205:
355:
27:
143:
279:, 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
165:
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
426:
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
283:
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
232:
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
181:
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
301:(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
366:
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
767:
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)".
469:, 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,
190:
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.
128:
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.
836:
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".
716:
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".
461:
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
439:
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
889:
Haugan, S. V. H. (1996). "Separating
Intrinsic and Microlensing Variability Using Parallax Measurements". In Kochanek, C.S.; Hewitt, Jacqueline (eds.).
220:
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.
98:
358:
Light curve of the asteroid 1247 Dysona occulting 4UCAC 174-171272, showing instantaneous disappearance and reappearance. Duration is 6.48 seconds.
498:
Samus, N. N.; Durlevich, O. V.; et al. (2009). "VizieR Online Data
Catalog: General Catalogue of Variable Stars (Samus+ 2007โ2013)".
893:. Symposium of the International Astronomical Union. Vol. 173. Melbourne; Australia: Kluwer Academic Publishers. p. 277.
690:
340:
A trailing plus sign (+) or minus sign (โ) is also used to indicate a slightly better or worse quality than the unsigned value.
971:
170:
have extremely regular light curves with exactly the same period, amplitude, and shape in each cycle. Others such as
35:
19:
This article is about astronomical graphs of brightness variations. For photosynthetic response graphs, see
55:
976:
456:
349:
121:
938:
928:
404:
113:
183:
966:
566:
Kron, Gerald E. (1952). "A Photoelectric Study of the Dwarf M Eclipsing
Variable YY Geminorum".
642:
174:
have somewhat less regular light curves with large amplitudes of several magnitudes, while the
950:
324:= 2 โ Result based on less than full coverage. Period may be wrong by 30 percent or ambiguous.
944:
67:
389:
when the occulted body is large, e.g. a star like
Antares, then the transitions are gradual.
904:
855:
808:
777:
725:
669:
660:
Harris, A. W.; Warner, B. D.; Pravec, P. (2016). "Asteroid
Lightcurve Derived Data V16.0".
614:
575:
538:
507:
428:
363:
187:
175:
20:
204:
8:
908:
859:
812:
781:
729:
673:
618:
579:
542:
511:
894:
871:
845:
749:
694:
466:
462:
162:
151:
101:
875:
867:
741:
368:
260:
248:
242:
229:
225:
863:
816:
753:
733:
622:
603:"On the pulsation mode of Mira variables: Evidence from the Large Magellanic Cloud"
583:
546:
474:
221:
167:
94:
90:
63:
932:
500:
VizieR On-line Data
Catalog: B/GCVS. Originally Published in: 2009yCat....102025S
383:
354:
252:
39:
83:
16:
Graph of light intensity of a celestial object or region, as a function of time
627:
602:
960:
745:
527:"On the Determination of the Orbital Elements of Eclipsing Variable Stars. I"
171:
155:
137:
393:
272:
256:
31:
26:
318:= 1 โ Result based on fragmentary light curve(s), may be completely wrong.
142:
899:
693:. Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link. 30 October 2011. Archived from
379:
125:
147:
737:
478:
423:
280:
276:
217:
209:
199:
117:
105:
47:
941:
have light curves for several transient types, including supernovae
821:
796:
587:
551:
526:
470:
440:
59:
850:
82:-axis. The light is usually in a particular frequency interval or
835:
473:
is a microlensing event that may have been due to a star in the
691:"Asteroid Lightcurve Data Base (LCDB) โ 4.1.2 U (QUALITY) CODE"
444:
422:
Periodic dips in a star's light curve graph could be due to an
411:
403:
equipment and the disappearance and reappearance timed using a
374:
Circumstances where the transitions are not instantaneous are;
378:
when either the occulting or occulted body are double, e.g. a
400:
330:= 3 โ Secure result within the precision given. No ambiguity.
268:
264:
71:
925:
715:
797:"Imaging Stellar Surfaces via Matrix Light-Curve Inversion"
109:
336:= n.a. โ Not available. Incomplete or inconclusive result.
392:
when the occulting body has an atmosphere, e.g. the moon
647:
Georgia State
University โ Hyperphysics โ Carl Rod Nave
271:
there is often no way to resolve a small object in the
284:
about the shape and spin (but not size) of asteroids.
953:
Database of
Asteroid Models from Inversion Techniques
935:
can plot light curves for thousands of variable stars
178:
are less regular still and have smaller amplitudes.
66:
or region as a function of time, typically with the
891:
Astrophysical Applications of Gravitational Lensing
766:
659:
607:Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
958:
350:Occultation ยง Occultations by minor planets
89:Light curves can be periodic, as in the case of
305:ranges from 0 (incorrect) to 3 (well-defined):
287:
497:
399:The observations are typically recorded using
829:
410:Occultation light curves are archived at the
795:Harmon, Robert O.; Crews, Lionel J. (2000).
794:
635:
343:
292:
34:based on images taken on 6 October 2006 at
709:
251:, a light curve can be used to derive the
233:weeks or months before resuming its fade.
898:
849:
820:
626:
550:
668:: EAR-A-5-DDR-DERIVED-LIGHTCURVE-V16.0.
