The International Epsilon Aurigae Campaign 2009-2011. A description of the campaign and early results to May 2010

TL;DR

This paper details the 2009-2011 international campaign observing epsilon Aurigae during its eclipse, highlighting early results and the valuable contributions of amateur spectroscopists in astronomical research.

Contribution

It presents a comprehensive description of the campaign and demonstrates how amateur astronomers can significantly contribute to professional astronomical studies.

Findings

Initial observational data collected during the eclipse

Evidence of variability in epsilon Aurigae's spectral features

Successful collaboration between amateur and professional astronomers

Abstract

In early 2009, immediately following the end of the WR140 periastron campaign (see these proceedings), I turned my telescope back to epsilon Aurigae in time for the start of the eclipse. As well as being an interesting object in its own right, the Pro-Am campaign being run on epsilon Aurigae during the current eclipse is a good example of how amateur spectroscopists can make a useful contribution. epsilon Aurigae is a naked eye magnitude 3 star and was first noted to be variable by Johan Frisch in 1821. It was subsequently found to be an eclipsing binary with a period of 27.1 years which undergoes an approximately 2 year long flat-bottomed eclipse with approximately 0.8 magnitude drop in V.