From jk at cbastro.org  Fri May  5 21:36:42 2000
From: jk at cbastro.org (Jonathan Kemp)
Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 18:36:42 -0700 (MST)
Subject: (cba:news) [vsnet-alert 4776] The UMa transient's got the shakes (fwd)
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.10.10005051836380.21574-100000@keats.cbastro.org>

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 05:00:45 -0400 (EDT)
From: Joe Patterson <jop at astro.columbia.edu>
To: vsnet-alert at kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Subject: (cba:news) [vsnet-alert 4776] The UMa transient's got the shakes


           
                           XTEJ1118+480

     More details on the optical coverage of this remarkable X-ray/optical
transient are given on the CBA website at www.cbastro.org.  During     
April 30-May 3 Dave Skillman at CBA-Maryland (26" f/2.9 telescope, AP-7 
camera unfiltered) carried out high-speed (1 s integration + 2.1 s readout) 
observations.  The periodogram showed a powerful quasiperiodic signal 
at 9.9 seconds.  The error in the peak is ~0.2 s, with excess power 
between 9 and 11 s.  The signal amplitude is very high, sometimes reaching
0.20 mag.  Because the star's 10 s clock is very sloppy - losing track of 
phase in just a few cycles - the variations are primarily manifest as a 
huge scatter in rapidly sampled data.  This is an impressively noisy star!

     Measurement with photomultiplier tubes and trailed CCD images are 
also recommended.  What will happen to this amazing signal as the star     
fades?  

     We're also continuing to follow the 4.1 hour variation with slower
photometry.  We'd love to collaborate with any observers out there
interested in time-series photometry of this star on any time-scale.    


The CBA "UMa transient" cabal, so far

Joe Patterson - CBA-New York     jop at astro.columbia.edu
Bob Fried - Braeside Observatory
Dave Harvey - CBA-Tucson
Lew Cook - CBA-California
Gianluca Masi - CBA-Italy
Jonathan Kemp - CBA-Oracle
James Hannon - CBA-Connecticut
Denis Buczynski - Condor Brow Observatory
Tonny Vanmunster - CBA-Belgium
Lisa Pidgley, Pierre Maxted, Sofia Araujo-Betancor - Southampton Univ.
Rudolf Novak - Nicolas Copernicus Observatory (Brno)
Dave Skillman - CBA-Maryland
Brian Martin - CBA-Alberta


From jk at cbastro.org  Wed May 10 13:52:22 2000
From: jk at cbastro.org (Jonathan Kemp)
Date: Wed, 10 May 2000 10:52:22 -0700 (MST)
Subject: (cba:news) mahalo
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.10.10005101045370.10337-100000@keats.cbastro.org>

Hi CBAers---

Thank you (and there were many of you!) for all your congratulations and
like offerings in response to my letter two weeks ago!

I just wanted to let you know that since I last wrote about my Hawai`ian
adventures I have been offered the job of Telescope System Specialist at
the Joint Astronomy Centre's James Clerk Maxwell Telescope.  I start June
5th.

For those of you who may not know, the Joint Astronomy Center is located
in Hilo and operated by the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Netherlands.
It is primarily administered by the UK's Particle Physics and Astronomy
Research Council.  The James Clerk Maxwell Telescope is a 15-metre
telescope that operates in millimetre and submillimetre wavelength regions
and is located, of course, on Mauna Kea.

And, don't forget that I definitely will be continuing with the CBA in
some capacity!

And now for something completely different...

Our DV UMa paper is going to be submitted today and we expect to post a
preprint at the web site within a week or so.  Also, the April 2000 data
set listing is now at the web site.  For those of you who haven't yet
submitted your CBA questionnaires, please do so!  The network pages are
coming along and I hope to commission them at the web site in the near
future.

Jonathan
CBA New York -> CBA Oracle -> CBA Hilo


From jop at astro.columbia.edu  Thu May 11 08:00:44 2000
From: jop at astro.columbia.edu (Joe Patterson)
Date: Thu, 11 May 2000 08:00:44 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: (cba:news) employment, imagine that
Message-ID: <200005111200.IAA23949@tristram.phys.columbia.edu>

Dear CBAers,

     I'm writing now about something completely unrelated to all
previous letters!  Employment in astronomy... imagine that.

     As many of you know, Columbia University has been making new
commitments to astronomy in southern Arizona - in the form of the
Biosphere-2 "Universe Semester" program, and membership in the MDM
Observatory.  These have brought 100% use of a 0.6 m telescope, and 33%
use of 2.4 and 1.3 m telescopes.

     But we are an ivy-encrusted school firmly anchored in New York
City, and it has proved difficult to get local people to commit to work
stints in Arizona.  We're advertising in all the usual places, but
so far have not seen a lot of qualified applicants.  It occurred to me
that the ranks of CBA might be an excellent place to find the talent we
need.

