Optical polarimetry of five stars
Date
1978
Authors
Eccles, M. J. (Michael John)
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Abstract
This thesis describes a new solid state optical polarimeter and the observations of five stars made with it. Three of the stars, Rho Cassiopeiae, 89 Herculis and HD 217476, are supergiants which appear to be losing mass. It has been suggested that these stars may be binaries with long periods. A monitoring of the linearly polarized light from the three stars has not, however, shown the characteristic polarimetric signature of binary motion.
A polarimetric study of Beta Lyrae in the red and near infra-red part of the spectrum shows an increase in polarization at primary eclipse greater than that previously reported for shorter wavelengths. It is suggested that the polarized flux at long wavelengths is produced further out in the binary envelope than is the short wavelength flux.
The polarization of Algol has been studied throughout several orbital cycles and remains always less than 0.2%. This is in good agreement with the recent work of Rudy and Kemp.