1.1 What Is Lightcurve Photometry? 3 --
Targets of Opportunity 7 --
2.3 Eclipsing Binary Lightcurve Characteristics 15 --
2.4 Cataclysmic Variables 17 --
2.6 Long Period (Mira) Variables 18 --
2.7 Semi-Regular Variables 18 --
Photometry Fundamentals 21 --
3.1 A Little Bit of History 21 --
3.2 First Color-Based Systems 22 --
3.3 Johnson-Cousins Standard 23 --
3.4 Setting the Standard 24 --
3.6 CCDs and Standard Magnitudes 24 --
3.7 Landolt Standards 25 --
3.8 Henden Sequences 26 --
4.1 Instrumental Versus Standard Magnitudes 27 --
4.4 Transforms and Nightly Zero-Points 31 --
4.5 Differential Versus All-Sky Photometry 32 --
4.6 Seeing and Scintillation 35 --
4.7 Matching Pixel Size to Seeing 36 --
4.11 Photometry Apertures and Annuluses 41 --
4.12 Reporting Errors 46 --
Photometric Reductions 47 --
5.2 Differential Formula 49 --
5.3 Clear to Visual Conversions 50 --
5.4 First-Order Extinctions - Are They Really Necessary? 50 --
5.5 Same Color Index 52 --
5.6 Transforms First 53 --
5.7 Finding Transforms 53 --
5.8 Hidden Transforms 56 --
5.9 First-Order Extinction 57 --
5.10 Finding First-Order Extinction (Modified Hardie) 59 --
5.11 A Variation on the Modified Hardie method 61 --
5.12 Finding First-Order Extinction (Comp Star) 62 --
5.13 Comparison and Target Standard Color Index Values 63 --
5.14 Find the Color Indices of the Comparisons and Target 64 --
5.15 Comparison Star Standard Magnitudes 66 --
5.16 Finding the Comparison Star Standard Magnitudes 67 --
5.17 Target Standard Magnitudes 68 --
5.18 Finding the Standard Magnitudes of the Target 68 --
5.19 Different Path's End 71 --
5.20 A Minimalist Approach 71 --
5.21 Using the Minimalist Approach for Standard Magnitudes 72 --
Second Order Extinction 77 --
6.1 Deriving a Single-Color Approach 77 --
6.2 Slope of Slopes Method 78 --
6.3 When Is the Second-Order Term Applied? 80 --
Telescopes and Cameras 83 --
7.3 Digital and Web Cameras 95 --
7.5 Guiding Considerations 97 --
Imaging and Photometry Software 99 --
8.1 Image Acquisition Software 99 --
8.2 Specific Features 100 --
8.3 Photometry Software 102 --
8.4 Conforming to Accepted Standards 106 --
8.5 Manual Versus Automated Measuring 109 --
Collecting Photons 111 --
9.1 First Step - Getting the Right Time 111 --
9.2 Planning the Observing Program 112 --
9.3 Selecting Targets 113 --
9.6 Variable Stars 117 --
9.8 Measuring Images 120 --
9.9 From Image to Data 123 --
9.10 Hands-On Approach for Measuring Images 125 --
9.11 Checking the Comparison Stars 129 --
9.12 Automated Approach to Measuring Images 130 --
Analyzing the Data 133 --
10.1 Quality of Data 133 --
11.1 About Merging Data and Setting Zero-Points 137 --
11.2 A Simple Start 139 --
11.3 To What Precision 142 --
11.4 Refining the Search Process 143 --
11.5 Amplitude of the Lightcurve 144 --
11.6 Aliases in Depth 145 --
11.7 Plotting the Half-Period 149 --
11.8 A Specific Alias Example 150 --
11.9 Case of 3155 Lee 151 --
11.10 Period Analysis on a Spreadsheet 152 --
11.11 From Lightcurve to Shape 157 --
Building Star Systems 161 --
12.3 Many Possibilities 166 --
12.4 Effects of Changing the Inclination 166 --
12.5 Effects of Temperature Changes in the Primary 168 --
12.6 Effects of Temperature Changes in the Secondary 169 --
12.7 Effects of Changing the Mass Ratio 171 --
12.8 Effects of Gravity/Limb Darkening and Reflection 172 --
Publishing Your Data and Results 173 --
13.1 Confirm Before You Publish 173 --
13.3 Variable Stars 176 --
13.4 Learn by Association 177 --
Appendix A Constellation Names 203 --
Appendix B Transforms Example 205 --
Example Transforms Data 205 --
Appendix C First-Order (Hardie) Example 211 --
Appendix D First-Order (Comp) Example 217 --
Appendix E Standard Color Indices 219 --
Appendix F Comparison Standard Magnitudes 223 --
Appendix G Target Standard Magnitudes 227 --
Appendix H Landolt/Graham Standard Fields 231 --
Appendix I Henden Charts 253 --
Appendix J Hipparcos Blue-Red Pairs 285 --
Steps used to produce the List 285 --
Hipparcos Blue-Red Pairs 287 --
Appendix K SDSS Blue-Red Pairs 291.
