Request for monitoring of X Per (visual, digital and spectroscopic)

Please see the info below from Alexander Salganik, Turku University, of the very bright (6.0 to 6.8V) variable, X Per.

He provides the following further info, but please also upload your photometry (visual and digital) and spectroscopy to the BAA VSS databases:

“ I’d be happy to receive spectra directly. The main focus is on the Hα line at 6563 Å, and the higher the resolution the better, as we’re particularly interested in profile changes over time. If observers are able to include He I 6678 Å, He I 5876 Å or Hβ 4861 Å, that would also be very helpful, but Hα is definitely the priority.

Regarding photometry, UBVRI coverage would be ideal if observers have the filters and the time. If not, R and V bands are the most important, with R being especially valuable due to its sensitivity to emission from the circumstellar disk.

Visual observations are also absolutely welcome: the more data, the better.”

Original message:

I’m hoping this message can reach as many BAA members as possible who might be interested.

I would like to propose restarting an optical spectral monitoring programme for the Be star X Persei, the optical counterpart of the X-ray pulsar system 4U 0352+309.

My current research, as a PhD researcher at the University of Turku, Finland, focuses on the long-term X-ray light curve of 4U 0352+309 using data from Swift/BAT. Since around 2001, the source has exhibited three X-ray outbursts, occurring approximately every seven years. However, the next expected outburst has not occurred. Instead, the X-ray flux has dropped to its lowest level in over two decades.

This unusually low state makes continued optical monitoring particularly valuable. In particular, high-resolution observations of the H α line profile and the overall spectral shape, or even just measurements of the H α equivalent width (EW), would be extremely helpful.

If there is interest within the BAA community, even a single observation per week would be highly appreciated and scientifically valuable.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Best regards,
Alexander Salganik

Alsalganik at gmail.com