Calibration of Hipparcos Long Period Variable Start Fields Using Multi-Color CCD Observations

Abstract

The first set of 4-color AAVSO CCD finder charts has been prepared using the 0.9-m telescope at Kitt peak national Observatory in Arizona. The stars selected were northern long period variable stars observed with the Hipparcos astrometric satellite, since multicolor photometry was needed on these stars to calibrate and reduce the photometric and astrometric data obtained by the satellite. We describe the criteria in choosing the stars for which to prepare CCD finder charts, the observation process, and the reduction of the CCD to obtain 4-color CCD magnitude sequences to use in the creation of AAVSO finder charts.