AAVSO International Database

Alert Notice 372: Possible naked-eye gamma ray burst detected (GRB 080319B)

March 19, 2008: The intense gamma-ray burst GRB 080319B was detected in gamma ray, x-ray, optical light, and early indications by two automated cameras suggest that the optical afterglow of the burst may have briefly reached naked-eye visibility (mag ~ 5.76, GCN 7445, Cwiok et al) within 60 seconds of the onset. It is highly unlikely the burst was caught visually, but it is possible the burst may have been detected if any observers were monitoring this area of the sky (e.g. for minor planet searching).

The coordinates of the burst are:

Alert Notice 374: Nova Cygni 2008 = V2468 Cyg

March 31, 2008: V2468 Cyg (Nova Cyg 2008) was announced on March 8, 2008, in Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams Circular No. 8928 (Daniel W. E. Green, editor) and AAVSO Special Notice #98 (E. Waagen). The nova was discovered by Hiroshi Kaneda, Minami-ku, Sapporo, Japan (reported via S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan), at magnitude 8.2 +/- 0.3 on unfiltered CCD images taken March 7.801 UT.

Alert Notice 376: Request to monitor SDSS J151413.72+454911.9 for HST Observations [PP Boo]

April 23, 2008: Dr. Paula Szkody (University of Washington) and collaborators have requested our help in monitoring the cataclysmic variable SDSS151445 (SDSS J151413.72+454911.9) [PP Boo] for upcoming Hubble Space Telescope observations.  Dr. Szkody requests nightly monitoring of this source beginning immediately, and continuing through 2008 May 10 UT at least. A follow-up AAVSO Special Notice will be issued when the HST observing window has been set.

SDSS J151413.72+454911.9 is located at RA 15:14:13.720,Dec +45:49:11.80 (J2000)

Alert Notice 375: V576 Carinae

April 21, 2008: Michael Sallman brought this variable to my attention during a recent Chatroom discussion (if you haven't tried AAVSO Chat, you should. It is one of the easiest ways to talk to the Director, and there are often interesting astronomy topics). The unique variable V576 Car (AUID 000-BFQ-470) is located at: 08:19:15.71 -60:10:00.6 (J2000) (proper motion 136mas/yr in RA and -22mas/yr in Dec, so moving pretty rapidly to the east).

Alert Notice 378: Request to monitor RE J1255+266 for HST Observations

May 5, 2008: Dr. Paula Szkody (University of Washington) and collaborators have requested our help in monitoring the cataclysmic variable RE J1255+266 for upcoming Hubble Space Telescope observations. Dr. Szkody requests nightly monitoring of this source beginning immediately, and continuing through 2008 May 15 UT.

RE J1255+266 is located at RA 12:55:10.80, Dec +26:42:27.0 (J2000)