(cba:news) May/June targets

[Joe Patterson]

Dear CBAers,                                          May 25, 1997.

     Our mini-campaign on AM CVn just ended.  Haven't heard the word
from Israel yet.  Arizona and Maryland had about average weather and
coverage.

NORTHERN TARGETS

     We definitely want to keep going with AM CVn.  Till mid-July or
so.  Two dwarf novae are superhumping away now and are of high
interest: Var21 CrB and Var43 Her (new names: VW CrB and V844 Her; the
first is CrB 1 in Downes et al., the second is uncatalogued but is at
J2000 coords 16 25 01.7  +39 09 26).  The outburst of Mister Var21 is
probably about over, but Var43 is likely to be around for a while.  For
the second half of the night, I recommend DQ Her.  Larger-telescope
owners should consider RXJ1940.2-1025 (=V1432 Aql = Aql 1 in Downes et
al.) as well as DQ Her.  We also want to keep steady pressure on
EC1533-1403 (now named HP Lib).

SOUTHERN TARGETS

     The southern situation is: V803 Cen forever; V485 Cen for as long
as it stays bright; and EC1533-1403 (=HP Lib = Lib 5 in Downes et al.)
as a bright reliable old-faithful target.  FO Aqr as soon as you can
recover it in the morning sky.

PITCHERS N STUFF

     As some of you know, we're getting a lot of publicity this year.
I dunno exactly why, unless it's a domino effect after the first story
(sort of like jail sentences).  I suspect it may increase a lot at the
AAS meeting in North Carolina, because we have been scheduled for a
press conference, and have I think 3 oral papers on the menu too.  I've
been getting all kinds of prep material from the AAS.  One thing they
stress is pictures.  You may recall we were also solicited for pictures
by PASP, who were thinking of a CBA cover.  We sent a couple things to
PASP, but nothing really good in my opinion.  So could you possibly
take some really good color or B&W pictures (prints are best, around
5"x7" or thereabouts)?  Pictures of your observatory are best I think.
PASP doesn't want any people in it, but most newspapers/magazines might
prefer a person in it, to give scale and warmth.  Personally I think
dogs, sandboxes, and oveturned tricycles would look great!

     If you do manage to get something, send it to me or Jonathan
pronto.  Lemme know and I'll send a FedEx account number for fastest
delivery.

     More than half of our members are still just *potential*
observers, not yet taking data.  If that describes you, I'm still
interested in description and pictures of your set-up; at the very
least we want such stuff for our website.  (But of course we won't use
it until you really join up.)

     Everybody got their newsletter?  And most of you should have
received the Downes et al. atlas too.  I look forward to seeing many of
you at the meetings coming up next month.

         joe