BD-18° 3437, a new short period eclipsing binary

Abstract

BD-18° 3437 has been found to be a short period variable and from the nature of its light and colour variation we conclude that it is an eclipsing binary of W UMa type with depths of minima of 0^m.20 and 0^m.18 and a period of 0.3166386 days. After rectification the depths of the minima were found to be too shallow indicating that the light variation of this system is mainly due to the ellipticity and reflection effects. There are night to night variations in the light curves and the system became fainter by about 0^m.06 in 1972 compared to 1971. These complications in the light curves may be associated with the intrinsic variation of one or both the components or they may be due to a change in the envelope surrounding the system.