudes of Blazhko stars are on the average 0.05…
A detailed analysis is presented of 33 RR Lyrae stars in Pisces observed with the Kepler space telescope over the 8.9-day long K2 Two-Wheel Concept Engineering Test. The sample includes not only fundamental-mode and first overtone (RRab and RRc) stars but the first two double-mode (RRd) stars that Kepler detected and the only modulated first-overtone star ever observed from space so far. The precision of the extracted K2 light curves made it possible to detect low-amplitude additional modes in all subtypes. All RRd and non-modulated RRc stars show the additional mode at P_X/P_1~0.61 that was d…
We present a CCD $VI$ photometric study of the globular cluster M14. Particular attention is given to the variable stars. This allowed new classifications and cluster membership considerations. New variables are reported; 3 RRc, 18 SR and 1 SX Phe. The Fourier decomposition of RR Lyrae light curves lead to the mean cluster metallicity of [Fe/H]$_{\rm ZW}= -1.3 \pm 0.2$. Several independent methods yield a mean distance of $9.36 \pm 0.16$ kpc. A Colour-Magnitude diagram outlined by the cluster members enabled a matching with theoretical predictions of isochrones and zero-age horizontal branches…
Two recently discovered variable stars (CzeV134 = GSC 3682 0018 = USNO-A2.0 1425-1870026 and CzeV135 = GSC 3682 2051 = USNO-A2.0 1425-1825909 = V1094 Cas), which have been identified in the field of the W UMa variable star BS Cas, are studied in the present paper. The phase curves and finding charts for these stars are presented. The ephemeris and other photometric parameters were computed. The phenomenological features indicate that the first star (CzeV134) is probably a low-amplitude RRc Lyrae - type variable star with the period P = 0.419794\pm0.000029 d and the initial epoch T0 = HJD245323…
The third part of the OGLE-III Catalog of Variable Stars comprises 24906 RR Lyr stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). This sample consists of 17693 fundamental-mode (RRab), 4958 first-overtone (RRc), 986 double-mode (RRd) and 1269 suspected second-overtone (RRe) pulsators. 66 objects are foreground Galactic RR Lyr stars. The catalog data include basic photometric and astrometric properties of these RR Lyr stars, multi-epoch VI photometry and finding charts. We detected one new RR Lyr star with additional eclipsing variations. The spatial distribution of RR Lyr stars in the LMC is distinct…
We present new period-$ϕ_{31}$-[Fe/H] relations for first overtone RRL stars (RRc), calibrated over a broad range of metallicities ($-2.5 < \textrm{[Fe/H]}< 0.0$) utilizing the largest currently available set of Galactic halo field RRL with homogeneous spectroscopic metallicities. Our relations are defined in the optical (ASAS-SN $V$-band) and, inaugurally, in the infrared (WISE $W1$ and $W2$ bands). Our $V$-band relation can reproduce individual RRc spectroscopic metallicities with a dispersion of 0.30 dex over the entire metallicity range of our calibrator sample (an RMS smaller than what we…
We report CCD $V$ and $I$ time-series photometry of the globular cluster NGC 6333 (M9). The technique of difference image analysis has been used, which enables photometric precision better than 0.05 mag for stars brighter than $V \sim 19.0$ mag, even in the crowded central regions of the cluster. The high photometric precision has resulted in the discovery of two new RRc stars, three eclipsing binaries, seven long-term variables and one field RRab star behind the cluster. A detailed identification chart and equatorial coordinates are given for all the variable stars in the field of our images …
This is the third in a series of papers studying the variable stars in old globular clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The primary goal of this series is to look at how the characteristics and behavior of RR Lyrae stars in Oosterhoff-intermediate systems compare to those of their counterparts in Oosterhoff-I/II systems. In this paper we present the results of our new time-series BVI photometric study of the globular cluster Reticulum. We found a total of 32 variables stars (22 RRab, 4 RRc, and 6 RRd stars) in our field of view. We present photometric parameters and light curves for these …
This is the first in a series of papers studying the variable stars in Large Magellanic Cloud globular clusters. The primary goal of this series is to better understand how the RR Lyrae stars in Oosterhoff-intermediate systems compare to those in Oosterhoff I/II systems. In this paper we present the results of our new time-series BV photometric study of NGC 1466. A total of 62 variables were identified in the cluster, of which 16 are new discoveries. The variables include 30 RRab stars, 11 RRc's, 8 RRd's, 1 candidate RR Lyrae, 2 long-period variables, 1 potential anomalous Cepheid, and 9 varia…
