Norwegian Astronomical Society - Variable Star Section R Coronae Borealis has shown a major brightening since early January, 2001. I report the following visual observations: Object YYYYMMDD(UT) Mag Obs Instrum. Estimates Seq. CRBR 20001229.18 12.2: GRL L70;69x V=W (3) [faint] BAA CRBR 20010103.12 12.0 GRL L70;69x U-2;W+2 (2) BAA CRBR 20010114.10 9.5 GRL C203;123x 10-2;P-1;11+4 (1) TYC2 CRBR 20010116.06 9.1 GRL C203;123x M-3;10+1 (2) TYC2 CRBR 20010130.07 7.3 GRL L70;24x E-8;G+1 (2) HIP CRBR 20010201.15 7.1 GRL B7x50 E-6;G+3 (2) HIP CRBR 20010204.09 7.0 GRL B7x50 E-5;G+4 (1) HIP CRBR 20010206.15 6.7 GRL L70;24x E-2;G+7 (2) HIP Comparison stars (V magnitudes from HIP and TYC2, visual from BAA): E = 6.46 (HIP), G = 7.43 (HIP), M = 8.86 (TYC2), 10 = 9.23 (TYC2), P = 9.51 (HIP), 11 = 9.96 (TYC2), U = 11.79 (BAA), W = 12.20 (BAA). Observer: B. H. Granslo (Fjellhamar, Norway). Instruments: 203-mm SCT, 70-mm refractor, 7x50 binoculars. Observations are Pogson step estimates. Yours sincerely, Bjorn H. Granslo