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Database Errors Reported

Some observers in the chat room are reporting that their observations submitted since November 11, 2010 are not showing up in our online tools. Doc and Matt will investigate this first thing in the morning (eastern) and update this page when they know more information. We apologize for this inconvenience.

Update 2011Feb10 0620 ET (by Doc)

Well, its been a far longer day and  night than I thought it would be, and I'm sorry for that.

That being said the AID Database and webobs is back up and running.

Special Notice #233: Bright outburst of the cataclysmic variable SDSS J133941.11+484727.5

February 7, 2011: The star SDSS J133941.11+484727.5 has been reported in outburst by Jeremy Shears (Bunbury, UK).  Shears reports this star at magnitude 10.4 on 2011 February 7.919 (JD 2455600.419).  This is approximately 7 magnitudes above quiescence, which suggests a superoutburst of an SU UMa star or a WZ Sge-like outburst.  Gary Poyner (Birmingham, UK) confirms this outburst, estimating the star at 10.5 on February 7.959 (2455600.459).

Special Notice #231: T Pyx Observations Requested

February 1, 2011: Sumner Starrfield (Arizona State University) has informed us that Chandra is currently observing the cataclysmic variable T Pyx.  He and his colleagues would like supporting optical monitoring of the star during the visitation.  One visit is happening now; the next and final visit will occur on February 5 (UT).

Special Notice #230: Nova Sagittarii 2011 = PNV J17474639-2335112 [V5587 Sgr]

January 31, 2011: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams Electronic Telegram No. 2644 (CBET 2644, Daniel W. E. Green, ed.) announces the discovery by Hideo Nishimura, Miyawaki, Kakegawa, Shizuoka-ken, Japan (reported by S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan), of a nova [V5587 Sgr] in Sagittarius on 2011 Jan. 25.86 UT at unfiltered magnitude 11.2 on two 15-s CCD frames with limiting magnitude 12.5; Nakano measured magnitude 11.4 +/- 0.6 on Nishimura's frames.

Monday System Maintenance

This Monday, 31 January 2011, at 12:00ET (17:00UTC) the AAVSO Website will be down for one hour to look into the installation of a Wide Area Network Router which, if successful, will combine the two internet feeds we have here at HQ into one which will allow us to seamlessly increase both our incomming and outgoing data rates.

Any questions or concerns can be sent to Doc Kinne at rkinne @ aavso.org.