Date: Wed, 6 Mar 2002 15:22:48 -0800 (PST) From: "Christopher W. Mauche" <mauche@cygnus.llnl.gov> Subject: outburst of GK Per According to data received by the AAVSO (AAVSO News Flash No. 924 and IAU Circular 7841) the old nova GK Per appears have begun one of its infrequent quasiperiodic outbursts. The following satellite observations have been approved and are being scheduled: 1) RXTE, 2 ks every 3.5-5.5 days for the length of the outburst [the first observation has already occured]. 2) XMM; a 35 ks exposure sometime between now and the close of the target visibility window (sometime between March 7-11). 3) Chandra HETG; two 35 ks observations, the first the week of March 25, the second 2-3 weeks later. GK Per is currently not well placed for ground-based observations, so it is important that optical observers strive to monitor the star throughout the outburst. Observations at other wavelengths are encouraged. Christopher Mauche Koji Mukai Manabu Ishida