     The main positions we need to fill very soon are teaching and
staff positions at the Bio-2 programs.  Experience in teaching is very
desirable, but at least as important is a background and high interest
in using the telescopes.  We have a summer program around June 15-July
20, and then the regular fall/spring semesters starting around Sep 6.
All these positions pay around $2000/month, mas o menos depending on
experience I guess.  And if you don't mind living close to a bunch of
college students, free room too.  (Housing in this sleepy little desert
town is easy and cheap anyway.)  We have plenty of flexibility in
hiring, re schedules and so forth.  And we have plenty of interest in
non-Americans too!  Gordon Garradd worked last year, to the great
benefit of the students and the telescopes; he'll be back in the
summer, and I hope for years to come.

     The other position is more speculative.  Kitt Peak has basically
put their 0.9 m telescope "up for bid".  We (MDM, the 3-university
observatory consortium) are inclined to put in a bid.  It does require
(if it's successful) that we hire about 1.5 people as permanent
observers.  The idea is that the telescope will be dedicated as a
photometric telescope, freeing the 1.3 m for mostly spectroscopic
programs.  So this is essentially an observatory job.  It's also
possible that it would be dovetailed with some work at Bio-2.

     If you have an interest in any of these positions, write and let
me know!

                   joe



From jop at astro.columbia.edu  Sun May 14 22:14:19 2000
From: jop at astro.columbia.edu (Joe Patterson)
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 22:14:19 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: (cba:news) targets du jour
Message-ID: <200005150214.WAA10035@tristram.phys.columbia.edu>


Dear CBAers,

Lotta stuff poppin' off up there, with the action swinging back to the
north....

The X-ray transient in UMa continues to delight.  Dave Skillman is
managing to follow the rapid oscillation, but the period is apparently
changing fast (down to 8.8 s a few days ago, compared with 12 s when it
first appeared 5 weeks ago).  Getting hard to track with CCDs!  The
4.1 hour modulation is also getting harder to track, but only because
the night's observation is short.  Plenty worth your continued
attention!

The star Tonny announced in outburst and superhumping - RX J1450.5+6403
- is perfectly placed for long observation now, so that would be a very
fine target too!  Completely viriginal star, so who knows what
surprises it has in store?  I'll forward the positional information
right after this.

The best southerly stars for coverage right now (assuming V2051 Oph has
declined from outburst) are HP Lib, V1223 Sgr, and V849 Her (=Her 2 =
PG1633+115).  Admittedly, Hercules ain't northern, but it's equatorial,
and we want to follow this guy south and north.  And AO Psc/FO Aqr
for early risers.  Check your clocks carefully on these pulse timers
(all except V849 Her, though technically *every* star involves timings,
so checking the clock should be like... well, like checking for rain).

DV UMa and IY UMa are both submitted for publication now.  DV UMa up on
the website in a day or two.  Working on writing up other results now.
Classes are over, a great chance to get work done!

No other CBAers coming to the AAS meeting in Rochester?  Bummer.  I
still hope to see some of you there.  We'll have a company exhibit.


    joe


From jop at astro.columbia.edu  Sun May 14 22:18:28 2000
From: jop at astro.columbia.edu (Joe Patterson)
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 22:18:28 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: (cba:news) Rare outburst of RXJ1450.5+6403 (fwd)
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.4.05.10005142217250.1451-100000@odyssey.phys.columbia.edu>


just to make sure you have the position! 
fire all weaponry


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 14 May 2000 21:52:36 -0000
From: Tonny Vanmunster <Tonny.Vanmunster at advalvas.be>
To: vsnet-alert <vsnet-alert at kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp>,
     cba-news <cba-news at cbastro.org>
Subject: (cba:news) Rare outburst of RXJ1450.5+6403

Dear colleagues,

I herewith report the detection (unfiltered CCD) of an outburst of RXJ1450.5+6403, using the 0.35-m f/6.3 telescope at CBA Belgium Observatory. The object is located at 145038.22  +640328.6 (J2000.0) and has a listed magnitude range of 16.3 - 17.1. 

RXJ1450.5+6403 appears in "The Hamburg/RASS Catalogue of optical identifications" as an optical counterpart to a RASS source. Further identification (as a mag 16.3 object) in USNO : USNO1500.05897283 145038.215 +640328.55 (2000.0).
 
Available observations :

RXJ1450.5+6403 20000510.906 UT  <16.5C  Tonny Vanmunster
RXJ1450.5+6403 20000514.864 UT   14.4C  Tonny Vanmunster
Instrument : 0.35-m f/6.3 SCT and SBIG ST-7 CCD (unfiltered)

I have found *no* further information on previous outbursts of this object, so it most likely is a very unknown CV, that is worth following closely by time-series photometry. I have started a CCD run on RXJ1450.5+6403 some time ago, and hope to announce first results shortly.

