[BAA 00224] RS OPHUICHI

[Rick]

This recurrent nova is currently in outburst at magnitude 4.8.  It is normally at about magnitude 10.8-11 and this is the first outburst since January 1985, some 21 years ago.   It is expected to stay bright for several weeks.   The present outburst was first detected by the Japanese observers Kiyotaka Kanai and Hiroaki Narumi.

RS Oph is an early morning object at the moment not rising until 3am. At the end of astronomical twilight, with Venus on the horizon, RS Oph will be about 20 degrees high.

The 9 degree BAAVSS chart can be found at: http://www.britastro.com/vss/chartcat/Oph/RS%20Oph/RS%20Oph%209d%20024.02.gif

RS Oph was Variable Star Of The Year in the 2005 BAA Handbook.

There is also much background information about this star on the AAVSO website at:- http://www.aavso.org/vstar/vsots/0500.shtml

Roger Pickard, Director VSS