John Goodricke, Edward Pigott, and Their Study of Variable Stars

TL;DR

Goodricke and Pigott's pioneering work in the late 18th century identified key variable stars and proposed early hypotheses about eclipsing binaries, laying foundational insights for modern astrophysics.

Contribution

The paper details the historical discovery and analysis of variable stars by Goodricke and Pigott, highlighting their early methods and hypotheses.

Findings

Determined periods of eclipsing binaries like Algol and Beta Lyrae.

Identified the first two Cepheid variables and their period-luminosity relation.

Suggested that Algol's eclipses might be caused by a dark body.

Abstract

John Goodricke and Edward Pigott, working in York, England, between 1781 and 1786, determined the periods of variation of eclipsing binaries such as Algol and Beta Lyrae and speculated that the eclipses of Algol might be caused by a "dark body," perhaps even a planet. They also determined the periods of variation of the first two known Cepheid variables, the stars whose period-luminosity relation today enables astronomers to determine distances to distant galaxies. Goodricke holds special interest because he was completely deaf and because he died at the age of 21. The lives and work of these two astronomers are described.