*************************************** * VARIABLE STAR UTILITY v. 1.0 * * 1996, October 14 * *************************************** Sergio FOGLIA, (Internet: s.foglia@libero.it) Serafino Zani Observatory, Via F.Bisleri 11 I-20148 Milano Italy 1. CONTENTS VS contains the following files: VS.BAT LISTAAV.DAT LISTAAE.DAT OBSERVER.DAT VS.EXE VS.TXT HELP.TXT AUR___RT.VAR CAS___RZ.VAR VS.BAT runs GRAPHICS.COM file to print in graphic mode. LISTAAV.DAT and LISTAAE.DAT files contain file information to create the monthly AAVSO report files. OBSERVER.DAT contains the observer's information. You must rewrite these data using VS for the first time (author's information is assumed). VS.TXT is this file. HELP.TXT is the Help file of VS.EXE, the executable program. AUR___RT.VAR file is a sample file to see J.D./Mag. graphic and Phase Graphic, CAS___RZ.VAR file is a sample file to see Variable EA (minimum) graphic. These two files contain the observational's data of the author. 2. INDEX 1. CONTENTS..................................................1 2. INDEX.....................................................1 3. INTRODUCTION..............................................2 4. VS MENU...................................................2 5. VS OPTIONS................................................2 5.1. Help......................................................2 5.2. Make New File.............................................2 5.3. Update File...............................................3 5.4. List Files................................................3 5.5. Show Observations.........................................3 5.6. Graphic J.D./Mag..........................................3 5.7. Phase Graphic.............................................3 5.8. Variable EA (minimum).....................................4 5.9. Print File................................................4 5.10. AAVSO Monthly Report......................................4 5.11. Output Data Analisys......................................4 5.12. Reorder File..............................................5 5.13. Rewrite Observ.dat File...................................5 5.14. Exit......................................................5 6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..........................................5 --- 1 --- 3. INTRODUCTION VS helps variable stars observers in archivement and management of observational data. VS creates a file for each variable star, '*.VAR' extension is assumed, don't write the extension in the file name if it isn't requested. All '*.VAR' files are written in ASCII characters. I suggest to assign the file name using the following criteria: the maximun lenght of a file name is 8 characters; the first three characters are assigned to the constellation abbreviation (i.e., Camelopardalis -> cam), the last characters are assigned to the variable star identification, such as R, S, T, ..., V1504, ..., alfa, etc.; the middle characters are assigned to a number of following underscore characters ('_') to have a 8 characters lenght file name (i.e., R Camelopardalis -> cam____r, alfa Orionis -> ori_alfa, V1339 Cygni -> cyg_1339 ). In this case you can order your observational data by variable star name. I think this is the most comprensive order. 4. VS MENU VS menu will appear when you'll start the program. You may select the desired option pressing the brighter correspondig character (Examples: press 'U' to update one file). After each computation you will return to VS menu. 5. VS OPTIONS 5.1. Help Press H to open this option. When you're using VS for the first time, you may read the information of Help option; it describes the general functions of VS. 5.2. Make New File Press M to open this option. You must use Make New File to create a new '*.VAR' file; each variable star observation can be added if the corresponding '*.VAR' file exists. - New File Name: give a name for the new file, without the extension ('*.VAR' is assumed), i.e., R Coronae Borelais -> crb____r; - Star name: enter the name of the variable star, i.e., R Coronae Borealis; - Star Code: enter the abbreviation of the variable star name, i.e., R CrB; - Designation: enter the Harvard's number of the variable star, i.e., 1544+28A; - Star Type: enter the type of the variable star, i.e., R CrB; - Epoch: enter the Epoch in Julian Day, if it is unknown you must enter the '-' charachter; - Period: enter the period of the variable star in days; if it is unknown you must enter the '-' character. - Magnitude Maximum: enter the brighter value of magnitude of the range variation, i.e., 5.9; - Magnitude Minimum: enter the less value of magnitude of the range variation, i.e., 15.0; - Chart: enter the AAVSO chart of the variable stars or the sequence (i.e. S/b/1986, P/d/1971, GEOS) You will automatically return to VS menu. --- 2 --- 5.3. Update File To insert new observations in an existent file you must press 'U' to run Update File option. - File Name: enter the name of *.VAR file that you want to add new observations (without exetension, '*.VAR' is assumed); - Date [yyyy/mm/dd]: enter the number of the year and press the enter key, the number of the month and press the enter key, the number of the day of the observations (and press the enter key); - U.T. [hhmm]: enter the Universal Time of the observations in hours followed by minutes, i.e. 20:48 U.T. -> 2048; - Magnitude [mm.m]: enter the estimated magnitude; - Comp. Star Brighter [mm.m]: enter the magnitude of the brighter comparison star; - Comp. Star Fainter [mm.m]: enter the magnitude of the fainter comparison star; - Continue [1] same star and date, [2] other star same date, [3] same star other date [4] other star other date [0] end: press '0' to add other observation of the same variable star at the same date, '2' to add new observations of an another variable star at the same date, '3' to add new observations of same variable star at the another date, '4' to add new observations of an another variable star at another date, '0' to return to VS menu. 5.4. List Files To know the '*.VAR' files that are in VS directory, you must press 'L'. 