Variable stars and the amateur

Ever since John Goodricke observed the brightness changes of stars such as Algol, Delta Cephei and Beta Lyrae in the 18th century, amateurs have played a leading role in the discovery and study of variable stars. This presentation will be about the various ways in which stars change in brightness, from the leisurely pulsations of Mira-type long-period variables via the eclipses of stars such as Algol to the unpredictable cataclysmic variables, novae and supernovae. Through study of variable stars we can gain an insight into the life cycles of stars.

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About David Levy

Canadian-born David Levy has discovered 22 comets, nine of them using his own backyard telescopes. Most celebrated was Shoemaker-Levy 9, discovered jointly with Eugene and Carolyn Shoemaker at the Palomar Observatory in California, which collided with Jupiter in 1994. Levy is currently involved with the Jarnac Comet Survey, based at his privately owned Jarnac Observatory in Vail, Arizona, but which has telescopes planned for locations around the world. He began comet hunting at the end of 1965, found his first comet in November 1984, and his most recent in October 2006.
Levy is the author or editor of 35 books and other products. He writes the monthly Star Trails column for Sky & Telescope magazine. He and his wife Wendee host a weekly radio show available at www.letstalkstars.com. He has been awarded five honorary doctorates, and asteroid 3673 (Levy) was named in his honour. David and Wendee Levy live in Vail, Arizona.

 

David Levy’s home page
Wikipedia entry