What follows refers to the 18 observing campaigns carried out to obtain the light curves of the six binary systems selected, including the eight runs in which we observed ZZ UMa.
First of all, atmospheric extinction coefficients were computed for each night by the "Bouguer method" (Hardie 1962), using the comparison stars as well as the photometric standards observed several times during the night, covering a typical range in air masses from 1 to 2.
Following the method described by Grønbech et al. (1976), after extinction correction, we determined night corrections for each observing period, in order to define magnitudes in the instrumental system.
For the observing periods at Calar Alto, the mean extinction coefficients
obtained were: 0.142, 0.061, 0.051, 0.148 with RMS of
0.021, 0.010, 0.012, 0.021 for V, (b-y), 
and 
respectively. We can appreciate their stability over the 5 years of
observations. These results are in good agreement with previously published
ones, Fabregat et al. (1991).
The extinction coefficients obtained for the two runs performed at La Silla
are also very stable, with mean values of 0.161, 0.056, 0.051, 0.132
and RMS of 0.017, 0.006, 0.003, 0.003 for V, (b-y), 
and
respectively for the 24 nights in the two periods.
Next we transformed the observations to the uvby and 
standard
systems, (Strömgren 1966; Crawford & Barnes
1970), following the procedure described by Fabregat &
Reglero (1990). For that purpose a set of 38 standard stars from the
compilation of Olsen (1991),
was observed on selected nights with good atmospheric conditions.
For each period independent transformation
coefficients were computed and used to transform the magnitudes of
the comparisons and program objects to the standard system.
For the campaigns where the number and type of standard stars measured
allowed it, we computed the transformation coefficients separately for stars
with (b-y)<0.410 (A-F "blue" stars) and (b-y)>0.410 (G-K ``red" stars),
in order to take into account the difference in colours for these stars in
the transformation of the indices 
and 
.
The colour effect is
not seen in the y and (b-y) transformations, Fabregat
(1989).
photometry has been transformed following the method described by
Crawford & Mander (1966).
The mean transformation cofficients obtained for the mono-channel photometer
used at the 1.5 m telescope at Calar Alto were:
for the multi-channel photometer at Calar Alto:
and for the multi-channel photometer at La Silla:
These values and their dispersions reflect the stability of the equipment during the 6 years of observations and its closeness to the standard system, as seen by scale transformation coefficients very close to unity.
Table 1: standard photometry for ZZ UMa and the comparisons
In Table 2 we list the mean magnitudes and indices
obtained for the 38 standards used, indicating the number of campaigns in
which they were observed, the number of points averaged, and the
difference between standard values and observed values.
Only HD 143107A shows residuals on the 
and 
indices that
clearly deviate from the mean values. HD 81997A also deviates on the
index.
An estimation of the internal error of the photometry can be made by using the RMS dispersion of the differences between the standard value and the computed value for the standard set observed.
The average dispersions for the 11
photometric periods in which we could calculate the transformation were:
0.009 and 0.004 in V magnitude and (b-y) colour,
and 0.005, 0.006, 0.005 in the
, 
and 
indices.
These values are in good agreement with the mean RMS dispersions for the
whole standard set of 0.010, 0.005, 0.005, 0.006, 0.005 magnitudes for
V, (b-y), 
, 
and 
respectively.
We assume as an error of our photometry the larger of these two estimations,
namely: 0.010 mag in V, 0.005 mag in (b-y), and 0.005, 0.006, 0.005
in 
, 
and 
indices.
SAO 15242, (V=10.13, G0V) and SAO 15251 (V=10.00, G2V), were used as comparison and check stars for ZZ UMa, their magnitudes and spectral types being similar to ZZ UMa itself.
The constancy of the comparison star was checked every night.
The internal RMS error for the 135 differences
(
) 0.007, 0.007, 0.014, 0.021, 0.019 in magnitude for
V, (b-y), 
, 
and 
respectively, is of the same
order of that obtained for main-program stars.
Average standard magnitudes and colour indices for the comparisons of ZZ UMa are given in Table 1 (click here) with an indication of their accuracy measured through the RMS dispersion of the observed values. In Table 1 (click here) are also given averaged magnitudes and colour indices for the binary system in the eclipses and first quadrature.
Figure 1 (click here) presents the ZZ UMa differential light curve in the y
filter. The light curve including the eclipses has been covered
in eight different epochs, from March 1990 to May 1996.
The apparent scatter of the light curve outside eclipses is mainly
induced by activity.
The 294 differential magnitude (
) values in the
standard system are given in Table 3.
The analysis of this binary, including activity effects, will be published soon.