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[vsnet-obs 4494] Eta Car & southern variables




G'day all,

Some of my observations of southern variables for December 3 (at last, a
clear night!).

Also noted: Eta Carinae was not its usual orange colour, although its
magnitude was typical of recent months.  Visual examination with my 15cm
telescope at 214x revealed a star, pale greenish-white in colour, at the
centre of the "Homunculus" object.  The Homunculus was its normal orange
colour (see Sky & Telescope Oct 1996 p13 for a recent HST image of the
Homunculus).

I speculate that I was looking at "the real Eta Carinae" through a gap
in the Homunculus.  I wonder if it will be visible again tonight??


star          time UT      magnitude
----          -------      ---------
Eta Car       16:38          5.7   (colour different - see above)
AG Car        16:39          6.8
IW Car        17:05          8.6
UW Cen        16:55          9.5
V854 Cen      18:12          7.6
BI Cru        16:42        <11.7
BP Cru        16:43         11.0
W Cru         16:51          8.7
S Dor         17:43          9.6
VW Hyi        16:32        <12.4
CPD-69 420    17:58         10.7
HD 5980       16:36         10.7
HDE 269700    17:48         10.5
HDE 269858    17:54          9.7 (? - member of close binary)


cheers,
Fraser Farrell
Variable Stars Group
Astronomical Society of South Australia

WWW: http://vsnet.gist.net.au/assa/   email: assa@gist.net.au
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