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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
That’s it. Thanks Jeremy. I knew it was more than 10, but couldn’t recall the object without cheating and checking in my records 😉
I’ll have a bob on eight!
Gary
After 41 days since it’s first outburst for 32 years, PQ And is still active with the fourth rebrightening commencing on July 7.
All except number three have been short duration events of ~1d. The third has been long in comparison ~3d. (see light curve from my own observations below)
I can’t recall the system which has had the most post outburst brightenings, but we have a way to go yet with four, so please stick with PQ And for the foreseeable future.
Gary
PQ And is undergoing it’s first rebrightening today after fading to 16.6CV on June 25. Latest observations reveal 13.45V on June 26.45 (M. Mobberley). This could be the first of several rebrightenings (or the only one), so please stick with it for the next few weeks if possible.
The field is getting slightly easier in the morning sky now, so any observations made please report them to the VSS.
Thanks and good luck,
Gary
Hello Roy,
A correction to the lunar phases in the 2020 handbook can be found here…
https://britastro.org/system/files/BAAHbk2020-p27.pdf
Gary
No it isn’t very stable Nick, but with careful handling it works fine – you just have to be patient! Without it I wouldn’t have seen PQ And at all!
And if these pesky NLC’s keep away from Brum, I’m hopeful of continued use for a while longer yet!
Bagpuss is a Brummie. Thought everyone knew that.
Further to my #2 post above, our VSS director suggested I post a photo of my scope in PQ And mode. Well here it is. My trusty 30 year old battered 22cm dobby doing a balancing act on a table, but it does get me to view over the hedge. I often do this for stars low in the north which my 51cm in the observatory can’t get at. In the past it’s been on milk crates, house bricks etc. and even poked out of the bedroom window – much to my wifes’ disgust on a cold winters morning 🙂
The cat didn’t show up this morning, so this is one I made earlier…
Gary
Hello Rob,
Good to see you’ve finally got to it after all these years! Quite something isn’t it!
Gary
There is now a short and pretty basic PQ And page residing on the BAAVSS website https://britastro.org/vss/PQAnd.htm
Hopefully I’ll add to it as the outburst progresses, so if you have anything you’d like to share (spectrum, time series photometry etc. I’m not asking for much am I) then please send it to me and I’ll add it.
And please don’t forget to add your observations of PQ And to the BAAVSS database.
Gary
