[AZ-Observing] Possible nova in Monoceros
- From: Joe Macke <jmacke@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 03:00:26 -0700
I don't know how much of this will get through the mail server, but
with the number of folks going out this weekend, I though you might
be interested in this:
The following was issued January 10, 2002:
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF VARIABLE STAR OBSERVERS
25 Birch Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
INTERNET: aavso@xxxxxxxxx
Tel. 617-354-0484 Fax 617-354-0665
AAVSO ALERT NOTICE 292 (January 10, 2002)
0659-03 PECULIAR VARIABLE IN MONOCEROS (VAR MON 02)
We have been informed by the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
(IAU Circular 7785) that Nicholas J. Brown, Quinns Rocks, W. Australia,
has photographically discovered a possible nova in Monoceros on January
6.6 UT at about magnitude 10 on a T-Max 400 film. He confirmed it
visually on January 7.6 UT at magnitude 10.0. Confirming observations
reported via the AAVSO were: Jan. 8.094 UT, 10.1 CCDV, Charles Scovil,
Stamford, CT; 9.513, 9.3 CCD, Peter Nelson, Ellinbank, Victoria,
Australia; 9.815, 9.5 CCD, Arto Oksanen and Juha Solonen, Nyrola
Observatory, Finland. Brown reported that nothing was visible at the
location of the object down to magnitude 12 on a photograph taken 2001
December 22.
Oksanen measured the object on a CCD image taken January 9.96 UT at CCDV
magnitude 9.92, B-V = +1.72, and the coordinates:
R.A. = 07h 04m 04.85s Decl. = -03 degrees 50' 51.1" (2000.0)
Aaron Price, AAVSO Headquarters, examined 71 RH plates at the Harvard
College Observatory covering the interval 1930 October 19 - 1952 January
17 and taken at an average interval of about 110 days. He found nothing
at
the location of the object down to about 11.5 in 1930 to down to about
13.5 in 1950.
R. M. Wagner, LBT Observatory, and J. P. Halpern and M. Jackson,
Columbia
University, observed the object visually with the Hiltner 2.4-m
telescope
(+ television acquisition system) at the MDM Observatory on Kitt Peak
and
found it to be about magnitude 10 on January 9.27 UT. They note that the
object is in virtually the same location as a red-magnitude 14.3
USNO-A2.0
star at R.A. 07h 04m 04.846s Decl. -03 degrees 50' 51.12" (2000.0)
measured on the Digitized Sky Survey; they also note, however, that the
DSS image is a blend of at least two stellar objects. The spectrum they
obtained is very complex and is "not typical of Fe- or He/N-type
classical
novae early in their evolution." (IAU Circular 7785)
Preliminary analysis of spectra obtained January 8 UT by M. Della Valle,
Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Florence, and T. Iijima,
Osservatorio
Astronomico di Padova, Italy, with the 1.22-m telescope (+ Boller &
Chivens spectrograph) show "a lack of the typical signatures exhibited
by
classical novae at maximum light or during their early
decline...[Features] may suggest this object not to be a normal
classical
nova, but rather a peculiar 'slow' nova or a
post-asymptotic-giant-branch
star in flare-up. Knowledge of the amplitude of the outburst could
improve
significantly the classification." (IAU Circular 7786)
Observations by J. Bedient, Honolulu, HI, CCD with RG-1 filter
(broadband-red) (IAU Circular 7785): 2001 December 22.284 UT, <12;
24.279,
<12; 26.273, <12; 2002 January 1.257, 9.64, 2.254, 9.34; 3.251, 9.10,
4.249, 9.05; 5.246, 8.80; 8.238, 9.02; 9.235, 8.88. S. Kiyota, Tsukuba,
Ibaraki, Japan, reports observations (IAU Circular 7786): January 9.497
UT, 8.28 CCDI_c; 9.498, 10.10 CCDV; 9.498, 12.16 CCDB.
Additional observations reported to the AAVSO include: January 10.1041
UT,
10.4, M. Simonsen, Macomb, MI; 10.1375, 10.06 CCDV, D. West, Mulvane,
KS;
10.2444, 10.4, Simonsen.
Accompanying is an AAVSO 'd' scale chart of VAR MON 02 prepared by Aaron
Price with sequence prepared by Mike Simonsen using Tycho-2 and
USNO-A2.0
(V) magnitudes. Please use this chart to observe the object, and report
your observations of 0659-03 VAR MON 02 to AAVSO Headquarters, making
sure
to indicate which comparison stars you used. Please note that a 'd'
scale
reversed chart is also available from the AAVSO website or on request.
Congratulations to Nick on his latest discovery!
CHARTS AVAILABLE ON AAVSO WEB AND FTP SITES
Electronic copies of the chart for VAR MON 02 mentioned in this Alert
Notice are available through our web site at the following address:
http://www.aavso.org
The chart may also be obtained directly from our FTP site:
ftp.aavso.org (209.192.236.2), in /alerts/alert292
We encourage observers to submit observations via our website (online
data
submission tool WebObs), or by email in AAVSO format to
observations@xxxxxxxxxx If you do not have AAVSO Observer Initials,
please contact Headquarters so we may assign them to you. The answering
machine at AAVSO Headquarters is on nights and weekends; use our
charge-free number (888-802-STAR = 888-802-7827) to report your
observations, or report them via fax (617-354-0665).
Many thanks for your valuable astronomical contributions and your
efforts.
Good observing!
Elizabeth O. Waagen, Senior Technical Assistant
on behalf of
Janet A. Mattei, Director
---
This message is from the AZ-Observing mailing list. If you wish to be
removed from this list, send E-mail to: AZ-Observing-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,
with the subject: unsubscribe.
The list's archive is at: //www.freelists.org/archives/az-observing
This is a discussion list. Please send personal inquiries directly to
the message author. In other words, do not use "reply" for personal
messages. Thanks.
Other related posts:
