V   V  AAA  RRRR   SSSS TTTTT  AAA  RRRR   SSSS 
        V   V A   A R   R SS      T   A   A R   R SS    
         V V  AAAAA RRRR   SSS    T   AAAAA RRRR   SSS  
         V V  A   A R  R     SS   T   A   A R  R     SS 
          V   A   A R   R SSSS    T   A   A R   R SSSS  

Version 02.10.2006

Contents:

1. VARSTARS
   1. Program Description
   2. System
2. Installation
3. Functions
   1. The Main Window
   2. Notes for sun spot counting
   3. Star Selection
   4. Star Parameter
   5. Observations
   6. View
   7. Messages to BAV, AAVSO, AFOEV and VSNET
   8. Others
4. Starting the program
   1. Parameters
   2. ~/.varstarrc
   3. Filetypes
5. History
6. Shareware / Author

Linux: varstars is compiled for x86 processors. To run the program the Forms library 0.88 must be installed, which can be downloaded from ftp://laue.phys.uwm.edu/pub/xforms
ftp://ftp.cs.ruu.nl/pub/XFORMS
ftp://imageek.york.cuny.edu/xforms

MS-DOS: The program varstars.exe is running on all PC since 286 in DOS mode. The printing function uses commands for HP printers. The last version is from January 1998.

Atari-ST: The last Atari version varstars.prg is from October 1994.

Now start a text editor to enter your personal settings into this text file, save it and start the varstars program.

If the program is not running, you may need to compiler the source code. Change into the varstars direcoty and execute make total.

3. Functions

The main window includes all paremeter of the loaded star. You can easily change the parameters after a mouse click into the items. To load a star please use the Star Selection Box.

3.1.1 Notes for sun spot counting

For every sun spot counting you can enter the date, number of groups and number of single spots. The relative index is calculated as 10 * groups + spots .

3.2 Star Selection Box

If a stars data is loaded, another window opens and presents all observations of the star.

3.3 Star Parameter

• Name
• Maximum an minimum brightness (in magnitudes)
• Period: For a nove the falling rate in 3mag/day must be given as negative period.
• Phases: Length of maximum, falling, minimum and raising in 100 periods.
• Date of a maximum
• Spectra
• Distance
• Type/Comment
• Designation
• Chart: Here the used AAVSO charts should be entered, e.g. "S/b/1965"
• HTML: If selected, the star is included into the HTML-Brightness-report.
• Alert: If selected, the star is included into the HTML-Alert-report.
• DeltaT: Averaging during data import (in days). If no value is given, the default value IMPORT_DELTA_T will be used.

• Show List:
  Anzeige der nach dem Datum sortierten Liste der Beobachtungen in einem eigenen Fenster. Durch die Auswahl einer Beobachtung mit der Maus oder den Cursortasten kann diese gelöscht oder bearbeitet werden. Ein Doppelklick auf eine Beobachtung führt ebenfalls zur Bearbeitung, bei der bis auf das Beobachtungsdatum alle Angaben verändert werden können. Ein weitere Button führt zur Neueingabe.
• New observation:
  
  • Date: Possible formats are "TT.MM.JJJJ,HH.MM", "TT.MM.JJJJ.ZZZZZ", "JJJJ/MM/TT.ZZZZZ", or the Julian Date "[jj/24]jjjjj.jjjjj".
  • Brightness in magnitudes: "[<]xx.xx"
  • Info: Keys of the AAVSO.
  • Notes: "Comp.Stars" for the AAVSO
  • Mode:
    Select visual, photographical, unknown (used for other observers than the default observer).
• Observer Code:
  In a special dialog some information to the observers can be edited: Name, EMail, Address, Instruments. This data is stored in file observers.lst in the data directory.
  File organisation.lst includes information of the different observing groups (e.g. AAVSO, AFOEV and BAV).
• Statistics
• VSNET-Data-Import:
  A file with VSNET mails or likewise formated observations can be scanned for stars with existing STV data files. All detected observations are imported, using an averaging of all observations in a given time (in days, default is 0.6 days and can be changed for every single star). See the default parameter DeltaT for every star and the start variable IMPORT_DELTA_T.
  Akzeptable Daten-Zeilen sind von der Form "D* N H" oder "N D H", wobei N den Sternnamen (z.B. "T Cas", "CasT" oder "Cas T") darstellt. Die Zuordnung von Sternname zu einem STV-File kann auch über eine Aliasbildung erfolgen.
  Datum D und Helligkeit H werden bezüglich N orientiert. H sollte in Magnituden angegeben sein (z.B. "9.8"), wird bei größeren Werten aber auch in 0.1 Magnituden akzeptiert (z.B. "98").
  Das Datum D* steht z.B. für "19960822.1234", während D zusätzlich "960822.1234", "0822.1234" und "22.1234" sowie das Julianische Datum mit sieben bzw. mit fünf (24xxxxx) Vorkommaziffern akzeptiert. Die fehlenden Ziffern werden entsprechend dem aktuellen Datum ergänzt.
  Es erscheint ein Fenster mit einer Liste aller gefundenen und als "unbekannt" integrierten Beobachtungen, so daß eine Kontrolle über die Daten erfolgen kann. Mit dem Button Sort kann die Liste sortiert werden.
  After the scan the data file name can be renamed into name.scanned optionally. It is possible to scan the file for a single star only. The entered name must be equal to the name in the data file!
• Include AFOEV Data:
  Bei der AFOEV sind lange Beobachtungsreihen für einzelne Sterne erhältlich, die an dieser Stelle in VARSTARS integriert werden können.
  Ein Beispiel fuer das von der AFOEV verwendete Format ist:

