Principal Astronomer: Klaus Strassmeier

Science Mission:

The main scientific goal is to learn more about variability timescales and life times of starspots on photospherically and chromospherically active stars. A further step in understanding activity in these systems is the continuous, uninterrupted observations of such stars at all timescales: long-term (years) and short-term (days). Since a spotted star's light curve is the most sensitive signature for the longitude, size, and temperature of the spots, is easily obtained with a very small telescope, and can be obtained by using fully automated telescopes now becoming available to the general astronomical community, we are obtaining differential VRI and by photometry of a large sample of rapidly-rotating G-K stars.

• Starspot photometry with robotic telescopes. Continuous UBV and VRI photometry of 23 stars in 1991--1996
  K. G. Strassmeier, J. Bartus, G. Cutispoto, M. Rodono, Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. Ser., in press (1997)

• Wolfgang-Amadeus: the University of Vienna twin automatic photoelectric telescope
  K. G. Strassmeier, L. J. Boyd, D. H. Epand, Th. Granzer, PASP, in press (1997)

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