Special Notice #420: OJ 287 very bright and Subscription reminder

September 13, 2016

OJ 287

S. Zola (Jagiellonian University) et al. (ATel #9489) report that the BL Lac object OJ 287 has emerged from conjunction optically very bright and increasing in brightness, according to their observations made at Mt. Suhora Observatory in August and September 2016.

Their observations and recent observations of this blazar in the AAVSO International Database include:

2016 May 24.9019 UT, 14.66 V +/-0.038, transformed (D. Boyd, West Challow, Wantage, Oxon, UK);
24.9027, 14.25 R +/-0.039, transformed (Boyd);
27.8447, 14.471 R +/-0.016 (R. Nogues Naves, Cabrils, Spain);
27.8599, 14.871 V +/-0.020 (Nogues Naves);
27.9084, 14.634 CV +/-0.181 (K. Hills, Hartford, Cheshire, UK);
Jun. 12.2799, 14.367 CV +/-0.101 (Hills);
20.8848, 14.218 CV +/-0.212 (Hills);
Aug. 28, 13.6 R (Zola et al.);
Sep. 11/12, 13.1 R (Zola et al.);

Segments of the very interesting AAVSO light curve of OJ 287 may be seen below or by using the AAVSO Light Curve Generator (LCG). OJ 287 ranges between V magnitude 12.1 and 17.0.

caption for
OJ 287, April 1973 - June  2016 (2441799 - 2457560). 181 observers worldwide contributed 10,819 observations to the AAVSO International Database for this image.

 


OJ 287, March 2011 - June 2016 (2455651- 2457560). 53 observers worldwide contributed 4,613 observations to the AAVSO International Database for this image.

Photometry (V, and B, R, or whichever bands you have access to) and visual observations are encouraged as this flare evolves and OJ 287 continues its interesting behavior.

Coordinates (2000.0):  R.A. 08 54 48.88   Dec. +20 06 30.6

Charts: Charts with a comparison star sequence for OJ 287 may be created using the AAVSO Variable Star Plotter (VSP).

Please submit observations to the AAVSO International Database using the name OJ 287.

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This Special Notice was compiled by Elizabeth O. Waagen.

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