Re: TOM2

[Michael Sallman <msallman@pro-ns.net>]

Tom,

> TOM2 is now lined up.  At least to the extent that I can read the WCS and
> locate where the telescope is pointing.  It is a relief to look at some
> part of the sky than just above the equator.  I am bored with looking
> there.  For the last run, TOM2 was pointed at 37N.  I was trying for 42N
> but missed.  I have to get better at measuring the Dec. angle.  The RA was
> close.  Next adjustment should get it within a minute of time.

I saw the following on the AAVSO list. Might this be something for TOM2
to do?

Mike


>Dan Kaiser wrote:

> Way back in September of 1999 Patrick McDonald asked when  OW Gem would
> be eclipsing again.  I'm writing to remind everyone OW will begin one of
> it's rare primary eclipses late this month, with minimum in early
> January.
>
> OW Gem is an 8.2 magnitude star with eclipses occurring every 3 1/2
> years.  With eclipses lasting two weeks and depths of 1.8 magnitudes, it
> is a dramatic event to record.  However since it's discovery in 1988,
> every other primary eclipse has occurred while Gemini was in conjunction
> with the Sun.  So favorably placed eclipses have been every 7 years.
> This eclipse is only the second of the favorable ones since discovery.
>
> R. Griffin and A. Duquennoy published everything that had been learned
> about OW in "The Observatory" for April 1993.  This data was well
> summarized in the February, 1995 issue of Sky and Telescope, page 75.
>
> If you have never observed OW Gem in eclipse, you may want to take a
> look during the next several weeks.  Otherwise it will be a while.  The
> next eclipse will be in June 2005, again close to conjunction with the
> sun, followed by a favorable eclipse in November 2008.
>
> Dan
>

>Further to this announcement, there is a well documented eclipse of OW Gem
>in the AAVSO data that can be reviewed on the Light Curve Generator between
>dates 2449740 and 2449780.  This was the first well-observered prediction of
>the primary eclipse after the discovery announcement.  About 10 observers
>have reasonably-well correlated data here.  From the light curve, the
>eclipse is probably partial, and lasts about 15 days from 2nd contact to 3rd
>contact.  Partial phases (1st & 4th contact) are detectible for a few weeks
>before and after for CCD guys!  Point is that to watch the eclipse in its
>entirely means 1 or 2 obs per night for 2 weeks!

>Note that the secondary minimum is not at the 0.5 phase point, and is
>substantially offset (I don't have the data exactly in front of me), but it
>apparently has a depth of a few 1/10ths of a mag, thus may be barely
>detectible visually, but is best handled via CCD.

>Rick (HUZ)
>* * * * * * * * * * * * *
>Richard Huziak
>Manufacturing Engineering
>SED Systems, Saskatoon
>tel. (306) 933-1676
><huziak@SEDSystems.ca>
>* * * * * * * * * * * * *