An account of the discovery of two un-cataloged variable stars on the KOI 1152 field during the summer of 2012 as part of the REU program at Brigham Young University

ORAL

Abstract

While reviewing the graphs depicting the changes in magnitude for several stars this researcher came across two very interesting light curves. These curves showed increases and decreases in luminosity with a periodicity proper of eclipsing binary star systems, group that belongs to the extrinsic variable family of the variable stars classification (1). The finding of the stars was incredibly exciting but what made the discovery even more thrilling was the fact that there was no information available nor evidence of previous studies conducted on the subjects. The data was obtained from several nights of observation using the 0.32-m and the 0.91-m telescopes at West Mountain Observatory -property of BYU- and analyzed, processed and reduced using the differential photometry technique and the IRAF incorporated system.

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Authors

  • Pamela Lara

    Utah Valley University

  • Norm Buchanan

    Brigham Young University, Stanford University, University of Central Florida, NCAR/High Altitude Observatory, Arizona Vitro-retinal consultants, University of Michigan, Arizona State University, University of Denver, Arizona State University Dept of Physics, Arizona State University Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry, LASP, University of Colorado Boulder, Center for Atmospheric and Space Science, Utah State University, Dixie State College, Utah, USU Materials Physics Group, UVU Physics Department, Box Elder Innovations, Space Telescope Science Institute, Northern Kentucky University, Retired, Utah Valley University, Univ. of California, Los Angelos, Colorado State University, St. Petersburg Electro-technical University, Universidad Nacional Aut\'onoma de M\'exico, New Mexico State University, University of New Mexico, University of Wurtzberg, Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, LANL, UCLA, Max-planck-Institut f\"{u}r Astronomie, W. M. Keck Observatory, University of Arizona, Nuclear Physics Group, Brigham Young University, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, IBM Systems and Technology Group, IBM Research Division, T.J. Watson Research Center, Sandia National Laboratory, NMSU, Military University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland, James Franck Institute and Department of Physics, University of Chicago, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, JISAO, University of Washington, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, NorthWest Research Associates, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Utah State University, New Mexico Tech, University of Cambridge, Los Alamos National Laboratory, RAPTOR Science, Institute of Space and Astronomical Science, Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, Weber State University, Department of Physics, New Mexico State University, BYU Physics, Physics Department, University of Arizona, ABQMR, University of Colorado at Boulder, SNL and CINT, Los Alamos National Lab, Center for Quantum Information and Control, University of Arizona, Center for Quantum Information and Control, University of New Mexico, University of Calgary, Colorado School of Mines