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Alert Notice 623: Observations of V1017 Sgr requested

March 16, 2018: Dr. Jennifer Sokoloski (Columbia University) and colleagues (led by Dr. Koji Mukai, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center) have requested AAVSO assistance in observing the nova/dwarf nova V1017 Sgr in preparation for an XMM-Newton observation scheduled for 2018 March 23 or 24.

Confirmation that the system is not in dwarf-nova outburst as of March 23 is needed so that the XMM observation may take place.

Alert Notice 622: N Oph 2018 No. 2 = TCP J17140253-2849233 = PNV J17140261-2849237 [V3665 Oph]

March 15, 2018


Event: Nova in Ophiuchus - N Oph 2018 No. 2 = PNV J17140261-2849237 = PNV J17140261-2849237  [V3665 Oph]

Discovered Independently by:
- Hideo Nishimura (Kakegawa, Shizuoka-ken, Japan, reported by S. Nakano)
- Tadashi Kojima (Tsumagoi, Gunma-ken, Japan, reported by S. Nakano)
- Koichi Nishiyama (Kurume, Japan) and Fujio Kabashima (Miyaki, Japan)

Alert Notice 621: Optical monitoring of NSV 24045 = HD 163296

March 15, 2018: Evan A. Rich (Ph.D. candidate, University of Oklahoma), and Drs. John Wisniewski (University of Oklahoma), John Tobin (University of Oklahoma), Carol Grady (Goddard Space Flight Center), and Mike Sitko (University of Cincinnati) have requested AAVSO assistance in monitoring the bright (6.9 V) Young Stellar Object NSV 24045 (HD 163296) from now through September 2018.

Alert Notice 620: Coverage of Nova LMC 1996 (OGLE-2018-NOVA-01) outburst needed now

This Alert Notice has been edited to correct a typographical error, and to correct the statement that the LMC was not well placed for coverage from Chile; AAVSO coverage was requested to broaden the coverage in longitude. Apologies for the errors - EOW

March 14, 2018: Dr. Frederick Walter (Stony Brook University) has requested AAVSO observers, particularly those in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, to monitor the current outburst of the recurrent nova Nova LMC 1996 = OGLE-2018-NOVA-01.

Solar Observing Guide in Italian

We now have available for download a translation of the AAVSO Solar Observing Guide into Italian - thanks to the excellent volunteer work of Raffaello Braga. This Guide is available free-of-charge and all solar observers are strongly encouraged to read it.

In addition to Italian, the Guide is available in English, French, German, Spanish (and soon Portuguese).

Alert Notice 619: Nova Ophiuchi 2018 = PNV J17244011-2421463

March 6, 2018

Event: Nova in Ophiuchus - Nova Oph 2018 = PNV J17244011-2421463

Discovered by: Tadashi Kojima (Gunma-ken, Japan), reported via S. Nakano (Sumoto, Japan)

Discovery magnitude: unfiltered CCD magnitude 12.5 (on three frames, using Canon EOS 6D digital camera + 200-mm f/3.2 lens)

Alert Notice 618: Monitoring SDSS J153817.35+512338.0 for HST observations

March 5, 2018: Anna Pala (Ph.D. candidate, University of Warwick) has requested AAVSO observers' assistance in monitoring the faint polar cataclysmic variable SDSS J153817.35+512338.0 in support of Hubble Space Telescope observations scheduled for late March-early April 2018.

The HST observing window is 2018 March 28 - April 9. Once the exact time of the HST observations is known, it will be announced on the AAVSO discussion forum thread for this campaign given below.

Alert Notice 617: Multiwavelength observations of YZ Cnc, SU UMa, and CR Boo outbursts

March 5, 2018: Bob Jacobs (Ph.D. candidate, Radboud University) and Drs. Samaya Nissanke (Radboud University), Jennifer Barnes (Columbia University), and Deanne Coppejans (Northwestern University) have requested AAVSO observers' assistance in monitoring the cataclysmic variables YZ Cnc, SU UMa, and CR Boo. The goal is to build good multicolor light curves of two outbursts of CR Boo and two superoutbursts each of YZ Cnc and SU UMa.

LPV of the Month March, 2018

V Bootis

V Boo is an interesting semiregular star that has been observed by AAVSO observers and members since 1904 (a single observation is recorded in 1893).  Over 75,000 observations are in the AID from over 2,000 different observers as can be seen in the light curve shown below which displays all observations in the AID.  It is one of the Legacy LPV Program stars.

AAVSO Bulletin 81 for 2018 published

AAVSO Bulletin 81: Predicted Dates of Maxima and Minima of Long Period Variables for 2018 has been published. This annual publication covers the period January 2018 - February 2019 and gives predicted extrema dates for 381 Long Period Variables in the AAVSO's Legacy LPV program.