AAVSO International Database

Event: Nova in The Large Magellanic Cloud         [N LMC 2009]

Discovered By: W. Liller (Vina del Mar, Chile)

Discovery Date: 2009 February 05.067 UT (JD 2454867.567)

Discovery Magnitude: m=10.6 (Tech Pan photograph, unfiltered)

Position: RA = 05h 40m 44.20s , Dec = -66d 40m 11.6s (J2000; H. Bond et al.)

Charts: Finder charts for this object may be plotted by entering the coordinates above into VSP: http://www.aavso.org/vsp

Event: Nova in Sagittarius    [subsequently named V5581 Sgr]

Discovered By: K. Nishiyama (Kurume, Fukuoka-ken, Japan) and F. Kabashima (Miyaki-cho, Saga-ken, Japan)

Discovery Date: 2009 April 21.711 UTC (JD 2454943.211)

Discovery Magnitude: m=11.7 (unfiltered)

Position: RA = 17h 44m 08.44s , Dec = -26d 05m 48.7s (from K. Kinugasa, S. Honda, and O. Hashimoto, Gunma Astronomical Obs.)

Event: Nova in Centaurus

Discovered By: G. Pojmanski, D. Szczygiel, and B. Pilecki (Warsaw University Astronomical Observatory)

Discovery Date: 2009 May 08.235 UT

Discovery Magnitude: m=8.235 (ASAS V)

Position: RA = 13h 31m 15.76s , Dec = -63d 57m 38.5s (from L. Elenin, Moscow, Russia, using the Tzec Maun-Pingelly 0.15-m refractor near Perth, Australia)

Dr. Jerome Orosz (SDSU) has requested the assistance of southern bright star observers in observing the high-mass X-ray binary star V884 Sco (== 4U 1700-377). Orosz and collaborators are attempting to measure the mass of the compact object to clarify whether the object is a black hole or a neutron star. Optical photometry of the ellipsoidal variations of V884 Sco will be used in conjunction with optical spectroscopy to be performed at Las Campanas in mid-July and early August 2009 to measure the dynamical properties of the system.

The bright, long-period, eclipsing binary star epsilon Aurigae is predicted to begin its next eclipse late July or early August of 2009. The AAVSO is participating in a global campaign to record this eclipse as part of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 celebrations, organized by the Citizen Sky project (http://www.citizensky.org). Epsilon Aurigae is now past solar conjunction and has reappeared as a morning object.

Edward Smith (STScI) has requested nightly photometric monitoring of the symbiotic star AG Draconis during the period 2009 August 2, and tentatively scheduled to continue through mid-September 2009.

Event: Nova in Sagittarius          [V5583 Sgr]

Discovered Independently By:
a. - Koichi Nishiyama, Kurume, Fukuoka-ken, Japan, and Fujio Kabashima, Miyaki-cho, Saga-ken, Japan
b. - Grzegorz Pojmanski, Dorota Szczygiel, and Bogumil Pilecki, Warsaw University Astronomical Observatory, observed by ASAS3

Discovery Date:
a. - Aug. 6.494 and 6.495 UT, confirmed on five frames taken around Aug. 6.494
b. - Aug. 6.182 UT

Kunegunda Belle, Don Hoard and Steve Howell are observing two cataclysmic variables with Spitzer during the next couple of weeks.  They request ground-based light curves spanning the observation intervals so that they can identify the state each variable is in during the Spitzer visits.

1. EX HYA (12:52:24.20, -29:14:56.0, AUID 000-BBT-323)

The observations for EX Hya are scheduled for:

2009-08-18  19:25:01.1 UT 3.6micron single exposure
2009-08-18  19:26:52.9 UT 4.5micron light curve

Event: Nova in Ophiuchus     [V2672 Oph]

Discovered By: K. Itagaki (Teppo-Cho, Yamagata, Japan)

Discovery Date: 2009 August 16.515

Position: RA = 17h 38m 19.72s , Dec = -26d 44m 13.7s (+/- 0.6 arcsec
        from L. Elenin, Moscow, Russia, using the Tzec Maun 0.31-m
        Newtonian near Mayhill, NM)