Welcome to the Cataclysmic Variable Forum

Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
Mon, 04/23/2012 - 16:24

Hi, and welcome to the CV Forum. This is where we will talk about cataclysmic variables, potential targets, obsering techniques, recent activity, campaigns, resources for information and everything else. 

If you have questions, we will do our best to answer them, or refer you to a resource that may help you find the answers.

There are only a few rules:

  • Be curious.
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  • DO NOT POST OBSERVATION LISTS HERE.
  • Come back often.
Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
SS CYG: a recent embedded precusor?

Hello all, 

I just read John Cannizzo's recent preprint ( http://arxiv.org/pdf/1208.5477v1.pdf) on the shape of long outburst dwarf novae.  He talks about evidence from the digital photometry in the light curves of U GEM and SS CYG for what are called embedded failed outbursts or embedded precursors.  This is significant apparently because these CV's are above the period gap, so that these results may constrain the models used to explain embedded precursors. He uses aavso data from 2005/06. 

Anyway:  I bring this up because the recent SS CYG outburst (08/10/12 to about 08/20/12) seems to contain an embedded precursor also.  In this case, however, the precursor (initial hump) in the data seems clear even in the visual data.  It looks a little clearer than the visual data for the precursor in the 2005 data to the eye.  Of course, the statistics aren't as good for visual data on such short time windows, and I haven't attempted to use vstar to analyze the curve.  But I thought I'd ask if anyone else in the forum has noticed this.

Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
CV Outbursts

Hello

I am observing for the "17 CV's Campaign.  As of last night, there were 3 outbursts out of 17.  This seems kind of remarkable.  Should I go play 17 in the Megabucks?

Gary