July 24, 2018: Dr. Matt Darnley (Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University) and the AAVSO are requesting monitoring of ASASSN-18pe, the cataclysmic variable (possible long period dwarf nova) discovered 2018 July 10 by the ASAS-SN program (J. Strader et al. ATel #11867) at magnitude V = 15.8.
July 24, 2018: Dr. Dirk Froebrich (University of Kent) has requested AAVSOobservations to support their upcoming observations of V1490 Cyg. He writes:
"Background: We have recently discovered that the young star V1490 Cyg (situated in the Pelican Nebula IC 5070) is periodically occulted by material in its circumstellar disk(*). Our light-curves indicate a period of about 32 days, and the obscurations are comparable to UX-Ori type eclipses.
Note: CH Cyg recovered in early August from the fading episode described below. However, ongoing coverage is extremely important, with V and particularly B being given priority over Rc and Ic. As always, visual observations are requested and encouraged. - Elizabeth O. Waagen, November 29, 2018
June 1, 2018: Further to AAVSO Alert Notice 635, the AMCVn binary SDSS J141118.31+481257.6 is rebrightening, and the expected superoutburst may be underway.
May 25, 2018: Dr. Thomas Kupfer (University of California, Santa Barbara) has requested AAVSO assistance in monitoring the rare AMCVn binary SDSS J141118.31+481257.6 during its current WZ Sge-like outburst, the first outburst detected for this system.
The outburst was detected by Tadashi Kojima (Gunma-ken, Japan) on 2018 May 19.514 UT with a magnitude 12.6 V +/- 0.2. At minimum brightness 19.7 CV, SDSS J141118.31+481257.6 brightened by over 6 magnitudes, reaching a peak brightness of 12.5-12.6 V.
May 11, 2018 : Dr. Frederick Walter (Stony Brook University) has requested AAVSO assistance in monitoring V1280 Sco (Nova Sco 2007).
After it appeared as a nova in February 2007 (AAVSO Alert Notice 346), V1280 Sco reached visual magnitude ~3.8 (several observers), then faded to about 13.2, brightened to about 12.7, and underwent a dust dip in June 2007 to <15.6 V (P. Nelson). It recovered to about 10.3 by about a year later.
April 25, 2018: Dr. Jeno Sokoloski (Columbia University) and Mx. Adrian Lucy (graduate student, Columbia University) have requested AAVSO observations in support of a search underway by Mx. Lucy for symbiotic stars.
