216:
366:
38:
154:
290:, since the apparent angular size of the object is smaller than one pixel in the detector. Thus, astronomers measure the amount of light produced by an object as a function of time (the light curve). The time separation of peaks in the light curve gives an estimate of the rotational period of the object. The difference between the maximum and minimum brightnesses (the
176:
of a variable star over time are commonly used to visualise and analyse their behaviour. Although the categorisation of variable star types is increasingly done from their spectral properties, the amplitudes, periods, and regularity of their brightness changes are still important factors. Some types
437:
passing in front of the star that it is orbiting. When an exoplanet passes in front of its star, light from that star is temporarily blocked, resulting in a dip in the star's light curve. These dips are periodic, as planets periodically orbit a star. Many exoplanets have been discovered via this
294:
of the light curve) can be due to the shape of the object, or to bright and dark areas on its surface. For example, an asymmetrical asteroid's light curve generally has more pronounced peaks, while a more spherical object's light curve will be flatter. This allows astronomers to infer information
243:
have less sharp maxima. Light curves are helpful for classification of faint supernovae and for the determination of sub-types. For example, the type II-P (for plateau) have similar spectra to the type II-L (linear) but are distinguished by a light curve where the decline flattens out for several
192:
The shapes of variable star light curves give valuable information about the underlying physical processes producing the brightness changes. For eclipsing variables, the shape of the light curve indicates the degree of totality, the relative sizes of the stars, and their relative surface
312:(LCDB) of the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL) uses a numeric code to assess the quality of a period solution for minor planet light curves (it does not necessarily assess the actual underlying data). Its quality code parameter
377:
light curve is often characterised as binary, where the light from the star is terminated instantaneously, remains constant for the duration, and is reinstated instantaneously. The duration is equivalent to the length of a
778:
Dave, Herald; Derek, Breit; David, Dunham; Eric, Frappa; Dave, Gault; Tony, George; Tsutomu, Hayamizu; Brian, Loader; Jan, Manek (2016). "VizieR Online Data
Catalog: Occultation lights curves (Herald+ 2016)".
480:, but allows the detection and analysis of otherwise-invisible stellar and planetary mass objects. The properties of these objects can be inferred from the shape of the lensing light curve. For example,
201:
of the two stars. For pulsating stars, the amplitude or period of the pulsations can be related to the luminosity of the star, and the light curve shape can be an indicator of the pulsation mode.
139:
events. The study of the light curve, together with other observations, can yield considerable information about the physical process that produces it or constrain the physical theories about it.
847:
Roettenbacher, Rachael M.; Monnier, John D.; Harmon, Robert O.; Barclay, Thomas; Still, Martin (2013). "Imaging
Starspot Evolution on Kepler Target KIC 5110407 Using Light-Curve Inversion".
727:
Sicardy, B.; Brahic, A.; Ferrari, C.; Gautiert, D.; Lecacheux, J.; Lellouch, E.; Reques, F.; Arlot, J. E.; Colas, F. (1990-01-25). "Probing Titan's atmosphere by stellar occultation".
472:
Microlensing is a process where relatively small and low-mass astronomical objects cause a brief small increase in the brightness of a more distant object. This is caused by the small
450:
Light curve inversion is a mathematical technique used to model the surfaces of rotating objects from their brightness variations. This can be used to effectively image
900:
Haugan, S. V. H. (1996). "Separating
Intrinsic and Microlensing Variability Using Parallax Measurements". In Kochanek, C.S.; Hewitt, Jacqueline (eds.).
231:
can be indicative of the type of supernova. Although supernova types are defined on the basis of their spectra, each has typical light curve shapes.
369:
Light curve of the asteroid 1247 Dysona occulting 4UCAC 174-171272, showing instantaneous disappearance and reappearance. Duration is 6.48 seconds.
109:
982:
509:
Samus, N. N.; Durlevich, O. V.; et al. (2009). "VizieR Online Data
Catalog: General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+ 2007โ2013)".
46:
904:. Symposium of the International Astronomical Union. Vol. 173. Melbourne; Australia: Kluwer Academic Publishers. p. 277.
701:
351:
A trailing plus sign (+) or minus sign (โ) is also used to indicate a slightly better or worse quality than the unsigned value.
