Return to Home Page
*** News from VSNET ***
SN 2003bg shows very broad Balmer lines, indicating that
it may be a "type II hypernova".
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 March 10, 2003, as VSNET campaign
circulation 1375
[Note a large part of detailed information is posted to vsnet-campaign
sub-lists].
VSNET Weekly Campaign Summary
*** Last week news ***
(new targets)
V982 Oph (RA = 17h52m37s.86, Dec = +07d33'04".4)
P. Schmeer reported a possible outburst (15-16mag) of a new dwarf
nova, V982 Oph on March 9. Further observations are urged
(vsnet-campaign-dn 3527).
V2276 Sgr (RA = 20h26m22s.16, Dec = -43d40'31".9)
YY Tel (RA = 18h33m55s.9, Dec = -53d58'59")
According to astro-ph/0303022 (Mason and Howell), V2276 Sgr was
given a spectroscopic classification of a DC white dwarf. From the
VSNET record, the object unmistakably underwent outbursts. The case
looks similar to CG CMa, for which a misidentified nearby star was
given a spectroscopic classification of a white dwarf. V2276 Sgr
warrants further study, and a new exact identification using
outburst images. The same is true for YY Tel, which is reported to
lack emission lines (vsnet-campaign-dn 3518, 3519).
SN 2003bk (RA = 12h22m42s.14, Dec = +09d20'01".2)
SN 2003bk is hosted by NGC 4316, a nearby edge-on spiral galaxy.
It is a probably member of the Virgo cluster. The Las Campanas
spectrum taken on Mar. 3.28 shows that it is highly reddened type
II SN (vsnet-campaign-sn 573).
SN 2003bl (RA = 13h57m30s.65, Dec = +06d05'36".4)
SN 2003bl is hosted by NGC 5374, a barred spiral galaxy. The Las
Campanas spectrum taken on Mar. 3.35 revealed that it was young SN
II with a blue continuum. It shows a weak H_alpha line and a He I
587-nm line, which suggest that it is possibly a type-IIb event.
The discovery magnitude (18.4mag) is consistent with one for the
normal gravitational collapse event (vsnet-campaign-sn 573).
SN 2003bm (RA = 08h07m22s.87, Dec = +40d23'44".3)
SN 2003bm is hosted by UGC 4226, an open spiral galaxy. The
expected maximum for typical SN Ia is mag about 16.9
(vsnet-campaign-sn 573).
GSC 2672:1449 (RA = 20h21m17.48s, Dec = +30d34'41.6")
D. West reported that a new SRB variable, GSC 2672:1449 reported
in IBVS 5198 (10.4-11.2mag) was V=11.15mag on March 3
(vsnet-campaign-unknown 194).
AO Oct (RA = 21h04m59s.07, Dec = -75d21'22".5)
An outburst to 14.9mag was reported on March 5 by R. Stubbings
(vsnet-campaign-dn 3520).
IGR J19140+098 (RA = 19h13m55s, Dec = +09d51'.6)
According to IAUC No. 8088, the INTEGRAL satellite discovered a
new X-ray transient, IGR J19140+098. The object is reported to have
an X-ray flux of 50-100 mCrab in 15-40 keV. The object is situated
in a relatively obscured region, and a search for the IR counterpart
would be encouraged. There is no cataloged prominent source near
the X-ray position (vsnet-campaign-xray 198).
DM Dra (RA = 15h34m12s.13, Dec = +59d48'31".9)
According to P. A. Dubovsky (vsnet-outburst 5305), the SU UMa-type
dwarf nova DM Dra is in bright outburst (mag 14.4). The last
reported outburst (2001 November) was a superoutburst. The best
superhump period was 0.07561(3) d, although there was no thorough
coverage of a superoutburst (vsnet-campaign-dn 3523). H. Maehara
detected 0.3-mag superhumps, which confirmed that the current
outburst is a superoutburst (vsnet-campaign-dn 3526).
V603 Aql (RA = 18h48m54s.6, Dec = +00d35'03")
D. West reported a possible fading of the old nova V603 Cyg. He
reported that it was V=11.9-12.0mag during the last season, but it
was V=12.27mag on March 3 (vsnet-campaign-nova 1167, 1168).
SN 2003bn (RA = 10h02m35s.51, Dec = -21d10'54".5)
SN 2003bn is hosted by 2MASXi J1002353-211052, a dim edge-on
galaxy (vsnet-campaign-sn 574).
SN 2003bo (RA = 09h47m43s.41, Dec = +36d18'21".8)
SN 2003bo is hosted by an anonymous spiral galaxy
(vsnet-campaign-sn 575).
SN 2003bp (RA = 08h27m27s.81, Dec = +17d17'14".5)
SN 2003bp is hosted by NGC 2596, a tilted spiral galaxy. The
expected maximum for typical SN Ia is mag about 16.3
(vsnet-campaign-sn 575).
