*** News from VSNET *** A bright optical afterglow of GRB 021004 was detected. A possible optical counterpart of XRF 020903 was identified. For more detail information about these objects, see below, "VSNET Weekly Campaign Summary" of the last week. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- VSNET (Variable Star Network) is an international variable star observing network, covering various areas of novae, supernovae, cataclysmic variables (CVs), X-ray transients, and other classical eruptive, pulsating, and eclipsing variables. VSNET is one of invited contributing organizations to the SkyPub AstroAlert system. The "News from VSNET", mainly focusing on recent remarkable activities of CVs and related systems, is issued on a weekly basis, except on occasions of extremely urgent or transient events. Please refer to the VSNET Home Page for more details of events and objects listed. VSNET Home Page: http://vsnet.kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp/vsnet/ VSNET provides a number of mailing lists, on which various news and topics are discussed. Subscriptions to the VSNET mailing lists are free of charge; please refer to the instruction on the above page if a reader needs more information of the list structure. CCD observations of such targets are a relatively easy task for a 20-40cm telescope; simply take as many CCD frames (with exposure times 10-30 sec) as possible, spanning several hours per night. The only requirements are the weather and your patience! If you need more help on the observing technique, please feel free to ask on the vsnet-campaign list. We would sincerely appreciate volunteers who would join the VSNET Collaboration team to study the wonders of these exotic variable stars. To join the VSNET campaign collaborative list, send an e-mail to vsnet-adm@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp (VSNET administrator) with a line "SUBSCRIBE vsnet-campaign." (VSNET campaign members are strongly recommended to subscribe to vsnet-alert at the same time). Regards, Taichi Kato On behalf of the VSNET administrator team ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The following was issued on October 14, 2002, as VSNET campaign circulation 1343 [Note a large part of detailed information is posted to vsnet-campaign sub-lists]. VSNET Weekly Campaign Summary *** Last week news *** (new targets) XRF 020903 (RA = 22h48m42s.34, Dec = -20d46'09".3) A. M. Soderberg et al. reported in GCN 1554 that they discovered a possible optical counterpart of X-ray flash of 3 September 2002. Their additional observations revealed a brightening of the object, which they proposed to be a supernova associated with this XRF. If the optical transient is indeed associated with XRF020903, it is the first known optical afterglow of an XRF, and may be the most nearby cosmological high energy transient known yet (vsnet-campaign-sn 479). GRB 021004 (RA = 00h26m54s.689, Dec = +18d55'41".3) B. Monard reported his observations of the optical afterglow of GRB 021004; 17.9CR mag on October 4.809 and at 18.9CR mag on 5.824 (vsnet-campaign-grb 9, 10, 11, 12). Var73 Dra (RA = 20h23m38s.193, Dec = +64h36m26s.91) The Kyoto observations (observers: M. Uemura and R. Ishioka) have detected a bright outburst of Var73 Dra, a long-period (probably in the period gap) SU UMa-type dwarf nova recently discovered. The object was rising on October 4, and likely attained its maximum around October 9-10. The maximum was around 15.0 or possibly brighter. The object has been confirmed to be still bright on October 11. Preliminary analysis of the recent data shows variations of 0.2-0.3 mag, which are likely superhumps (vsnet-campaign-dn 2888, 2898). TY Psc (RA = 01h25m36s.87, Dec = +32d23'05".3) The superoutburst, which was detected on September 27, is still ongoing. It is now reported to be V~11.5 (vsnet-campaign-dn 2876, 2881, 2871, 2870, 2884, 2887). RZ Sge (RA = 20h03m18s.49, Dec = +17d02'52".6) A superoutburst (12.5mag) was detected on September 30 (vsnet-campaign-dn 2877). The superoutburst still continues (vsnet-campaign-dn 2880, 2885). SN 2002fs (RA = 22h54m00s.88, Dec = +14d39'24".5) SN 2002fs is located on 3" due east of an apparent host anonymous spiral galaxy. A spectrum taken on Sept. 28 with the Baade 6.5-m telescope revealed that it is type Ia SN a few days past maximum light. The redshift of the host galaxy is measured as 0.038 (vsnet-campaign-sn 481). SN 2002ft (RA = 23h15m45s.82, Dec = -16d55'35".2) SN 2002ft is a type Ia SN soon after maximum on Sept. 28 (vsnet-campaign-sn 481). SN 2002fu (RA = 22h09m55s.99, Dec = +12d05'06".6) SN 2002fu is a distant type II SN. The host galaxy is anonymous spiral one. A foreground star (USNO-A2.0 rmag = 19.2) exist quite near to SN (about 5" due north of SN)(vsnet-campaign-sn 481). AG Dra (RA = 16h01m40s.98, Dec = +66d48'10".3) The object was reported to brightened to 9th mag since the end of September (vsnet-campaign-symbio 33, 35). HX Peg (RA = 23h40m23s.37, Dec = +12d37'44".0) The object is now in standstill (vsnet-campaign-dn 2886, 2896). (continuous targets) V729 Sgr (RA = 19h16m49s.15, Dec = -26d14'33".2) An outburst of 14.4mag was detected on September 30 by R. Stubbings (vsnet-campaign-dn 2878). AH Her (RA = 16h44m09s.99, Dec = +25d15'02".1) The object brightened from standstill (vsnet-campaign-dn 2882). V348 Sgr (RA = 18h40m19s.94, Dec = -22d54'29".1) The object is brightening since the end of September (vsnet-campaign-rcb 72). V2540 Oph (RA = 17h37m34s.36, Dec = -16d23'18".4) The object is now slowly fading (vsnet-campaign-nova 1080). BL Lac (RA = 22h02m42s.86, Dec = +42d16'37".6) The active phase continues (vsnet-campaign-blazar 275, 276). UW Pic (RA = 05h31m35s.596, Dec = -46d24'05".54) About the identification of UW Pic, K. Reinsch commented: The optical counterpart (later designated UW Pic) of the ROSAT All-Sky Survey X-ray source RX J0531.5-4624 has been spectroscopically identified as the most northern component of the apparent stellar triple visible within the 3-sigma error circle of the X-ray position (vsnet-campaign-polar 19, 20). SDSSp J173008.38+624754.7 (RA = 17h30m08s.38, Dec = +62d47'54".7) The object returned to the quiescent level (vsnet-campaign-dn 2873). CH UMa (RA = 10h07m00s.90, Dec = +67d32'45".0) The outburst continues (vsnet-campaign-dn 2883, 2869). MisV1147 (RA = 22h54m03s.78, Dec = +58d54'02".1) The object was reported to be faint again (<15.6mag) on September 29 as reported by M. Poxon (vsnet-campaign-unknown 106, 107). The faint state was confirmed on September 29 - October 2 (vsnet-campaign-unknown 108, 109, 110, 111). The object then brightened to 13.7mag on October 5 (vsnet-campaign-unknown 112, 113). KV Dra (RA = 14h50m38.4s, Dec = +64d03m29s) J. Pietz reported that the humps, which were observed during the last superoutburst, looks more dip-like. T. Kato commented that the evolution of the superhumps resembles that of V1028 Cyg, as has been expected from the similarity in their orbital periods and outburst properties (vsnet-campaign-dn 2875). V4743 Sgr (RA = 19h01m09s.38, Dec = -22d00'06".2) The fading continues (vsnet-campaign-nova 1086, 1083, 1089). The fading rate became somewhat smaller (vsnet-campaign-nova 1091, 1093). V4742 Sgr (RA = 18h02m21s.864, Dec = -25d20'32".22) The object is