November 5, 2012: Further to AAVSO Alert Notice 471 (Gaensicke, Patterson, and Henden), the HST COS (Cosmic Origins Spectrograph) far ultraviolet observations of THE NEXT TARGET from the list, the WZ Sge-type cataclysmic variable
FL Psc (ASAS J002511+1217.2),
have been scheduled for 2012 November 15 22:48:37 UT through 2012 November 16 04:49:58 UT.
October 31, 2012: Further to AAVSO Alert Notice 471 (Gaensicke, Patterson, and Henden) and AAVSO Special Notice #298, the HST COS (Cosmic Origins Spectrograph) far ultraviolet observations of THE NEXT TARGET from the list, the dwarf nova-type cataclysmic variable
SDSS J001153.08-064739.1,
have been scheduled for 2012 November 9 20:42:29 UT through 2012 November 10 04:57:33 UT.
October 31, 2012: The cataclysmic variable SS Cyg is beginning to decline from what appears to be a narrow outburst, and was at visual magnitude 9.1 on 2012 October 30, according to observations in the AAVSO International Database.
October 24, 2012: Following on AAVSO Alert Notice 471 (Gaensicke, Patterson, and Henden, www.aavso.org/aavso-alert-notice-471) and AAVSO Special Notice #298 (www.aavso.org/aavso-special-notice-298), the HST COS (Cosmic Origins Spectrograph) far ultraviolet observations of THE NEXT TARGET from the list, the WZ Sge-type cataclysmic variable
NOTE: This Special Notice was cancelled by AAVSO Special Notice #301, after we were notified of observations that proved no transient was present. It is included here so that our archives are complete.
October 23, 2012: Ian Shelton (Mount Allison University & U. Toronto) wrote in Astronomer's Telegram #4513 that a possible 6th magnitude transient with very red color was detected in a DSLR image of the the field of the Hyades on 2012 October 22.4361 (JD 2456222.9361). Coordinates given for the transient are the following (J2000):
October 10, 2012: Dr. Boris Gaensicke (leader of the consortium observing CVs with the HST COS instrument; see AAVSO Alert Notice 471 and AAVSO Special Notice #297 for details and instructions) writes with an urgent message:
"STScI would like an update on SDSS J164248.52+134751.4 by ~16UT TODAY (2012 October 10), when the star is not easily visible for most of our observers. Any observations from Europe early this evening will be most welcome."
October 6, 2012: Following on AAVSO Alert Notice 471 (Gaensicke, Patterson, and Henden, www.aavso.org/aavso-alert-notice-471), the second set of targets the HST COS (Cosmic Origins Spectrograph) will be observing has been announced.
October 5, 2012: Following on AAVSO Alert Notice 471 (Gaensicke, Patterson, and Henden, www.aavso.org/aavso-alert-notice-471), the HST COS (Cosmic Origins Spectrograph) far ultraviolet observations of the cataclysmic variable SDSS J164248.52+134751.4 have been scheduled for 2012 October 12 from 01:03:27 to 06:21:43 UT.
October 6, 2012: The BL Lac object 4C 11.69 (== CTA 102) was discovered in bright outburst by V. Larionov, D. Blinov, and S. Jorstad (St.
September 18, 2012: AAVSO observer Klaus Wenzel (Grossostheim, Germany) noted that the BL Lacertae object PKS 0716+71 (== S5 0716+714) is currently brighter than it has been in several years, being at magnitude 12.7 (visual) on 2012 September 13.1354 (JD 2456183.6354). This AGN is highly variable on short timescales, but recent observations of this object indicate that it remains bright.
