RZ LMi erupts

From: Joe Patterson <*jop_at_astro.columbia.edu*> Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2001 21:40:43 -0500 (EST) · jop_at_astro.columbia.edu

Dear CBAers,

Well, Gary Poyner reported RZ LMi at 13.9 last night, very likely a
superoutburst (judging from the brightness and the time since the last
one).  Even though this star utterly conflicts with BK Lyn, it belongs
right there with BK Lyn in priority (tops in the after 10 p.m. category).
There are several reasons we want to really focus on this star:
(1) Porb still hasn't been measured, and it's an important one;
(2) In a previous year the superhumps appeared to remember phase from one
    superoutburst to the next, muy interesante.
(3) As the most frantic of the H-rich dwarf novae, RZ LMi gives the
    maximum leverage per night invested - to study the detailed properties
    of superhumps (in other words, the show's beginning, middle, and end
    can be conveniently covered)

Still, BK Lyn may be the better target for the next 3 days, when Cindy
Taylor will be covering it with spectroscopy.  If you're feeling virtuous,
do 'em both!  Otherwise select one and stick with it - both will reward
your effort.

By the way it's best to start on 'em as soon as you can get 'em, even if
that means ignoring or cutting short FS Aur.  These are time-critical
observations, and FS can wait a bit.

Anyone doing EC0511-79 down south?  By the way, we're gearing up for a TX
Col campaign in early January, which Dave Buckley will coordinate from
South Africa.  That's a mighty good one too (now - and then it will be el
primo in early January).  We'll have a chart up in a few days, but you can
find one in the on-line ("living") Downes-Shara CV catalog.

joe