SN 2003bq (RA = 06h42m50s.12, Dec = +41d25'19".9)
SN 2003bq is hosted by UGC 3513, a nearly edge-on open spiral
galaxy. The expected maximum for typical SN Ia is mag about 17.0
(discovery magnitude is 18.7mag), and UGC 3513 is also the host
galaxy of SN IIb 1998fa, which discovered at mag 180:C
(vsnet-campaign-sn 575).
SN 2003br (RA = 14h34m34s.98, Dec = -27d59'48".8)
SN 2003br is hosted by MCG -05-34-18, a tilted spiral galaxy. The
expected maximum for typical SN Ia is mag about 15.5
(vsnet-campaign-sn 576, 577).
SN 2003bs (RA = 10h29m44s.12, Dec = +25d37'11".6)
SN 2003bs is hosted by a faint anonymous galaxy. The KPNO
spectrum taken on Mar 8.32 revealed that it was type Ia SN about 1
week after maximum. The redshift is approximately z = 0.05
(vsnet-campaign-sn 577).
AM Her (RA = 18h16m13s.4, Dec = +49d52'03".1)
The long faint state from the late in 2001 was finally terminated
by a beginning of brightening in late February 2003
(vsnet-campaign-polar 22).
(continuous targets)
SN 2003bg (RA = 04h10m59s.42, Dec = -31d24'50".3)
The Las Campanas spectrum taken on Mar. 4 shows the presence of
strong and very broad hydrogen Balmar lines with P-Cyg profile.
The expansion velocity, deduced from absorption minima, is around
15000 km/s, which is well larger than that of normal SN II. It
seems very remarkable event; it can be said that it is "type II
hypernova" discovered for the first time (vsnet-campaign-sn 574).
SN 2003bj (RA = 13h18m29s.10, Dec = -31d37'37".7)
The Las Campanas spectrum (Mar. 2.30) shows that it was young type
II SN. Also this SN shows a weak H_alpha line and well-defined He I
587-nm line, which suggest that it is possibly a type-IIb event.
And it is very luminous as a core-collapse event (vsnet-campaign-sn 573).
KS UMa (RA = 10h20m26s.54, Dec = +53d04'33".5)
The object has faded from the superoutburst (vsnet-campaign-dn 3522).
QW Ser (RA = 15h26m13s.99, Dec = +08d18'03".8)
The object has entered a rapid fading phase from the superoutburst
around March 7 (vsnet-campaign-dn 3525).
R CrB (RA = 15h48m34s.40, Dec = +28d09'23".7)
The fading has stopped (vsnet-campaign-rcb 110).
GZ Cnc (RA = 09h15m51s.70, Dec = +09d00'50".2)
The rapid fading from the last outburst was observed on March 5
(vsnet-campaign-dn 3521).
*** Future schedule ***
The 3rd International Workshop for
Comprehensive Study of the High Energy Universe
- Toward Very High Energy Particle Astronomy -
Date: Mar. 20-22, 2003
Location: ICRR, Univ. of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
web site: http://taws300.icrr.u-tokyo.ac.jp/workshop2003/
[vsnet-campaign-blazar 297]
eta Car: The next "shell event"/X-ray eclipse
M. Corcoran reported the event will occur this summer.
Coordinated ground-based observations of eta car along with the
X-ray observations would be really important.
For more information:
Latest X-ray light curve:
http://lheawww.gsfc.nasa.gov/users/corcoran/eta_car/etacar_rxte_lightcurve/
[vsnet-campaign-sdor 23, 24,
25, 26, 28, 29]
[vsnet-campaign-xray 172]
Light curve provided by S. Otero:
http://ar.geocities.com/varsao/Curva_Eta_Carinae.htm
[vsnet-campaign-sdor 22]
The 2003 Gamma Ray Burst conference
Hosted by Los Alamos,
in Santa Fe, New Mexico (USA), between September 8 and 12, 2003
http://grb2003.lanl.gov/
[vsnet-campaign-grb 13]
WEBT campaign on Mkn 421
M. Villata announced possible WEBT campaign on Mkn 421, in
December 2002 and February-March 2003, to be carried out during
multifrequency campaigns.
The relevant information on the MW campaign of December 2-16 is at
the VERITAS site <http://veritas.sao.arizona.edu> .
[vsnet-campaign-blazar 287]
[vsnet-campaign-blazar 288]
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]
[vsnet-campaign-sn 512]
*** General information ***
KS UMa
Time series observations by L. Kral, see [vsnet-campaign-data 111]
DM Dra
Charts presented by M. Simonsen:
http://joevp.20m.com/charts/henden/And%20to%20Gem/
[vsnet-campaign-dn 3524]
Needs More Observations (NMO) Campaign
[vsnet-campaign-mira 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50]
Discussion about nova search
[vsnet-campaign-nova 1164, 1165, 1166]
(This summary can be cited.)
Regards,
Makoto Uemura
Return to the Powerful Daisaku Nogami
vsnet-adm@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp
