(cba:news) stars for late april

Joe Patterson jop at astro.columbia.edu
Fri Apr 22 10:12:07 EDT 2005


Dear CBAers,

Time for major changes.  In the south, we have enough now on CP Pup and
V391 Hya - let's retire 'em for the season and see what the analysis
brings.  For this very bright week coming up, I recommend BRIGHT stars.

1. V395 Hya - at 13.3, probably bright enough to subdue moonlight.  Still
no Porb - or P(anything) - known in this novalike variable.

2. RW Sex. We've never done this star, and at 10.5 (or so) it's packed
with photons (keep exposures short, or filter, or even defocus if
necessary - to avoid aturation).  We should, just to keep eyes reasonably
trained on long-Porb stars as well.  You should be able to get excellent
data, and can laugh at the Moon.  If you have filters, use a V.

In the north, as I mentioned last night, GO Com is a tempting target,
since it seems to superhumping strongly right now.  RW Sex is available
for us borealites too, since we still have no nodes in South America to
carry the banner for our longitude.  And there's CR Boo... it's definitely
time to begin the year's campaign; I just dunno the brightness right now.
If brighter than 14.5 or so, then I'd say: start now!  Otherwise, need to
wait for the Moon to move/fade.
Whichever you choose, it is - as usual - highly desirable to revisit that
target consistently in the nights to follow.  That makes it possible to
squeeze out a much more sensitive (and straightforward) periodicity
search.

Buena suerte!

joe




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