(46) Twinkle Twinkle Spinning Star

     On the cosmic scale, matter interacts in ways that are not observable or replicable on Earth. In the quest to understand the workings of the universe, astrophysicists must observe these interactions from afar and... [ view full abstract ]

     On the cosmic scale, matter interacts in ways that are not observable or replicable on Earth. In the quest to understand the workings of the universe, astrophysicists must observe these interactions from afar and create models based on these observations. One such system, which occurs around many different types of celestial objects is the accretion disk: matter which has been gravitationally pulled into orbit around a massive object, forming a disk. The best way to observe real accretion disks is through dwarf nova-type cataclysmic variable stars, stellar systems whose luminosities are observed to vary periodically by several orders of magnitude. From the light curves of these stars, valuable information can be gleaned about the interactions inside their accretion disks. Over the course of two months, I observed the cataclysmic variable star, Cz Orionis, which is located in the constellation Orion using an automated telescope and CCD chip at the Cordell-Lorenz Observatory and was able to plot a tentative light curve for the star. In this presentation, I will show this light  curve and explain what it tells us about accretion disks.