In this work we present detailed photometric results of the trapezium like galactic nearby OB clusters NGC 1502 and NGC 2169 carried out at the University Observatory Jena. We determined absolute $BVRI$ magnitudes of the mostly resolved components using Landolt standard stars. This multi colour photometry enables us to estimate spectral type and absorption as well as the masses of the components, which were not available for most of the cluster members in the literature so far, using models of stellar evolution. Furthermore, we investigated the optical spectrum of the components ADS 2984A and …
We present results of a search for variable stars in a region of the globular cluster NGC 4147 based on photometric observations with 4k x 4k CCD imager mounted at the axial port of the recently installed 3.6 m Devasthal optical telescope at Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Nainital, India. We performed time series photometry of NGC 4147 in V and R bands, and identified 42 periodic variables in the region of NGC 4147, 28 of which have been detected for the first time. Seventeen variable stars are located within the half light radius $\lesssim$ 0.48 arcmin, of which 10 s…
We present new photometric and spectral observations of the newly discovered nova-like eclipsing star 2MASS J01074282+4845188. To obtain a light curve solution we used model of a nova-like star whose emission sources are a white dwarf surrounded by an accretion disk, a secondary star filling its Roche lobe, a hot spot and a hot line. 2MASS J01074282+4845188 shows the deepest permanent eclipse among the known nova-like stars. It is reproduced by covering the very bright accretion disk by the secondary component. The luminosity of the disk is much bigger than that of the rest light sources. The …
Spectroscopic iron-to-hydrogen ratios, radial velocities, atmospheric parameters, and new photometric analyses are presented for 41 RR Lyrae stars (and one probable high-amplitude delta Scuti star) located in the field-of-view of the Kepler space telescope. Thirty-seven of the RR Lyrae stars are fundamental-mode pulsators (i.e., RRab stars) of which 16 exhibit the Blazhko effect. Four of the stars are multiperiodic RRc pulsators oscillating primarily in the first-overtone mode. Spectroscopic [Fe/H] values for the 34 stars for which we were able to derive estimates range from -2.54 +/- 0.13 (NR…
The period changes of 86 M5 RR Lyrae stars have been investigated on a one-hundred-year time base. The published observations have been supplemented by archival Asiago, Konkoly and Las Campanas photographic observations obtained between 1952 and 1993. About two thirds of the O-C diagrams could be fitted by a straight line or a parabola. 21 RR Lyrae stars have increasing, 18 decreasing and 16 constant period. The mean rates of period change of these variables are: <beta> = <\dot{P}> = -0.006\pm0.162 d Myr^{-1}, <alpha> = <P^{-1}\dot{P}> = -0.021 \pm0.308 Myr^{-1}. Ten RR Lyrae stars show fast p…
HD 90386 is a rarely studied bright A2V type Delta Scuti star (V = 6.66 mag). It displays short-term light curve variations which are originated due to either a beating phenomenon or a non-periodic variation. In this paper, we presented high-precision photometric data of HD 90386 taken by the STEREO satellite between 2007 and 2011 to shed light on its internal structure and evolution stage. From the frequency analysis of the four-year data, we detected that HD 90386 had at least six different frequencies between 1 and 15 c~d$^{-1}$. The most dominant frequencies were found at around 10.25258 c…
NSV 1907, formerly listed as an irregular variable in variability catalogues, was classified as an Algol-type eclipsing binary in the Catalina Surveys Periodic Variable Star Catalogue. We have identified NSV 1907 as an ultraviolet (UV) bright source using measurements from the GALEX space telescope and detected obvious out-of-eclipse variability in archival photometric data from the Catalina Sky Survey, which instigated a closer examination of the object. A spectrum and extensive multicolour photometric observations were acquired, from which we deduce that NSV 1907 is a deeply eclipsing, nova-…
