25 Aug 2007
SS Cyg is in outburst (with Cygnus well placed high in the sky!).
A.A.V.S.O. charts for this star.
March 2007:
A nova has appeared in Cygnus. It was discovered by A.Tago in Japan on 15 March 2007, the
brightness was about V=6.7.
Its position (2000.0) is:
RA 20h 28m 12.52s, Dec +41d 48m 36.5s
It's position is marked on the finder chart below. The chart goes to 8th Magnitude.
As evening falls it is at lower culmination, not till about midnight or later does one begin
to see Cygnus rise in the north-east.
However, the nova has declined rapidly in brightness, by 28th March 2007 it was already below 10th magnitude.
18 Feb 2007
The prototype Long-Period Variable Omicron Ceti (proper name Mira) is now a 2nd magnitude object,
much brighter than the average value of 3.5 for maximum.
Observe it as the sky gets dark in the south-west below the Head of Cetus.
Photo by J.O'Neill on 17th Feb. 2007 with 30mm focal length lens.
18 Feb 2007:
AAVSO/VSOG Stand at the 4th Galway Astrofest.
A wide range of interest was shown in variable stars at this astronomy weekend. Featured were the dwarf nova SS Cyg and the
"nova in reverse" R CrB.
10 Dec 2006: SS Cyg in outburst. Get an AAVSO comparison chart.
Nov 2006: Tago's Object
Akihiko Tago (Japan) discovered on 31st Oct 2006 a bright nova-like variable in Cassiopeia.
Rising to 7th magnitude it has now faded somewhat.
RA: 00h 09m 21.81s Dec: +54d 39' 43.8" (2000.0).
VSOG members observed this star. John O'Neill estimated it falling from 8.5 on evening of Oct 31st 2006
to below 11th mag on the evening of 8th Nov. James O'Connor noted its blue colour (many rapidly falling novae are reddish -
remember Nova Cygni in 1975). Liam Smyth imaged the field (see above): 60sec unfiltered exposure with a ST7 on a 50mm lens,
detail shown, 1 Nov 2006 at 00.22 UT, up is north-west, field about 70' wide.
Jan 2007: Received an image from Keith Geary (Kingscourt, Co Cavan) taken on 31st October 2006.
3 Aug 2006: Chi Cygni already much brighter than mean maximum value of 5.2.
Get A.A.V.S.O. chart for this star (search under name: chi cyg).
Previous image by Patricia Carroll on 16 May 2004.
9 Apr 2006
Nova (V2362 Cyg) in Cygnus visible in small telescopes.
The position is RA: 21h 11m 32s Dec: +44d 48.0' (2000).
Get A.A.V.S.O. chart for this star.
update 26 Feb 2006
Recurrent Nova RS Oph went into outburst on Feb. 13th 2006. It reached nearly 4th magnitude. It has now
faded a little. The image (by John O'Neill) was taken on 18th February 2006 with a 80mm lens on a digital
camera with just a 10" exposure on a fixed tripod, a red arrow makes the position of the nova.
The magnitude then was a little below 6.
The position is RA: 17h 50m 13s Dec: -06d 42.5' (2000).
The previous outbursts occured in 1898, 1933, 1958, 1967 and 1985.
Get A.A.V.S.O. charts for this star.
Jan 2007: Received an image from Keith Geary (Kingscourt, Co Cavan) taken on the 15th Feb. 2006.
1 Jan 2006
SS Cyg in outburst
A.A.V.S.O. charts for this star.
8 Jul 2005
SS Cyg in outburst
A.A.V.S.O. charts for this star.
SN 2005cs in M51 (Whirlpool Galaxy)
A.A.V.S.O. charts for this star.
Seems steady at around 14th magnitude.
15 May 2005
SS Cyg in outburst
A.A.V.S.O. charts for this star.
24 Feb. 2005
U Gem in outburst
A.A.V.S.O. charts for this star.
13 Feb. 2005
Nova discovered in Cygnus (at 10th magnitude) by Hideo Nishimura, Japan at:
RA 20h 09m 19s, DEC +39 48' 49" (2000)
A.A.V.S.O. chart for this star.
Search under N CYG 05.
24 Feb. 2005 the nova has now rapidly faded by many magnitudes.
26 Jan. 2005
SS CYG in outburst.
A.A.V.S.O. charts for this star.
VSOG member Mary Glennon features on the AAVSO Web Site
and in their Observing Manual.