now fading. The fading rate became somewhat smaller (vsnet-campaign-nova 1088, 1077, 1082, 1079, 1084, 1087, 1090, 1093). V838 Mon (RA = 07h04m04s.816, Dec = -03d50'50".94) The object was reported V=13.60 on October 9 by K. Nakajima (vsnet-campaign-v838mon 386, 388). V877 Ara (RA = 17h16m58s.80, Dec = -65d32'58".6) An outburst of 14.3mag was reported by R. Stubbings on October 11 (vsnet-campaign-dn 2891). V854 Cen (RA = 14h34m49s.8, Dec = -39d33'18") S. Otero reported that V854 Cen is fading more rapidly than usual from a long lasting maximum of the last pulsation cycle. The object was reported to be about 7.5mag on October 5 (vsnet-campaign-rcb 73). ES Aql (RA = 19h32m21s.58, Dec = -00d11'31".2) The fading continues. Some observations reported it to be at 14th mag (vsnet-campaign-rcb 71). *** Future schedule *** International Workshop -- Extremely High Energy Cosmic Rays -- November 5-6, 2002 at RIKEN (The Institute of Physics and Chemical Research), Japan Suzuki Umetaro Hall (#52), South Area, Wako main campus Contact to: workshop2002@euso.riken.go.jp [vsnet-campaign-grb 8] IAU Colloquium 194 "Compact Binaries in the Galaxy and Beyond" 17-22 November 2003, La Paz, Mexico Contact Details Web page: http://bufadora.astrosen.unam.mx/~iau194 Email: iau194@astrosen.unam.mx [vsnet-campaign-sn 467] [vsnet-campaign-xray 154] International Workshop HIGH RESLUTION X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY with XMM-NEWTON and CHANDRA 24th and 25th October 2002 For more details, visit the workshop website: http://vsnet.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/~gbr/rgs_workshop/ [vsnet-campaign-xray 152] Texas in Tuscany XXI Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics Florence, Italy, December 9-13, 2002 For more information: http://vsnet.arcetri.astro.it/~texaflor/ [vsnet-campaign-xray 142] SUPERNOVAE (10 YEARS OF SN1993J) 22-26 April 2003, Valencia, Spain Web site: http://vsnet.uv.es/2003supernovae/ [vsnet-campaign-sn 342] [vsnet-campaign-sn 452] 34TH COSPAR - GRB AFTERGLOW PHYSICS HOUSTON, TX, USA, 10-19 OCTOBER 2002 Main Scientific Organizer (MSO): Elena Pian - INAF, Astronomical Observatory of Trieste, Italy - pian@ts.astro.it http://vsnet.ts.astro.it/topics/topix.html [vsnet-campaign-grb 1] *** General information *** XRF 020903 WWW page by A.M. Soderberg et al. http://vsnet.astro.caltech.edu/~ams/XrF.html [vsnet-campaign-sn 479] V729 Sgr Eclipse ephemeris, see [vsnet-campaign-dn 2878] GZ Cnc and NSV 10934 Preprint by T.Kato et al. http://vsnet.kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp/pub/vsnet/preprints/GZ_Cnc/ [vsnet-campaign-dn 2879] UW Pic Original finding chart presented by K. Reinsch: http://astro.physik.uni-goettingen.de/~reinsch/finding_charts/UW_Pic_fc.jpg [vsnet-campaign-polar 19] V4742 Sgr Spectra observed by C. Buil: http://astrosurf.com/buil/us/nsgr2/nsgr2.htm [vsnet-campaign-nova 1085] V4743 Sgr Spectra observed by C. Buil: http://astrosurf.com/buil/us/nsgr2/nsgr3.htm [vsnet-campaign-nova 1085] [vsnet-campaign-nova 1092] [vsnet-campaign-nova 1094] V838 Mon VRI color images published on Astronomy Picture of the Day http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap021003.html [vsnet-campaign-v838mon 387] Nova in M110 CCD images taken by Z. Kereszty: http://kereszty.csillagaszat.hu/sns/2002.htm [vsnet-campaign-nova 1095] Preliminary pages on VSNET scientific activities http://vsnet.kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp/vsnet/papers/2002.html http://vsnet.kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp/vsnet/papers/2001.html [vsnet-campaign 1342] (This summary can be cited.) Regards, Makoto Uemura