Best regards,
Tonny Vanmunster
CBA Belgium Observatory



From jop at astro.columbia.edu  Fri May 19 10:52:27 2000
From: jop at astro.columbia.edu (Joe Patterson)
Date: Fri, 19 May 2000 10:52:27 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: (cba:news)  KK Tel bright outburst (fwd)
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.4.05.10005191047380.5265-100000@odyssey.phys.columbia.edu>


Dear CBAers,

Finally a southern outbursting SU UMa star of high interest!  Other than
OY Car, possibly the first of the year.  We have a precise orbital period
for KK Tel in quiescence, and have been eagerly waiting for a
superoutburst in order to measure the critical period difference
("epsilon").  HP Lib continues of high interest too.

First night of an MDM run tonight, nice to be back in AZ!

   joe


KK Tel bright outburst

   The suspected SU UMa-type dwarf nova KK Tel is undergoing a bright
outburst.  The last long outburst of KK Tel was observed in 1999 March
)cf. vsnet-alert 2800, 2807).

   KK Tel has been suspected to be an SU UMa-type dwarf nova having a
suspected orbital period of 2.02 hours (Howell et al. 1991, PASP 103, 300).
A search for superhumps is strongly recommended.  The present outburst
will be put on the VSNET campaign object list.

  YYYYMMDD(UT)   mag  observer
  20000326.851  <148  (A. Pearce)
  20000328.851  <150  (A. Pearce)
  20000329.841  <150  (A. Pearce)
  20000402.854  <150  (A. Pearce)
  20000405.847  <152  (A. Pearce)
  20000407.849  <150  (A. Pearce)
  20000409.849  <140  (A. Pearce)
  20000510.601  <148  (R. Stubbings)
  20000517.599   138  (R. Stubbings)
  20000517.846   136  (A. Pearce)

Regards,
Taichi Kato



From jop at astro.columbia.edu  Wed May 24 11:24:37 2000
From: jop at astro.columbia.edu (Joe Patterson)
Date: Wed, 24 May 2000 11:24:37 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: (cba:news) voice crying in the darkness
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.4.05.10005241123080.12770-100000@tristram.phys.columbia.edu>



Any KK Tellers out there?  One could be a bonanza!

   joe



From jop at astro.columbia.edu  Tue May 30 14:39:43 2000
From: jop at astro.columbia.edu (Joe Patterson)
Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 14:39:43 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: (cba:news) Stars for June
Message-ID: <200005301839.OAA09997@odyssey.phys.columbia.edu>


 Dear CBAers,                                              May 30, 2000

     Back from a run (Jonathan's last) at MDM, and getting ready to go
off to the AAS meeting and then a few weeks in Arizona.

     The campaign on the UMa X-ray transient continues apace.  The "10-
second" quasi-period continues to evolve toward shorter periods -
has trucked all the way from 12.4 s to 7.9 s in the last 50 days.  The
4.1 hr signal discovered by Lew back in March has shown a little bit of
movement, suggesting it is probably a superhump rather than strictly
Porb - but the distinction is still pretty weak and will need probably
another 3 weeks of data to firm up.  If you're doing UMa, keep at it
for a few weeks - but too late in the season to start anything.

     Jennie and Fred popped up with four nights of KK Tel in
superoutburst, and this was sufficient to yield the superhump period of
.08764(16) d.  Jonathan's earlier photometry at quiescence gave
Porb=0.08452(15) d.  Well done - one more epsilon to rack up!
(=0.037+-0.002).  We can retire KK Tel now.

     Tonny's friend, the Hamburger star (RX J1450.5+6403).  Some very
nice results on the superhump.  I *think* we have enough on this now,
but I'm not altogether sure since I haven't worked on it myself.
Tonny, do you think so?  (Remember that John Thorstensen will almost
certainly nail down Porb from spectroscopy in early July, so we don't
need to beat on that.)

     The two good stars for long coverage right now are V849 Her (=Her
2 = PG1633+115) and V1315 Aql.  These both have periods in the 3-4 hr
range, and probably both have large-amplitude superhumps.  And they're
both equatorial, enabling us to use our longitude to maximum advantage!
These are the guys to go after.  For shorter coverage, the DQ Her stars
(AO Psc, FO Aqr, V1223 Sgr) are the prime targets, along with HP Lib.


            joe



From jop at astro.columbia.edu  Wed May 31 12:41:18 2000
From: jop at astro.columbia.edu (Joe Patterson)
Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 12:41:18 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: (cba:news) HP Librae = EC1533-1403
Message-ID: <200005311641.MAA08235@tristram.phys.columbia.edu>


Dear CBAers,

Well, the first few light curves coming through on V849 Her are... losers!
Had we but world enough and time, we might want to study such things.  But
there is too little activity in the star to warrant investing much time now.
Scratch  it!

At the same time, I received a great collection of recent light curves on
HP Lib from Fred and Jennie.  Since this too is a very well-placed equatorial
target, let's vault that one into first place as a campaign star.  Let's
get a few more weeks on HP Lib starting right now, from all stations that
can reach Libra.

   joe