(cba:news) a new CBA green-light special

[Joe Patterson]

Dear CBAers,

It's time to start work on what may become the CBA northern target of the
year... a 12.6 magnitude star in Hercules with an apparently complex set
of periodic signals - fresh meat for our period-finding machinery!  This
is RX J1643.7+3402, also called "Her" in the electronic Downes et al. CV
catalog.  Exact coords are 16 43 45.72 +34 02 40.2.  As you'll see from
the Downes et al. chart (available at the CBA website), it's only about
1.3 arcmin W of a 6th magnitude star... so you might want to think about
that in accounting for sky brightness (since bright stars harass their
neighbors).  A very nice V=12.97 comp star exists another 1.5 arcmin NW
from the variable.

Let 'er rip.

Those of you who can work well at 16th mag should get some more coverage
on V589 Her (and send also to Tonny).  That's turning out well too, but
the star is getting faint.  Earlier in the night, the targets of choice
are GK Per and GP Com.  We should DROP AM CVn - we have a very fine
orbital (1028 s) pulse timing and don't need more until (possibly) late in
its observing season.

And as for the south, V803 Cen and RX1155-56 are keeping up their grand
show.  PLease don't forget V803 - I know the light curve doesn't look as
glamorous as RX1155 now, but the payoff of loyal coverage will be great!

Happy observing!

    Joe