(cba:news) those devil dwarf novae...

[Joe Patterson]

Well, I never feel totally happy about chasing dwarf novae... it has
started to feel a little too "mainstream".  Still, the lure of freshly
erupted *new* dwarf novae, with virgin superhumps, is too much to resist.

Thanks to Berto and Major Tom, and to Rod Stubbings of course who operates
on another plane of existence, we have freshly formed superhumps now in
V699 Oph, NSV09923, and V1141 Aql.  The first two are altogether new,
while the latter was studied just once before in superoutburst.  Thus
there is a great deal to be learned here about all three stars.

NSV 09923 is far southern, at 17 59 16.52  -42 35 06.8.  It's a great
target for you southerly folks.

The other stars are equatorial. V699 Oph is well-placed in the evening sky
at 16 25 14.76  -04 40 25.6  -- fun for citizens of all latitudes and
longitudes.  V1141 Aql is at 19 37 09.81  +02 36 00.5.

I'm definitely inclined to declare "campaigns" on each of these stars,
with V699 Oph top priority, followed by NSV 09923, followed by V1141 Aql.
But these "priority assignments" basically represent a guess about the
scientific utility - don't take 'em too seriously, it's a guess that blows
to and fro as the superhumps wave in the wind.

How do these stars rate in comparison to the present campaign targets?

1. I'm inclined to *retire* WGA1958+32.  Cap'n Bob and MDM coverage have
nailed it to the wall.

2. The three pulse-timing stars (FO Aqr, AO Psc, V1223 Sgr) should remain
as the pulse-timing project is a really key one, in my opinion.  But I've
seldom had much luck getting CBAers interested in this.

3.  I think V4743 Sgr is less important than the dwarf novae - and can
take a break.

4.  Finally there's V603 Aql.  This is in a class of its own, and it would
be good if some of the smallscopers kept up the coverage relentlessly for
the next six weeks.  The fading dwarf novae and the growing Moon are going
to hurt the smallscopers especially.  I hope that we can bring home those
dwarf novae, and keep V603 Aql well serviced too!

Joe (feeling greedy)