(cba:news) HS2331 on the warpath

[Joe Patterson]

Dear CBAers,

HS2331 brightened through the night, reaching 8.8 around 12:00 UT.  I 
know that Bob Koff obtained at least a few hours on it, but otherwise am 
still unaware of what our coverage was.  We had a night on a 2.4 m 
telescope - and couldn't cope with the brightness.  We might substitute 
a dense filter, but most likely will leave this to CBA scopes.  The 
event is likely to last a month or more (or even much more), but will go 
through stages with different characteristics.  WZ Sge in 2001 was a 
cornucopia of riches, but this one is likely to be even better, because 
of all the odd periods the star presents.

We've been observing HS2331 heavily for two years, and in fact obtained 
two nights of data the week before outburst... so we'll actually know 
*phases* as well as periods just before outburst, and can compare with 
post-outburst results.

Delete MN Dra and V1006 Cyg, by the way.  I'll work up a full observing 
list in the next day... but take advantage of this historic opportunity!

Bob and Donn, since you were fastest off the blocks, do you have any 
comp star advice?  We basically need good comp stars when bright, when 
faint, and when intermediate.  I'll work on this between crises today 
(it's the start of school)... but any advice would be very welcome.

joe