While most of us would agree that the night sky is breath taking, if pressed to locate any object other than the noon or the big dipper, we would most likely we at a loss to do so. There have been all along, however those who turned their eyes to the heavens each night since creation, hoping to further their understanding of the cosmos and our place in it. Even before the birth of Christ, these observers had noticed subtle differences in the apparent brightness of certain stars, from night to night. It is these stars that we today refer to as variable stars.
Variable stars play a vital role in the work of modern day astronomers.
They are sought out in our galaxy as well as others for a specific measurement which is invaluable to cosmologists. Your task is to take the following questions and using the astronomical sites supplied, figure out the significance of these stars.