We present a sample of 135,873 RR Lyrae stars (RRLs) with precise photometric-metallicity and distance estimates from our newly calibrated $P-ϕ_{31}-R_{21}-$[Fe/H]/$P-R_{21}-$[Fe/H] and $G$ band absolute magnitude-metallicity relations. The $P-ϕ_{31}-R_{21}-$[Fe/H] and $P-R_{21}-$[Fe/H] relations for type RRab and type RRc stars are obtained from nearly 2700 Gaia-identified RRLs with precise $ϕ_{31}$ and $R_{21}$ measurements from the light curves and metallicity estimates from spectroscopy. Using 236 nearby RRLs with accurate distances estimated from parallax measurements with Gaia EDR3, new …
We present basic informations about package SPHOTOM for an automatic multicolour photometry. This package is in development for a creation of photometric pipe-line, which we plan to use in near future with our new instruments. It could operate in two independent modes, (i) GUI mode, in which user can select images and control functions of package through interface and (ii) command line mode, in which all processes are controlled using a main parameter file. SPHOTOM is developed as an universal package for Linux based systems with easy implementation for different observatories. Photometric par…
Context: The SW Sex stars are assumed to represent a distinguished stage in CV evolution, making it especially important to study them. Aims: We discovered a new cataclysmic star and carried out prolonged and precise photometric observations, as well as medium-resolution spectral observations. Modelling these data allowed us to determine the psysical parameters and to establish its peculiarities. Results: The newly discovered vataclysmic variable 2MASSJ22560844+5954299 shows the deepest eclipse amongst the known nova-like stars. It was reproduced by totally covering a very luminous accretion d…
The overtone and multi-mode RR Lyrae stars in the globular cluster M3 are studied using a 200-d long, $B,V$ and $I_{\mathrm C}$ time-series photometry obtained in 2012. 70\% of the 52 overtone variables observed show some kind of multi-periodicity (additional frequency at ${f_{0.61}}={f_{\mathrm {1O}}}/0.61$ frequency ratio, Blazhko effect, double/multi-mode pulsation, period doubling). A signal at 0.587 frequency ratio to the fundamental-mode frequency is detected in the double-mode star, V13, which may be identified as the second radial overtone mode. If this mode-identification is correct, …
We determine the period-magnitude relations of RR Lyrae stars in 13 photometric bandpasses from 0.4 to 12 μm using timeseries observations of 134 stars. The Bayesian formalism, extended from our previous work to include the effects of line-of-sight dust extinction, allows for the simultaneous inference of the posterior distribution of the mean absolute magnitude, slope of the period-magnitude power-law, and intrinsic scatter about a perfect power-law for each bandpass. In addition, the distance modulus and line-of-sight dust extinction to each RR Lyrae star in the calibration sample is determi…
We present a new complete Near-Infrared (NIR, $JHK_s$) census of RR Lyrae stars (RRLs) in the globular $ω$ Cen (NGC 5139). We collected 15,472 $JHK_s$ images with 4-8m class telescopes over 15 years (2000-2015) covering a sky area around the cluster center of 60x34 arcmin$^2$. These images provided calibrated photometry for 182 out of the 198 cluster RRL candidates with ten to sixty measurements per band. We also provide new homogeneous estimates of the photometric amplitude for 180 ($J$), 176 ($H$) and 174 ($K_s$) RRLs. These data were supplemented with single-epoch $JK_s$ magnitudes from VHS…
(abridged) Mass loss is a key parameter in the evolution of massive stars, with discrepancies between theory and observations and with unknown importance of the episodic mass loss. To address this we need increased numbers of classified sources stars spanning a range of metallicity environments. We aim to remedy the situation by applying machine learning techniques to recently available extensive photometric catalogs. We used IR/Spitzer and optical/Pan-STARRS, with Gaia astrometric information, to compile a large catalog of known massive stars in M31 and M33, which were grouped in Blue, Red, Y…
Our long-term photometric monitoring of southern nova-like cataclysmic variables with the 1.3-m SMARTS telescope found BB Doradus fading from V ~ 14.3 towards a deep low state at V ~ 19.3 in April 2008. Here we present time-resolved optical spectroscopy of BB Dor in this faint state in 2009. The optical spectrum in quiescence is a composite of a hot white dwarf with Teff = 30000 +- 5000 K and a M3-4 secondary star with narrow emission lines (mainly of the Balmer series and HeI) superposed. We associate these narrow profiles with an origin on the donor star. Analysis of the radial velocity curv…