600:
434:
353:
203:
141:
25:
760:
524:
407:disciplined Video Time Inserter (VTI).
959:
926:The AAVSO online light curve generator
888:
882:
788:
685:
683:
518:
417:
386:, then a step light curve is observed.
236:
565:
680:
594:
559:
491:
312:= 0 โ Result later proven incorrect
182:brightnesses. It may also show the
13:
14:
988:
919:
653:
601:Wood, P. R.; Sebo, K. M. (1996).
131:
36:Mount John University Observatory
97:, other periodic variables, and
450:
275:, even in the most powerful of
224:have light curves with a sharp
124:, or binary as observed during
947:by NASA's Imagine the Universe
525:Russell, Henry Norris (1912).
427:method, which is known as the
1:
972:Stellar astrophysics concepts
484:
228:and gradually decline, while
193:
945:Lightcurves: An Introduction
299:Asteroid Lightcurve Database
288:Asteroid lightcurve database
108:, like the light curve of a
30:Light curve of the asteroid
7:
939:The Open Astronomy Catalogs
770:VizieR On-line Data Catalog
371:across the occulting body.
78:-axis and with time on the
42:, which lasts 3.7474 hours.
38:. Shows just over one full
10:
993:
868:10.1088/0004-637X/767/1/60
662:NASA Planetary Data System
457:Gravitational microlensing
454:
347:
240:
197:
135:
18:
838:The Astrophysical Journal
114:cataclysmic variable star
801:The Astronomical Journal
344:Occultation light curves
293:Light curve quality code
188:distortions in the shape
628:10.1093/mnras/282.3.958
359:
213:
158:
43:
568:Astrophysical Journal
531:Astrophysical Journal
435:Light curve inversion
357:
348:Further information:
207:
176:semiregular variables
145:
29:
467:gravitational lenses
443:or asteroid surface
429:astronomical transit
21:Light curve (botany)
909:1996IAUS..173..277H
860:2013ApJ...767...60R
813:2000AJ....120.3274H
782:2016yCat....102033H
730:1990Natur.343..350S
697:on 16 November 2015
674:2016PDSS..246.....H
619:1996MNRAS.282..958W
580:1952ApJ...115..301K
543:1912ApJ....35..315R
512:2009yCat....102025S
463:relativistic effect
418:Exoplanet discovery
237:Planetary astronomy
931:2020-12-21 at the
360:
267:nucleus. From the
230:Type II supernovae
216:Light curves from
214:
163:apparent magnitude
159:
122:microlensing event
102:extrasolar planets
91:eclipsing binaries
44:
977:Planetary science
724:(6256): 350โ353.
249:planetary science
243:Planetary science
222:Type I supernovae
212:type light curves
186:of the orbit and
154:versus pulsation
95:Cepheid variables
984:
913:
912:
902:
900:astro-ph/9508112
886:
880:
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853:
833:
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738:10.1038/343350a0
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475:Andromeda Galaxy
74:received on the
64:celestial object
992:
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933:Wayback Machine
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253:rotation period
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146:Light curve of
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60:light intensity
24:
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967:Variable stars
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920:External links
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822:10.1086/316882
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588:10.1086/145541
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552:10.1086/141942
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455:Main article:
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241:Main article:
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198:Main article:
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172:Mira variables
161:Graphs of the
136:Main article:
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132:Variable stars
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699:. Retrieved
695:the original
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477:that has an
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451:Microlensing
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273:Solar System
257:minor planet
246:
215:
208:Comparative
184:eccentricity
180:
160:
88:
79:
75:
51:
45:
32:201 Penelope
807:(6): 3274.
643:"Supernova"
380:double star
364:occultation
126:occultation
52:light curve
961:Categories
613:(3): 958.
485:References
465:as larger
277:telescopes
218:supernovae
194:Supernovae
99:transiting
876:119221231
851:1302.6268
844:(1): 60.
746:0028-0836
479:exoplanet
441:starspots
431:method.
424:exoplanet
414:service.
281:amplitude
210:supernova
200:Supernova
152:magnitude
118:supernova
106:aperiodic
68:magnitude
48:astronomy
929:Archived
701:16 March
471:PA-99-N2
168:Cepheids
166:such as
150:showing
148:ฮด Cephei
40:rotation
905:Bibcode
856:Bibcode
809:Bibcode
778:Bibcode
754:4330667
726:Bibcode
670:Bibcode
649:. 1998.
615:Bibcode
576:Bibcode
574:: 301.
539:Bibcode
537:: 315.
508:Bibcode
445:albedos
226:maximum
58:of the
874:
752:
744:
718:Nature
412:VizieR
951:DAMIT
895:arXiv
872:S2CID
846:arXiv
750:S2CID
401:video
394:Titan
369:chord
269:Earth
265:comet
263:, or
255:of a
156:phase
104:; or
72:light
62:of a
56:graph
54:is a
742:ISSN
703:2016
362:The
297:The
261:moon
110:nova
84:band
50:, a
864:doi
842:767
817:doi
805:120
734:doi
722:343
666:246
623:doi
611:282
584:doi
572:115
547:doi
405:GPS
382:or
247:In
70:of
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