[vsnet-alert 10770] Outburst of central star of Lo 4

[Howard E. Bond]

Dear colleagues:

As a follow-up to [vsnet-alert 10756], in which I announced a spectroscopic
outburst of the central star of the planetary nebula Lo 4 = LV Vel (J2000: 10 05
45.7 -44 21 32), I noticed that ASAS-3 has possibly detected a photometric
outburst of nearly 2 magnitudes on this star, at HJD 2454800.7946 = 2008 Nov
30.2946. The ASAS observation was made, fortuitously, less than one hour after
the spectrum was obtained.  

See the ASAS light curve at:
 
http://www.astrouw.edu.pl/cgi-asas/asas_variable/100546-4421.5,asas3,0,0,1000,0

If real, such behavior of a nucleus of a planetary nebula is completely
unprecedented. Confirming photometric observations are urgently requested!  

Calibrated B and V photometry of two nearby comparison stars is available in
Bond & Meakes, 1990, AJ, 100, 788.

Howard E. Bond
Space Telescope Science Institute