(cba:news) Likely black-hole transient (Joe Patterson) [2008-09-12T18:27:05Z]

Dear CBAers,

    Here's a flashy new toy in the evening sky:

http://www.astro.columbia.edu/~jules/swiftj1842.5-1124/swiftj1842.5-1124_finding_chart.pdf

(Position and field shown on the chart)

This is an outbursting X-ray source with properties like those of 
black-hole transients, and with a decently bright optical counterpart - 
possibly around 16th mag.  Totally virgin object, though it won't be in 
a few days when the ATel hits the newsstands.  Imagine all those 
beautiful superhumpy light curves falling tragically, and unobserved, on 
humanity's deaf ears and shuttered telescopes!

Get thee to a telescope.  Sorry for the inconvenient sky position.  It 
follows the general rule that things are always discovered *late* in the
observing season.  But if we can patch together runs from ZA and NZ or 
AU, we can still do a decent job - and can solve the alias issues.

Still waiting anxiously for V466 And to bust out in powerful superhumps. 
 When they start, they usually reach maximum amplitude within 1 day. 
So keep a close watch!

joe