66:
181:
have extremely regular light curves with exactly the same period, amplitude, and shape in each cycle. Others such as
987:
467:
132:
415:
124:
194:
215:
977:
30:
This article is about astronomical graphs of brightness variations. For photosynthetic response graphs, see
78:
949:
939:
915:
866:
819:
788:
736:
680:
625:
586:
549:
518:
439:
374:
198:
186:
31:
365:
905:
882:
856:
760:
477:
473:
173:
162:
112:
577:
Kron, Gerald E. (1952). "A Photoelectric Study of the Dwarf M Eclipsing
Variable YY Geminorum".
653:
185:
have somewhat less regular light curves with large amplitudes of several magnitudes, while the
961:
752:
379:
335:= 2 โ Result based on less than full coverage. Period may be wrong by 30 percent or ambiguous.
271:
259:
253:
240:
236:
955:
874:
827:
744:
633:
594:
557:
485:
400:
when the occulted body is large, e.g. a star like
Antares, then the transitions are gradual.
232:
178:
105:
101:
74:
671:
Harris, A. W.; Warner, B. D.; Pravec, P. (2016). "Asteroid
Lightcurve Derived Data V16.0".
943:
394:
263:
50:
37:
919:
870:
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684:
629:
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553:
522:
153:
705:
94:
971:
886:
878:
182:
166:
148:
764:
614:"On the pulsation mode of Mira variables: Evidence from the Large Magellanic Cloud"
404:
283:
267:
42:
511:
VizieR On-line Data
Catalog: B/GCVS. Originally Published in: 2009yCat....102025S
17:
390:
360:
158:
136:
27:
Graph of light intensity of a celestial object or region, as a function of time
638:
613:
756:
538:"On the Determination of the Orbital Elements of Eclipsing Variable Stars. I"
489:
434:
291:
287:
228:
220:
210:
128:
116:
58:
329:= 1 โ Result based on fragmentary light curve(s), may be completely wrong.
910:
704:. Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link. 30 October 2011. Archived from
481:
451:
70:
748:
455:
422:
952:
have light curves for several transient types, including supernovae
832:
807:
598:
562:
537:
861:
411:
364:
279:
275:
214:
152:
93:-axis. The light is usually in a particular frequency interval or
82:
36:
484:
is a microlensing event that may have been due to a star in the
120:
702:"Asteroid Lightcurve Data Base (LCDB) โ 4.1.2 U (QUALITY) CODE"
433:
Periodic dips in a star's light curve graph could be due to an
414:
equipment and the disappearance and reappearance timed using a
385:
Circumstances where the transitions are not instantaneous are;
389:
when either the occulting or occulted body are double, e.g. a
341:= 3 โ Secure result within the precision given. No ambiguity.
936:
808:"Imaging Stellar Surfaces via Matrix Light-Curve Inversion"
347:= n.a. โ Not available. Incomplete or inconclusive result.
403:
when the occulting body has an atmosphere, e.g. the moon
658:
Georgia State
University โ Hyperphysics โ Carl Rod Nave
282:
there is often no way to resolve a small object in the
295:
about the shape and spin (but not size) of asteroids.
964:
Database of
Asteroid Models from Inversion Techniques
946:
can plot light curves for thousands of variable stars
189:
are less regular still and have smaller amplitudes.
77:
or region as a function of time, typically with the
902:
Astrophysical Applications of Gravitational Lensing
618:Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
361:Occultation ยง Occultations by minor planets
100:Light curves can be periodic, as in the case of
316:ranges from 0 (incorrect) to 3 (well-defined):
410:The observations are typically recorded using
421:Occultation light curves are archived at the
8:
806:Harmon, Robert O.; Crews, Lionel J. (2000).
45:based on images taken on 6 October 2006 at
262:, a light curve can be used to derive the
244:weeks or months before resuming its fade.
909:
860:
831:
637:
561:
679:: EAR-A-5-DDR-DERIVED-LIGHTCURVE-V16.0.
501:
418:disciplined Video Time Inserter (VTI).
937:The AAVSO online light curve generator
696:
694:
397:, then a step light curve is observed.
7:
323:= 0 โ Result later proven incorrect
193:brightnesses. It may also show the
25:
612:Wood, P. R.; Sebo, K. M. (1996).
