[vsnet-campaign 1015] WZ Sge extremely rare outburst

[Patrick Schmeer <extpasc@rz.uni-sb.de>]

WZ SAGITTAE  (UGSU)

Visual magnitude estimates by P. Schmeer, Bischmisheim, Germany:
July 22.98  UT, [13.5 ; 23.886,   8.4 ; 23.896,   8.4
Sequence:   Henden and Honeycutt, H/T
Instrument: 203-mm SCT
Outburst confirmed!
 
WZ Sge is the dwarf nova with the brightest outbursts. Previous
brightenings occurred on 1913 Nov. 27, 1946 June 28, and 1978
Dec. 1. These three outbursts were all supermaxima; normal
outbursts of WZ Sge have not yet been observed.  
 
The intervals between the four known outbursts were 32.58, 32.43,
and 22.64 years, respectively. So the current outburst occurs
10 years earlier than expected. What does this imply? Outbursts
of WZ Sge do not occur very regularly? A few superoutbursts were
missed during the last century (pretty unlikely)? Or could the
current outburst be the first ever recorded normal outburst
(mean cycle length about 11 years???)? 

There is still a gap of 13 hours between the last negative and
the first outburst observation of WZ Sge. Did anyone in the
Americas observe the WZ Sge field last night - or take a photo
of the region?

Regards,
Patrick
 
P.S.:
SGEWZ 20010722.98  <135 Scp
SGEWZ 20010723.886   84 Scp 
SGEWZ 20010723.896   84 Scp

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