Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
Wed, 12/02/2015 - 21:45
Have you seen that Miu Cephei is at its weakest in years?
It,s lightcurve has dimmed very much last year.
In fact, even bluish V cephei (4,29 mag), seems brighter.
Clear skies and cheers from Spain.
Indeed this current minimum seems to be the faintest that MIU Cep has been seen in about the past half dozen years, MIU having last briefly dipped to its current magnitude in about the summer of of 2009.
Having observed this star over the past 5 decades I think that it is worth noting that MIU has also been experiencing a somewhat smaller range of variability over the past decade than previously. However, MIU Cep was repeatedly reported as displaying minima of fainter than the star's current brightness in the years prior to 2000, including a "great minimum" in the 5th magnitude range in the early 1980's.
J.Bortle (BRJ)
And ten months later it seems at its brightest in many years.
Nearly as bright as Zeta cephei.
Clear skies!
Just looking at these data for this star going back to the 1870's is pretty amazing. But what happened in the 1940's and 50's? Here is a weekly average data with a spline fit. This star is increasing in luminosity (decreasing magnitudes). And what is the accepted period for this star?
Rodney
One has to use considerable caution when attempting to evaluate visual data for MIU Cep. This star's light curve exhibits a dramatically larger degree of scatter than most other stars on the AAVSO's program. This undoubtedly arises from it normally being a bit too faint for naked eye estimates, yet too bright to be observed with small binoculars, especially over the past few decades which found more and more observers under the disturbing pall of light pollution. It doesn't help either that MIU is also among the favorites with novice observers. I believe that these factors are mostly responsible for the seeming increase in the the extremes of the star's range in our post WWII records.
J.Bortle - (BRJ)
I know that the first time I viewed Miu Cephei I initially found the wrong star! Very embarassing.
KL