High in northern sky T Cephei is easily followed with binoculars or a small telescope. It is a typical Long Period Variable (or Mira type). The average period is 388 days and it's mean range is magnitude 6.0 to 10.3.
V.S.O.G. members Mary Glennon (red) and John O'Neill (green) contributed data for this light-curve (raw data). Each point is an single observation. The x-axis is labeled with truncated Julian Day Number. Use these AAVSO Variable Star Plotter for a comparison chart.
Another nova has appeared in Vulpecula (Nova Vul 2007 #2 = V459 Vul). It was discovered by Hiroshi Kaneda in Japan on 25 December 2007, the brightness was about V=8.7. It has since increased by amount a magnitude.
It lies just north of the arrow of Sagitta.
Image by Keith Geary (Kingscourt, Co Cavan) taken on the 29th Dec. 2007.
A nova 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
The nova declined rapidly in brightness, by the 28th March 2007 it was already below 10th magnitude.
The prototype Long-Period Variable Omicron Ceti (proper name Mira) shining at as 2nd magnitude object, much brighter than the average value of 3.5 for maximum.
Photo by J.O'Neill on 17th Feb. 2007 with 30mm focal length lens.
Tago's Object Akihiko Tago (Japan) discovered on 31st Oct 2006 a bright nova-like variable in Cassiopeia. It rose rose to 7th magnitude but declined very rapidly.
Its position is at 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.
Image from Keith Geary (Kingscourt, Co Cavan) taken on 31st October 2006.
Recurrent Nova RS Oph went into outburst on Feb. 13th 2006. It reached nearly 4th magnitude. The image (by John O'Neill, Co Dublin) was taken on 18th February 2006 with a 80mm camera lens on a DSLR 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. Image from Keith Geary (Kingscourt, Co Cavan) taken on the 15th February 2006.
The position is of the star is RA: 17h 50m 13s Dec: -06d 42.5' (2000).
The previous outbursts occured in 1898, 1933, 1958, 1967 and 1985.
Chi Cygni already much brighter than mean maximum value of 5.2. Previous image by Patricia Carroll on 16 May 2004.