Testing a New Method of Detecting RR Lyrae Variable Stars
Abstract
We have submitted for publication a new method of selecting candidate RR Lyrae stars using out-of-phase single epoch photometric and spectroscopic observations contained in the SDSS Data Release 6 (DR6). The technique detects variability by exploiting the large disparity between the (g-r) color and the strength of the Hydrogen Balmer lines when the two observations are made at random phase. The SDSS Stripe 82 allowed us to show that our method has a discovery efficiency of around 85%. This technique yielded over 1,000 candidates fainter than g = 14.5. We present the results of observations of several of these candidates made on the 0.8m telescope at McDonald Observatory, with 12 of 13 confirmed as variable, and one labeled as a likely RRc.
- Publication:
-
New Horizons in Astronomy: Frank N. Bash Symposium 2009
- Pub Date:
- October 2010
- Bibcode:
- 2010ASPC..432..235P