1247-28 EX HYA APPEARS TO BE IN OUTBURST

The intermediate polar (DQ Her-type) cataclysmic variable EX Hya appears to be in outburst, according to observations reported by Rod Stubbings, Drouin, Victoria, Australia:

EX HYA     NOV 04.7410  9.8   SRX
EX HYA     NOV 04.7330  9.8   SRX

According to observations in the AAVSO International Database, the last outburst of EX Hya occurred in 1998, when the star brightened to visual magnitude 9.4 on August 9, and returned back to minimum magnitude ~13.0 on August 12.

CCD and visual observations are requested throughout this outburst, which is likely to be as brief as the 1998 one. CCD observers should use a V filter if possible and make observations every 5 minutes for as long as possible.

An interesting website on Intermediate Polars, including a page on EX Hya, is that of Dr. Koji Mukai, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center: http://lheawww.gsfc.nasa.gov/users/mukai/iphome/iphome.html

AAVSO 'd' and 'e' charts for EX Hya may be found at the URL: http://www.aavso.org/cgi-bin/searchcharts3.pl?name=EX%20HYA

Congratulations to Rod on catching this very rare outburst!

Many thanks for your valuable astronomical contributions and your efforts.

Good observing,

Elizabeth Waagen
Senior Technical Assistant