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Happy New Year everyone.
Observing statistics for 2020, with 2019 in parentheses. Birmingham!
2020 proved to be my clearest year since my records began in 1978, beating the previous best in 1995 by 3 nights. 1995 had many more totally clear nights than 2020 however. The excellent Spring helped, with 50 observable nights in March, April and May alone!
Clear nights (less than 50% cloud) 44 (29)
Partially clear nights (50% or more cloud) 95 (61)
Total observable nights 139 (90) with 67 of these nights having Moonlight interference. I made observations on 134 nights.
Total hours at the telescope 296.92 hrs (189.8)
Best month May with 24 nights (12 partially clear and 12 clear). (August 12)
Worst month February with 6 nights (5 partially clear and 1 clear) (November 4)Birmingham Met office gave incorrect information on cloud cover for 79 nights during 2020
Total visual VS observations for 2020 is 10,717, an increase by 3,897 on 2019. CCD single measures using remote telescopes COAST, SLOOH and the AAVSO SRO-50 are 1,909 for 2020 against 1,903 for the previous year.
I’ve seen a number of ‘dust dips’ over the years, and 6 weeks in low state seems to be a fair average time before a rise sets in again in the very obvious ones. There are exceptions – for example, V2362 Cyg (Nova 2006) faded 4 mags from 8-12 before a 16 week plateau set in, then rebrightened to mag 10 before a very rapid decline followed by a gradual fade to quiescence. This was a dusty Nova, but the hot dust was probably confined to the inner region of the system. Going on the quite unusual behaviour so far seen in V1391 Cas, it will be interesting to see what happens next over the coming months.
Gary
This classic DQHer dust dip started slowly in late November and increased in mid December. Here is my plot so far…
Gary
Nearly 🙂 Although with all this cloud, I’m just hoping I get to see it when at it’s brightest!
The AAVSO doesn’t yet recognise the new designation (V1112 Per), although I suspect it will very soon. There are some bright comparison stars on the 3 degree (180′) AAVSO chart that observers will need to use.
Gary
One might even try looking at it 🙂 Mag 9.5 last night (Nov 26th) and looks to be brightening further, so binocular territory once the Moon is out of the way.
Gary
IX Dra is now fading from Stewarts superoutburst. Last couple of nights…
Nov 14.82 15.3 visual
Nov 16.88 15.49CV
I’ll keep going with this one I think.
Gary
I always find it useful to plot a DSS image from VSP, especially when comparing to images taken yourself. The computer generated charts do contain the odd error (both bright and faint stars) which users should be aware of.
I use the VSP-DSS charts for both visual and CCD work. I would advise you to do the same, or at least give it a try.
Good luck,
Gary
I had it 15.0 visual this morning (13th).
I was hoping that it might do more (we have waited rather a long time to see it after all!). I don’t see any evidence for superhump like features in the light curve at all. Perhaps it might surprise us with a second outburtst once it’s faded further.
One of the earlier interpretations of it’s class is Recurrent Nova. Maybe?
Gary
Hi Mike,
Not a lot available, but this is interesting…
https://konkoly.hu/pub/ibvs/5401/5441.pdf
Gary
Good to see reports of AY Lac coming in, and that the outburst coincided with clear sky for some people – me included. I had AY Lac varying between 13.8-14.1 visually over several hours, but after spending decades looking at empty space it was a thrill just to see it.
Gary
I measured it this morning from an image taken by COAST last night at 17.48V. I had it peaking on Sep 04 at 15.4V.
There are a quite a few bright observations in the AAVSO DB – visual 13.0-14.0 and CV 14.0-15.5. I’m sure the visual observations are mis-identification. I certainly can’t see it visually in my 51cm.
I wrote a news article on the Nova in the September VSS Circular, which included a V-band image. You can read it here.
Gary
The Nova is now fading from it’s second maximum, very slightly fainter than the first. Most unusual. Reminds me of V5558 Sgr (Nova Sgr 2007).
Gary
Nice coincidence that Tim. Many thanks for posting the image! Seems to have levelled out in brightness, but that could easily change.
Gary
Observations from last night and this morning suggest Nova Cas is rebrightening after a very short four day decline.
At this stage the light curve resembles several other Nova I have observed over the years – V1493 Aql (N Aql 1999#1), V2274 Cyg (N Cyg 2001) and the Fe II Nova V2362 Cyg (N Cyg 2006), although the time scales of fading and rebrightening are different.
The light curve below is from visual observations and unfiltered CCD from SLOOH. Thank goodness for remote scopes – the night sky here in Brum has been very cloudy of late, although I did have a forty minute gap last night (17th).
Gary
Yes Lars, it looks as if it’s getting a little brighter. I had 13.0 visual in a cloud break just after dark last night (31st)
Gary
My first opportunity to see Nova Cas ’20. In a grotty sky using the AAVSO sequence, visual 13.4 on Jly 30.938.
The first Nova (detected) in Cassiopeia since V723 Cas (Nova 1995), which is still visible around 16.5 mag.
Gary
