AAVSO Special Notice

Special Notice #285: Outburst of old nova X Ser

31 May 2012: As announced by Robert Modic (Richmond Heights, OH) 2012 May 30 in the aavso-photometry discussion group (http://www.aavso.org/pipermail/aavso-photometry/) and subsequently reported in vsnet-alert 14629, the old slow nova X Ser (Nova Ser 1903) is in outburst. This outburst is likely a dwarf nova-like outburst, similar to the one seen in 2009, which was the first reported since the nova outburst in 1903.

Special Notice #284 - Nova Ophiuchi 2012 No. 2 = PNV J17395600-2447420 [V2677 Oph]

26 May 2012IAU CBET 3124 (Daniel W. E. Green, ed.) announces the discovery by John Seach (Chatsworth Island, NSW, Australia) of a nova in Ophiuchus [V2677 Oph] on 2012 May 19.484 UT at magnitude 10.5 (digital SLR camera + 50-mm f/1.0 lens). Seach reports nothing is visible at this position on the Digitized Sky Survey. The object was designated PNV J17395600-2447420 when it was posted on the Central Bureau's TOCP webpage (http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/unconf/tocp.html).

Special Notice #283: Supernova 2012cg IN NGC 4424 = PSN J12271283+0925132

May 23, 2012: IAU Central Bureau Electronic Telegram 3111 (Daniel W. E. Green, ed.) announces the LOSS discovery (reported by M. Kandrashoff, S. B. Cenko, W. Li, and A. V. Filippenko) of a supernova in NGC 4424 on 2012 May 17.22 at unfiltered magnitude 16.9.

Spectra indicating the object to be a Type Ia supernova discovered about two weeks before maximum were obtained by:

Special Notice #282: Apparent fading of V854 Cen

May 21, 2012: The R CrB star V854 Cen appears to be fading from maximum, according to recent observations reported to the AAVSO:

2012 May 17.1313 UT, 7.2 (B. Cudnik, Houston, TX);
17.380, 7.4 (P. Williams, Heathcote, NSW, Australia);
17.5069, 7.3 (D. Leys, Warrimoo, NSW, Australia);
17.5181, 7.4 (A. Plummer, Linden, NSW, Australia);
18.2125, 7.4 (Cudnik);
18.4917, 7.4 (Plummer);
19.1458, 7.5 (Cudnik);
19.3264, 7.35 (M. Linnolt, Ocean View, HI);

Special Notice #281: Revised timetable for AE Aqr MAGIC observations

15 May 2012: Dr. Christopher Mauche, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, has informed us that the timetable of MAGIC telescope  observations of the intermediate polar cataclysmic variable AE Aqr announced in AAVSO Alert Notice 458 has been revised. Here is the revised timetable for the dates in May and early June:

2012 May
16, 3:30 - 4:49 UT
17, 3:21 - 4:49
18, 3:17 - 4:49
19, 3:13 - 4:47
20, 3:09 - 3:53
21, 3:06 - 3:49
22, 3:02 - 3:45

Special Notice #280: HST UV spectroscopy observations of S Dor scheduled

May 9, 2012: We have been informed by Dr. Noel Richardson, Georgia State University, that the UV spectroscopy observations of S Dor to be made with the Hubble Space Telescope have been scheduled for

2012 MAY 11 from 21:21:55 UT to 23:55:04 UT.