S CrB record maximum brightness

[Robin Leadbeater]

I took a low resolution spectrum of Mira variable S CrB at its record brightness last night so I thought I would try to put the current brightness level into context. Here is a plot of the historic visual maxima since 1900 from the AAVSO data. The brightness is currently ~3 sigma away from the mean maximum.

Cheers
Robin

Attachments:

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   SCrB_AAVSO_max_graph.png
   

[Dr Paul Leyland]

Wow! Even the particle physicist start talking about possible discoveries at that significant.

[Robin Leadbeater]

I guess one 3 sigma event in ~120 tries is not too surprising.

[Robin Leadbeater]

Now past maximum. My two low resolution spectra bracketing the maximum here

https://britastro.org/observations/observation.php?id=20220718_154759_9e171ab7b4e26e1f

Cheers
Robin

[Robin Leadbeater]

A comparison of the spectrum this maximum with that by Miguel Rodriguez at a more typical maximum is in the latest BAA VSSC
https://britastro.org/vss/VSSC193.pdf
page 16

It has now faded to visual magnitude ~7, a brightness more like that typically seen at maximum. The temperature from the TiO bands in the spectrum spectrum has dropped to that more typically seen at maximum, though the intensity of the Balmer emission remains high. Attached is a comparison between my most recent spectrum and that of Miguel Rodriguez taken at the 2020 maximum.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by Robin Leadbeater.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by Robin Leadbeater. Reason: sp

Attachments:

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   scrb_20220901_822_Leadbeater.png
   

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