5.5. Show Observations To see your observations of a variable star you can use Show Observations option. You must press 'S' to run this option. - File Name: enter the '*.VAR' file name of the correspondent variable star whose observational data you want to see. 5.6. Graphic J.D./Mag. Press 'G' to run the Graphic J.D./Mag. option. -File Name: enter the '*.VAR' file name of the variable star; the Julian Date is displayed in x-axis while the estimated magnitude is in y-axis. You must press 'M' to return to VS menu. There isn't any message that tells you how to return to VS menu because you may want to print the graphic J.D./Mag. with the Print key,so you wouldn't like to print that message too. 5.7. Phase Graphic Press 'P' to create the Phase Graphic of periodic variable stars. -File Name: enter the '*.VAR' file name of the variable star - Central Phase 0.5 [1] or 0.0 [2]: enter '1' if you want the 0.5 phase of period in the middle of the x-axis, '2' if you want the 0.0 phase of period in the middle of the x-axis. In x-axis there is The phase of the period while the estimated magnitude is in y-axis. You must press 'M' to return to VS menu. There isn't any message that tells you how to return to VS menu because you may want to print the graphic J.D./Mag. with the Print key,so you wouldn't like to print that message too. --- 3 --- 5.8. Variable EA (minimum) Press 'V' to see the lightcurve of the minimum of the eclipsing binary stars or short-period variable stars. -File Name: enter the '*.VAR' file name of the variable star whose lightcurve you want to see; Universal Time is displayed in x-axis while magnitude is in y-axis. You must press 'M' to return to VS menu. There isn't any message that tells you how to return to VS menu because you may want to print the graphic J.D./Mag. with the Print key,so you wouldn't like to print that message too. Different minima of same eclipsing binary star must be entered in different files. 5.9. Print File Press 'R' to run this option. You must be sure that the printer is ready before entering the file name. -File Name: enter the '*.VAR' file name of the variable star; 5.10. AAVSO Monthly Report Press 'A' to run AAVSO Monthly Report option. There will appear: Report for: - Number of the Year: enter the number of the year (i.e., 1995); - Number of the Month: enter the number of the month (i.e., 4 for April); Monthly AAVSO Report of: the observer's information of the OBSERVER.DAT file will appear. - Is data OK (Y/N): press 'Y' to continue, 'N' to reenter data. - The first 3 letters of today's month: (i.e.,APR for April); - The last 2 number of the current year [i.e.,95]: - Normal Report [N] or EB/RR Report [E]: press 'N' to create the AVVSO Report files, 'E' to create the AAVSO EB/RR Report files. Report Number: enter the number of the report. This routine creates the '*.AAV' (normal report) and '*.AAE' (EB/RR report) files. This routine will read the LISTAAV.DAT file if you make the AAVSO Normal Monthly report, the LISTAAE.DAT file if you make the EB/RR Monthly report. These two files must contain the list of the variable star files ('*.VAR' is assumed) that must be entered in the Report. Edit these files to modify them. You must order the list of the file names by designation: each file is red by this routine and all the observations selected in the month of the report are added to '*.AAV' and '*.AAE' files. The order of the reading file name is the order of the LISTAAV.DAT (or LISTAAE.DAT) file. AAVSO Heaquarters want to receive the report ordered by designation. 5.11. Output Data Analisys Press 'O' to run Output Data Analisys option. This option produces a file that contains a list of Julian date and magnitude of observations. it is very useful in case of data analisys with any program. The output file is in ASCII characters. - File Name: enter the '*.VAR' file name to extract the observational's data (without extension); - Output File Name (with extension): enter the output file name, with extension; output file name must be different by '*.VAR' file name. You will return automatically to VS menu. --- 4 --- 5.12. Reorder File Press 'D' to reorder a file. Reorder file deletes the empty rows that occasionally Update File produces while entering new observations. - File Name: enter the '*.VAR' file name to reorder. You will return automatically to VS menu. 5.13. Rewrite OBSERVER.DAT File Press 'W' to run this option. OBSERVER.DAT contains the observer's information;use this option to change this information. - Association: enter the name of your astronomical association; - Observer Name: enter your name; - Address: enter your address; - Zip Code and City: enter your Zip Code and City; - Country: enter your [state and] country; - Observer Code: enter your AAVSO observer initials; - Instruments: enter your equipment. You will return automatically to VS menu. 5.14. Exit Press 'X' to exit from VS. 6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Thanks to Matteo Damiani, Serafino Zani Observatory, for his technical support. --- 5 ---