[Aavso-photometry] IL Aqr Update: 041021

[Arne Henden]

Richard Huziak wrote:
> Interesting data so far.  In the older data, the 'flare' at 2452860 to 
> 2452865.  Since we know that this system has planets, what are the odds 
> that this 'flare' is really a lensing event by a distant planet in the 
> system?  It seems to be fairly gaussian in its uprise taking at least 4 
> days to reach max. This would then imply that the orbital plane of the 
> planets is central across the star.  Just speculating since my weather 
> is so bad. :-)
> 
Not likely; the geometry is wrong for lensing (you need a *really*
distant background object that is lensed by something closer).
You can get a brightness increase near line-of-path alignment
(the reflection effect), but it would be likely the same size as
the predicted transit depth (say, 0.1mag).  More likely is a real
flare, as this is a variable star and a red dwarf to boot.
Arne