A pilot survey conducted at the Lookout Observatory has confirmed seven faint (V ~ 13 to 17) variables in the region of Kepler-76b that were recently discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS). The ATLAS survey identified 315,000 probably variables within its wide-field survey in 2018. The faintness (down to r ~ 18) and small amplitudes (down to 0.02 mag) included in these candidates makes external validation difficult. Our confirmation of seven such variable stars gives credibility to the ATLAS list. Further, the agreement between various surveys and LO data validates the use of our new survey for variable star and exoplanet research.

During a routine study of the variable stars of Messier 13 (NGC 6205 = Cl 1639+365) we have discovered the variability of L199 (TYC 2588-1386-2), a red giant star member of the cluster: using the photometric data –in V band– obtained in the 2019 and 2020 campaigns we have verified its variability. Data from the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and Deras et al. (2019) were utilized to determine its type of variability and period estimation: our data suggest that it is a semiregular red giant, similar to the other variables of this type of the cluster, whose cycles of photometric variation are not identical; we derived a period of ~27 days (although without a regular periodicity) and an amplitude smaller: 0.08 ± 0.03 magnitudes in V band although they may be somewhat larger or smaller. With this discovery the cluster now has 63 variable stars.

A total of 212 CCD determinations of times of minima for selected eclipsing binaries occurring in 2020 are presented. These were obtained at either Mountain Ash Observatory in Prince George, BC, Canada or Desert Blooms Observatory in Benson, AZ, USA.

This paper presents 2109 times of minima for 965 objects acquired by 59 members and cooperating observers of the Variable Star and Exoplanet Section of the Czech Astronomical Society (B.R.N.O. Observing project). These observations were submitted to the website of the Variable Star and Exoplanet Section of the Czech Astronomical Society between November 2016 and March 2018.

We present 167 times of minima of 69 eclipsing binaries in the Northern Sky determined from differential, partly multicolor photometry, during the year 2020.

Photometric measurements of the contact binary system CK Aqr are presented. 49 new times of minimum were obtained between 2005 and 2020. Along with already published observations, this allows the derivation of an improved ephemeris. The resulting O-C diagram shows oscillations which are interpreted as the light time travel effect due to a third component, with a period of 8.2 years.

The Variable Star and Exoplanet Section of the Czech Astronomical Society organized traditional autumn conference on research and news in the field of variable stars. The conference was held in a comfortable space of Ostrava Planetarium. In addition to the many contributions that were presented on site, we had the opportunity to hear lectures of invited speakers from abroad via Internet transmission. All presented contributions can be viewed on our YouTube channel.

Observations of the supposed eclipsing binary NSV 4031 from time-series photometry and data from several synoptic instruments show no evidence of an eclipse or any periodic variation with an amplitude above 0.05 magnitudes. The spectral energy distribution of the star is very closely matched to a spectral type of F5IV.