AO Octantis

From: Joe Patterson <*jop_at_astro.columbia.edu*> Date: Sat, 2 Sep 2000 11:41:32 -0400 (EDT) · jop_at_astro.columbia.edu

Dear CBAers,

Oh yeah, I forgot in my message to discuss AO Oct.  Rod Stubbings
reports that it rose to V=14.2 yesterday, from a pre-outburst mag of about
21.  This is a very rare erupter, likely a WZ Sge type star.  Such stars
have become our flat-out favorites over the years, with their long
displays of powerful superhumps (WZ Sge, AL Com, EG Cnc, arguably DV/IY
UMa).

So *this* star should be the main focus of australites, until it fades
again.  If that occurs soon, well then, chalk it up to another of these
damn normal eruptions - and on to other things.  But if this is a
supermax, it's probably going to stay bright for a few weeks, and flash
some great superhumps at us.  So that becomes the premier target for 3
weeks or so.  Get thee to a telescope, and let us borealites know!

The star's coords appear to be 21 05 8.35 -75 21 8.3 (J2000).  There may
be a little 18th mag guy next to the star.  If so you'll have to decide
whether to exclude it from your aperture box, or include it cleanly.
There's a chart in Downes and Shara.

About 4 years ago Jonathan got BE Oct in supermax - how great it would be
now to get the other of the Octans twins!

     joe