47:Mount John University Observatory
108:, other periodic variables, and
286:, even in the most powerful of
235:have light curves with a sharp
135:, or binary as observed during
958:by NASA's Imagine the Universe
536:Russell, Henry Norris (1912).
438:method, which is known as the
1:
983:Stellar astrophysics concepts
239:and gradually decline, while
956:Lightcurves: An Introduction
310:Asteroid Lightcurve Database
299:Asteroid lightcurve database
119:, like the light curve of a
41:Light curve of the asteroid
950:The Open Astronomy Catalogs
781:VizieR On-line Data Catalog
382:across the occulting body.
89:-axis and with time on the
53:, which lasts 3.7474 hours.
49:. Shows just over one full
1004:
879:10.1088/0004-637X/767/1/60
673:NASA Planetary Data System
468:Gravitational microlensing
465:
358:
251:
208:
146:
29:
849:The Astrophysical Journal
125:cataclysmic variable star
812:The Astronomical Journal
355:Occultation light curves
304:Light curve quality code
199:distortions in the shape
639:10.1093/mnras/282.3.958
370:
224:
169:
54:
579:Astrophysical Journal
542:Astrophysical Journal
446:Light curve inversion
368:
359:Further information:
218:
187:semiregular variables
156:
40:
478:gravitational lenses
454:or asteroid surface
440:astronomical transit
32:Light curve (botany)
920:1996IAUS..173..277H
871:2013ApJ...767...60R
824:2000AJ....120.3274H
793:2016yCat....102033H
741:1990Natur.343..350S
708:on 16 November 2015
685:2016PDSS..246.....H
630:1996MNRAS.282..958W
591:1952ApJ...115..301K
554:1912ApJ....35..315R
523:2009yCat....102025S
474:relativistic effect
429:Exoplanet discovery
248:Planetary astronomy
942:2020-12-21 at the
371:
278:nucleus. From the
241:Type II supernovae
227:Light curves from
225:
174:apparent magnitude
170:
133:microlensing event
113:extrasolar planets
102:eclipsing binaries
55:
988:Planetary science
735:(6256): 350โ353.
260:planetary science
254:Planetary science
233:Type I supernovae
223:type light curves
197:of the orbit and
165:versus pulsation
106:Cepheid variables
18:LCDB quality code
16:(Redirected from
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924:
923:
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911:astro-ph/9508112
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71:light intensity
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931:External links
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833:10.1086/316882
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183:Mira variables
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710:. Retrieved
706:the original
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488:that has an
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462:Microlensing
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284:Solar System
268:minor planet
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226:
219:Comparative
195:eccentricity
191:
171:
99:
90:
86:
62:
56:
43:201 Penelope
818:(6): 3274.
654:"Supernova"
391:double star
375:occultation
137:occultation
63:light curve
972:Categories
624:(3): 958.
496:References
476:as larger
288:telescopes
229:supernovae
205:Supernovae
110:transiting
887:119221231
862:1302.6268
855:(1): 60.
757:0028-0836
490:exoplanet
452:starspots
442:method.
435:exoplanet
425:service.
292:amplitude
221:supernova
211:Supernova
163:magnitude
129:supernova
117:aperiodic
79:magnitude
59:astronomy
940:Archived
712:16 March
482:PA-99-N2
179:Cepheids
177:such as
161:showing
159:ฮด Cephei
51:rotation
916:Bibcode
867:Bibcode
820:Bibcode
789:Bibcode
765:4330667
737:Bibcode
681:Bibcode
660:. 1998.
626:Bibcode
587:Bibcode
585:: 301.
550:Bibcode
548:: 315.
519:Bibcode
456:albedos
237:maximum
69:of the
885:
763:
755:
729:Nature
423:VizieR
962:DAMIT
906:arXiv
883:S2CID
857:arXiv
761:S2CID
412:video
405:Titan
380:chord
280:Earth
276:comet
274:, or
266:of a
167:phase
115:; or
83:light
73:of a
67:graph
65:is a
753:ISSN
714:2016
373:The
308:The
272:moon
121:nova
95:band
61:, a
875:doi
853:767
828:doi
816:120
745:doi
733:343
677:246
634:doi
622:282
595:doi
583:115
558:doi
416:GPS
393:or
258:In
81:of
57:In
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881:.
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787:.
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