A summary of instruments proposed for observing pulsating variables from the Mt. Abu observatory

Abstract

Pulsating variables play a significant role in shaping modern astronomy. Presently it is an exciting era in observational study of variable stars owing to surveys like OGLE and TESS. The vast number of sources being discovered by these surveys is also creating opportunities for 1–2-m class telescopes to provide follow-up observations to characterize these. We present some initial observations of type-II cepheids from the Mt. Abu observatory and highlight the need for dedicated observing runs of pulsating variables. We also present optical designs for several suggested instruments for the Mt. Abu observatory that will contribute towards this goal. We present designs that are fairly simple and yet take due benefit of the unique telescopes and facilities present at the observatory.