Around the Clock Observations of the Q0957+561A,B Gravitationally Lensed Quasar

An observing campaign with 10 participating observatories has undertaken to monitor the optical brightness of the Q0957 gravitationally lensed quasar for 10 consecutive nights in 2000 January. The resulting A image brightness curve has significant brightness fluctuations and makes a photometric prediction for the B image light curve for a second campaign planned for 2001 March 12-21. The ultimate purpose is to determine the gravitational lens time delay to a fraction of an hour and to seek evidence of rapid microlensing.