Simulators for assisting the teaching of observational astronomy. Part II: Photometry of normal and variable stars in total visible light

Abstract

A simulator is described which, viewed with a commercial photomultiplier photometer, enables students to practise some of the techniques of quantitative stellar photometry in the laboratory. A fictitious open cluster is presented which contains stars of differing colours and apparent magnitudes. When a switch is closed, four of these stars undergo regular cyclic variations in brightness, with patterns typical of Algol, beta Lyrae, and Cepheid-type variables. From their own and given data, students can subsequently calculate apparent and absolute magnitudes, light curves, distances, etc., obtaining results comparable with corresponding objects in the real sky.