THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF VARIABLE STAR OBSERVERS 25 Birch Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA Tel. 617-354-0484 Fax 617-354-0665 INTERNET: aavso@aavso.org * * * AAVSO NEWS FLASH * * * Subject: Z Cam, AB Dra, BX Pup, VZ Pyx No. 246 January 8, 1998 ________________________________________________________________________________ Z CAMELOPARDALIS The dwarf nova type (Z Cam subclass prototype) cataclysmic variable Z Cam appears to be in outburst, as indicated by the following observations: AAVSO Observer AAVSO Observer UT Mag. Initials UT Mag. Initials JAN 03.2549 13.4 HSG JAN 06.869 13.6 PYG JAN 05.942 13.6 PYG JAN 08.4458 11.7 HSG JAN 06.4715 12.8 HSG ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- AB DRACONIS The dwarf nova type (Z Cam subclass) cataclysmic variable AB Dra is in outburst, as indicated by the following observations: AAVSO Observer AAVSO Observer UT Mag. Initials UT Mag. Initials DEC 31.762 13.8 PYG JAN 06.090 13.5 PYG JAN 01.963 13.9 PYG JAN 06.810 13.5 PYG JAN 02.1118 13.5 HSG JAN 07.4444 13.1 HSG JAN 02.758 13.9 PYG JAN 08.4431 13.4 HSG JAN 03.0819 13.2 HSG ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- BX PUPPIS The dwarf nova type (Z Cam subclass) cataclysmic variable BX Pup appears to be in outburst, as indicated by the following observations: AAVSO Observer UT Mag. Initials JAN 05.5069 <14.4 SRX JAN 08.4799 14.2 SRX JAN 08.5437 14.2 SRX ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- VZ PYXIS The dwarf nova type cataclysmic variable VZ Pyx is in outburst, as indicated by the following observations: AAVSO Observer AAVSO Observer UT Mag. Initials UT Mag. Initials DEC 30.5049 15.0 SRX JAN 04.852 12.1 MLF DEC 31.5236 15.0 SRX JAN 04.907 12.0 MLF JAN 03.4757 12.6 SRX JAN 05.5111 12.0 SRX JAN 03.6813 12.6 SRX JAN 08.5299 12.2 SRX ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- We thank the following contributors for the data that they have provided for this News Flash: HSG - G. Hanson, USA PYG - G. Poyner, England SRX - R. Stubbings, Australia MLF - B. Monard, South Africa Please monitor these and other variable stars closely and phone-in, fax, or e-mail your observations to the AAVSO. Good observing! Elizabeth O. Waagen, Senior Technical Assistant on behalf of Janet A. Mattei, Director ________________________________________________________________________________ Symbols may include: < = fainter than magnitude given (variable not seen) : = uncertain If you would like to contribute to AAVSO NEWS FLASH, please send observations of unusual variable star activity to: observations@aavso.org Those who wish to subscribe (free of charge) or unsubscribe to NEWS FLASH may do so by sending a message to: observations@aavso.org If you would like data from the AAVSO International Database for research purposes, please send your request to: Janet Mattei, AAVSO Director, at aavso@aavso.org We look forward to including your observations in future editions of AAVSO NEWS FLASH! ______________________________________________________________________________