Eclipsing binary VSX J061245.9+345917
| RA | 06 12 45.9 |
| DEC | +34 59 17 |
| Derived period | 0.2649±0.0001 days |
| Amplitude | 0.651±0.015 mag |
| Mean V magnitude | 14.20±0.02 mag |
This object is a W UMa eclipsing binary system that was discovered as part of the SuperWASP public data release by astronomer Gregor Srdoc in 2010. The object is a contact binary star system where the two stars fill their Roche lobes and share their outer layers. The prototype for this class of star is W UMa. AAVSO entry for this object may be found here: http://www.aavso.org/vsx/index.php?view=detail.top&oid=250883
If we could resolve the two components they may look something like this model:
Image taken from paper here: http://binaries.boulder.swri.edu/papers/rew_iappp_94/
I collected the lightcurve for VSX J061245.9+345917 over 4 nights in 2010 December as my first variable star observation. I understand that these close contact binaries can exhibit mass transfer which is apparent in their lightcurve changing rapidly over time. This may be apparent in this system by comparing the discovery lightcurve from SuperWASP data with my collected lightcurve.
SuperWASP lightcurve of VSX J061245.9+345917 reveals a period of 0.23393 days and fairly symmetrical maxima and minima.
Contrastingly the Gothers Observatory Lightcurve of VSX J061245.9+345917 show more assymetry in the maxima and minima as well as a period of 0.2649±0.0001days. Interestingly, both minima seem to show a flat bottom with a slight dip before the next rise.
I will cetainly take another look at this object at some time in the future to see whether the lightcurve changes again. If it does then I will endeavor to investigate the magnitude of the change in mass of the two components. A finder chart for the object and comp star may be seen below. I measured the absolute magnitude of the comp star to be 12.59 using Astrometrica and a plate fit to the CMC-14 catalogue.
