Abstract
THE LIGHT-CURVE OF U OPHIUCHI.—Mr. S. C. Chandler investigated the light-curve of this most interesting variable about a year ago (NATURE, vol. xxxvii. p. 36), and found evidence of a slight shortening of the period. Mr. Chandler's light-curve also showed an irregularity in the increase of light after minimum, similar to that which Schonfeld had already exhibited in the light-curves of Algol and S Cancri—a diminution, that is, in the speed of recovery almost amounting to a short halt. It is evident that it is of great importance to decide whether this irregularity is due merely to some personality of the observer, or is truly characteristic of the star's variation, for in the latter case it would be difficult to reconcile it with the view now generally held that the variability of stars of the Algol type is due to the transit of a dark satellite. Mr. Sawyer has recently published (Gould's Astronomical Journal, No. 177) the light-curve from his own observations, which are 527 in number, made on 57 nights, and involve 1135 comparisons. Mr. Sawyer's curve shows an irregularity similar to but slighter than that of Mr. Chandler's, but the retardation takes place sooner after the minimum, and the mean of the two curves gives an almost perfectly symmetrical curve for both decrease and recovery. It would seem likely, therefore, that for this star at least this curious irregularity is a purely subjective one, and the regularity of the mean curve would seem to afford confirmation to the satellite theory.
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Our Astronomical Column . Nature 38, 576 (1888). https://doi.org/10.1038/038576a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/038576a0