On 18 Mar 2007 07:22:34 -0700, "Jerry" wrote:

On Mar 17, 1:35 pm, HW@....(Henri Wilson) wrote:

..but the dip can be explained with an object rotating
in the same orbit but with 60 degree lag.

see S Cas in:www.users.bigpond.com/hewn/group1.jpg

Mine is the yellow curve....a perfect fit...

Unfortunately, however, I cannot explain the claimed
magnitude change of about 9. In fact I don't believe it.

Believe it.

According to the britastro website, there is a group of
stars that appears to have very large changes in
brightness. How do YOU explain those? I think somebody
forgot to convert to a log scale.

S Cas is a long period Mira-type variable. There is
nothing wrong with the listed range of magnitudes.
Miras are known for wide magnitude changes and high
variability in the shape and timing of their pulsations.
For example, the prototype star for this group, Mira,
has a max-min range of about 6 magnitudes, and its max
varies irregularly from 2.5 to 3.5 mag.

The basic mechanism of the variability of Mira-type
variables is, however, the same as that of Cepheids.

Is that the best explanation that Einsteiniana can come up with....


What mass ratio?

You can get an estimate from the relative sizes of the
dip and main curve. I would say about 4:1 .

Not stable.

Jerry


"When a true genius appears in the world, you may know
him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him."
--Jonathan Swift.