Epsilon Aurigae in Total Eclipse, 2010 - Revealing the Transiting Disk

University Of Denver, Denver CO

Investigators

Abstract

Dr. Robert Stencil of the University of Denver will undertake a detailed study of the enigmatic star epsilon Aurigae. In the year 2010, the star will undergo an eclipse by a massive, dusty circumstellar disk. These eclipses take place only about every 27 years. In this effort, Dr. Stencel and his collaborators will use interferometric observations to make high-resolution images of the stellar surface and the disk, and to examine the properties of the disk compared to those in other systems. The project will have broader impacts in education and workforce development through the training of graduate and undergraduate students. Results from this study will be widely disseminated at scientific meetings. This effort is part of a larger international collaboration which will study this star with many different observational techniques.