Dear Patrick, > On Tue, 24 Jul 2001, Patrick Schmeer wrote: > WZ SAGITTAE (UGSU) > > ... > > 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???)? > > ... > It is known for several SU UMa stars that superoutbursts occur rather regularly. But every now and then they change their cycle length (see Vogt N., 1980, A&A 88, 66). Admittedly though, they do not change their cycle length by that much; it's generally <10% or so. Let's see if this is a normal outburst or not.... Regards, Erik Kuulkers