T Pyx monitoring needed for HST observations

weo
Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
Thu, 09/27/2018 - 21:31

AAVSO Alert Notice 651 announces a campaign on the recurrent nova T Pyx beginning immediately. Please see the notice for details and observing instructions.

Many thanks, and Good observing,

Elizabeth O. Waagen, AAVSO HQ

JohnDrummond
Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
T Pyx campaign - AAVSO Alert Notice 651

Hi. I've just joined the AASVO, I heard about it from Variable Star South. On VSS they mentioned a campaign (see below) to monitor T Pyx for possible HST observations. I got some data and  ran it through Astrometrica to get the magnitude - I'm unsure if this astrometry software is suitable for variable stars, if not, what is a good one?

I used a 35cm f10 Meade ACF SCT + SBIG STL11000M CCD. I took 60s expoures with a Clear filter at 2x2 binning. Sets of 5 images were stacked to get each image (observation line below) to run through Astrometrica.

 

COD E94

CON John Drummond, Possum Observatory, Patutahi, Gisborne, New Zealand [john_drummond@xtra.co.nz]

OBS J. Drummond

MEA J. Drummond

TEL 0.35-m f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain + CCD

ACK MPCReport file updated 2018.10.05 08:16:59

AC2 john_drummond@xtra.co.nz

NET UCAC-4

     T_Pyx   KC2018 10 02.57046 09 04 41.49 -32 22 47.7          14.9V      E94

     T_Pyx   KC2018 10 02.57601 09 04 41.52 -32 22 47.5          14.9V      E94

     T_Pyx   KC2018 10 02.58156 09 04 41.50 -32 22 47.6          15.0V      E94

     T_Pyx   KC2018 10 02.64398 09 04 41.49 -32 22 47.5          14.8V      E94

     T_Pyx   KC2018 10 02.64398 09 04 41.49 -32 22 47.5          14.8V      E94

----- end -----

Regards

John Drummond, NZ, E94

kiwiastronomer@gmail.com 

 

AAVSO Alert Notice 651

Monitoring of T Pyx needed for HST observations

September 27, 2018: Dr. Ed Sion (Villanova University) requests AAVSO observers' assistance in monitoring the recurrent nova T Pyx, beginning immediately, in support of upcoming HST observations.

The HST COS observations have been scheduled to take place during the window of 2018 October 4 - 6. It is essential to know the status of T Pyx in order for the HST team to safeguard the instrumentation and make a final decision about approving the COS observations.

Beginning immediately, please observe T Pyx in V one to two times per night; V is preferred to other filters or unfiltered. Visual observations are welcome. It is particularly important to have positive observations available to the HST team from the nights of October 2/3, 3/4, 4/5, 5/6, and 6/7; they will make their decision 24 hours before the scheduled observation time. Please continue nightly V snapshots until October 15.

Please submit observations as soon after making them as possible to the AAVSO International Database. If T Pyx appears to be going into outburst, report observations immediately and email AAVSO (aavso@aavso.org). T Pyx is around magnitude 15.5 V at minimum, and can brighten to magnitude 6 in outburst. Observations brighter than 14.0-14.5 should be treated as a possible outburst beginning.

Coordinates:  R.A. 09 04 41.51   Dec.  -32 22 47.6   (2000.0)

Charts with a comparison star sequence for T Pyx may be created using theAAVSO Variable Star Plotter (VSP).

Please submit observations to the AAVSO International Database using the name T PYX.

AAVSO Forums: T Pyx is the topic of the AAVSO Campaigns and
Observations Reports forum thread https://www.aavso.org/t-pyx-monitor-hst-2018

and the AAVSO Novae forum thread https://www.aavso.org/t-pyx-monitor-hst-2018.

This AAVSO Alert Notice was compiled by Elizabeth O. Waagen.
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John Drummond, Possum Observatory, IAU Code E94, Gisborne, New Zealand (177d 53' E, 38d 38' S)
Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand Immediate-Past President - www.rasnz.org.nz
Gisborne Astronomical Society president - www.astrogas.co.nz
GAS Facebook - www.facebook.com/gisbornecosmos
Email: kiwiastronomer@gmail.com