AAVSO Special Notice #143

Request extended to observe High-Mass X-Ray Binaries (HMXBs) in support of radial velocity observations
January 10, 2009

Dr. Gordon Sarty, University of Saskatchewan, Canada, has requested
our continuing assistance (see AAVSO Alert Notices 348, 354, 377,
special notices 118, 129) in his ongoing radial velocity observations of
High Mass X-ray Binaries (HMXBs).   The following text was provided
by Dr. Sarty:

"Please obtain BVRI photometry (or any subset thereof, VI preferred)
of the following three HMXBs

Desig.   Name            R.A.(2000) Dec.(2000)  Mag  LPH no.  AUID

0434+41  RX J0440.9+4431 04:40:59.3 +44:31:49.3 10.8 034  000-BCZ-082
0515+37  V420 Aur        05:22:35.2 +37:40:33.6  7.5 040  000-BCT-897
0630+05B SAX J0635+0533  06:35:18.3 +05:33:06.3 12.8 058  000-BCZ-435


for the time period of our radial velocity observations from
January 6 to January 18. The objective is to obtain simultaneous color
photometry and radial velocity measurements of these three objects.

"Our radial velocity measurements will be done with the Dominion
Astrophysical Observatory (DAO) 1.85-m Plaskett telescope, in
Victoria, B.C., Canada. We will alternate observations of the three
stars throughout the night. Interested AAVSO observers should
concentrate on one star per night, all night, for as many nights as you can
devote, while we are observing.

For more background information on the HMXB project, please see
our JAAVSO preprint at

http://www.aavso.org/publications/ejaavso/ej56.shtml

Charts may be downloaded at:

http://homepage.usask.ca/~ges125/Astronomy/LPH034_aavso.pdf
http://homepage.usask.ca/~ges125/Astronomy/LPH040_aavso.pdf
http://homepage.usask.ca/~ges125/Astronomy/LPH058_aavso.pdf

"As mentioned in the earlier Alert Notices, please follow the
observing instructions given on the chart web page and on the
charts and submit your results directly to the AAVSO
International Database.

"Please direct any questions about this observing campaign to
Dr. Gordon Sarty at gordon.sarty@usask.ca.

"Many thanks for your all of your past observations."


This AAVSO Special Notice was prepared by Dr. Gordon Sarty 
(submitted by Dr. Matthew Templeton)

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