  FID50512.5    85H

• Include AAVSO Data:
  Lots of observers are sending their observations in a default format to the AAVSO. Both formats (*.RAW and *.SUM) can be scanned by VARSTARS via this function.
  Additionally the import is possible from free formats. In this case the first line of the data file must describe the format. All columns with useful information must be marked by one of the following characters:
  
  • N: Name of the star
  • A: All observations are included for the loaded star, the N is not noticed, the A should be in the last column of the first line
  • D: Date of observation (Julian Date)
  • M: Brightness (e.g. "10.2"); for negative observations (e.g. "<10.2") the "<" must be in the columns before the first M!
  • T: Brightness in tenth of magnitudes, e.g. "102" instead of "10.2"
  • O: Observer code, e.g. "LTO" or "LTO.AAVSO", must be included in every line, optional
  • =code: Observer code for the complete file, optional, overwrites O

• Verlaufskurve:
  Die Beobachtungsdaten werden entsprechend dem Datum eines Maximums und der Periodenlänge überlagert, so daß die Verlaufskurve einer Periode entsteht.
• Lightcurve:
  After opening the window the last period up to the recent date is displayed. Use the cursor keys to scroll through the time (left and right). The up key jumps to the last period, the down key displays all observations.
  Moving the mouse pointer in the window will display the corresponding date and magnitude.
  Press the left mouse button and drag the mouse to select a new zoomed time range.
  The following keys have special funtions:
  

  Key	Function
  +	half time range
  -	double time range, center stays
  a	Enter attributes for the lightcurve display: Range of magnitudes, range of date, averaging single observations, selection of observer groups and single observers with definition of different colors and forms (circle or square)
  d	print the lightcurve
  e	set last date to today
  h	best brightness display
  n	display of negative observations on/off
  r	round dates
  s	store the graphics (see Settings)
  t	theoretical lightcurve on/off
  u	unknown observers on/off

  Some of this functions are available via buttons in the window.
• O-C Diagram:
  Whenever a STE-File with information about dates of minima and maxima exists, a O-C diagram can be painted to the ephemerides of the given period and time.
• Type:
  Die Sterndaten werden mit vorgegebenen Veränderlichentypen verglichen und mögliche passende Typen angezeigt. Außerdem erscheinen die Daten des nächsten Maximums und Minimums.
• Analyse:
  Simple period detection, not yet completed.
• Settings:
  Enter the range of observation time and default display. Select the time zone (Universal time, middle european time and summertime), the dates format (standard, time in decimals, julian date) and the default date for entering observations (free, yesterday or now).

• List of Maxima: (not available yet)
  Es können die Daten von Maxima und Minima für eine Auswahl von Sternen berechnet, sortiert und ausgegeben bzw. gedruckt werden. Bei Sternen mit einer Maximumdauer von über 0.5 Perioden erscheint nur das Minimum in der Liste, bei allen anderen Sternen Maximum und Minimum.
  Damit ist es leicht möglich, eine Beobachtungsnacht für kurz- periodische Sterne zu planen.
• HTML-Page:
  Create a HTML page (file <sternname>.html) with information about the loaded star and a lightcurve. The files star_head.html and star_tail.html are used for the head and tail of the output file. Every %NAME% is replaced by the star name and every %FILE% by the star's filename.
• Single star:
  Create a list of all observations of the loaded star in VSNET-form in the file "(name).lst". Either only the observations of the standard observer are used, or all observations are stored.
• Daily Report:
  Create a list of all observations for the given observer. If the observer code field is empty, the observations of the default observer with a not-empty comment are exported. The list is stored in VSNET form in file "vsnet.lst". The following notes are added to the name of the star, observation date and brightness: ":" for unsure observations, "ident." for problems during star identification AAVSO key "I", "outburst" for key "Y" (activity).
• Monthly Report:
  Create a list for all observed stars with not-empty comment in the given month. Optional a daily report is possible.
  This list can be printed into the AAVSO form or without form for the BAV. The storage is done for AAVSO in "XXXMMMJJ.raw" and "XXXMMMJJ.sum" and for the AFOEV ("afoev.lst") and the BAV.
• BAV Lightcurve:
  A lightcurve for the BAV is created. When printing, the single observations are given. The text item is analysed and stored in a file, the item must be in format "Max 24512345.67 mit 8.9mag".
• HTML Maximum List:
  Create the file vs_lp.html with all magnitudes in a weekly average for all stars with a selected HTML field. Calculation of the month of the next maximum. Start and end of the HTML file will be taken from vs_head.html and vs_tail.html. Every %NAME% is replaced by the star's name.
  Another file vs_alert.html is created for activities of cataklysmic stars. Header and footer are read from vs_head_alert.html and vs_tail_alert.html.

• GCVS:
  Diese Funktion überträgt die Angaben im General Catalogue of Variable Stars in die entsprechenden Parameter des geladenen Sterns. Es werden die GCVS-Formate der Jahre 1989 und 2001 unterstuetzt, bei letzterem muss das GCVS-File iii.dat heissen!
• Chart:
  Im Chart-Fenster lassen sich die VSNET-Charts im Format *.cht grafisch darstellen und ausdrucken. Mit einem Schieberegler wird die Grenzhelligkeit der sichtbaren Sterne eingestellt. Durch die beiden Zoom-Buttons und die Schieberegler am Rand der Grafik können Ausschnittvergrößerungen durchgeführt werden.

The star name given as AndR at the program start loads the star's data, e.g. vs andr loads the data fiel or star R And.

4.2 ~/.varstarrc

Minima and maxima are stored in files of type STE. Each line includes the information of one analyzed result: Type Date Mag ObserverCode Comment. The type is 0 for a minimum and 1 for a maximum. News of the program development (NEWS)

B. Shareware / Author