EE Cephei / EE Cep
Light curve of the EA type eclipsing binary EE Cephei / EE Cep, constructed from photometry of 344 images taken with the Open University COAST telescope using a V filter. Images taken between 2017 July 6 and 2024 February 7.
According to the AAVSO VSX, a primary minimum occurred between 11 March and 21 April 2020, with the minimum itself on 31 March (JD2458940). These observations would appear to have missed the actual time of minimum (V=12.39 GCVS, or V=12.15 AAVSO)
The catalogue period for this star is given as 2050d (GCVS) and 2049.53d (AAVSO VSX). Kreiner suggests some o-c activity. However, this may simply be due to the period not being accurately known.
This is an interesting system, possibly consisting of a 'normal' primary with a disc-like secondary component similar to the epsilon Aurigae system (Mikolajewski and Graczyk, 1999). Articles about observing campaigns to observe the 2004 and 2008/9 minima (Galan et al, 2018), and the 2014 minimum (D. Pieńkowski et al, 2020) cover this in more detail.
This complication might be responsible for at least some of the 'aberrant' points, such as the slight dip at phase 0.65.
This complication might be responsible for at least some of the 'aberrant' points, such as the slight dip at phase 0.65.
The next eclipse is predicted to occur in October/November 2025. More observations needed!
[This page updated 2024 February 18.]