ER Uma stars: ER Uma itself update

[Stewart John Bean]

I am updating the observations of ER Uma and its superoutbursts and have noticed the quite short observing season. The summer is a difficult time for ER Uma as it is only just above the horizon. The first observations in the AAVSO record are usually in mid October from their New Mexico AAVSOnet telescope. This is quite far south. Observers at high latitudes are in a slightly better position to catch it in September.

If you are observing from the within the Artic Circle, Shetlands, Orkney or Scotland this is an early morning challenge for September and October that just might help catch a superoutburst that would otherwise be missed.

Regards

Stewart

[Stewart John Bean]

Call for assistance with observing ER Uma.

The AAVSOnet telescope in New Mexico has been out of action for a long time now. It was a regular source of results for ER Uma and RZ Lmi. The light curve for ER Uma is a bit sparse as a result with only two contributions (from a VSNET member) for the current observing season. ER UMa is not the easiest of objects to observe currently being best placed just before dawn.

ER Uma gives its name to the small group of active CVs that show superoutbursts around every 20 to 100 days and which are one of the VSS’s observing programmes. See my note in VSSC 188 for some background.

If you can help out these are the key details: J2000.0 09 47 11.89 +51 54 08.7 (146.79954 +51.90242). It usually falls between Mag 13 and 15 .

Thanks in advance

Stewart Bean

[Stewart John Bean]

Thanks to Mark Phillips and Denis Buczynski for responding with observations. Observations in V filter or Visual are preferred but not essential. The observing season runs until the end of June ( looking at the light curve). We can expect a superoutburst about every 50 days.

Thanks Stewart

• This reply was modified 1 week, 2 days ago by Stewart John Bean.

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