Campaign extended to request ongoing monitoring. This star also the subject of Alert Notice 579 (20170524) and Alert Notice 532 (20151020). - June 2017
April 8, 2016: Further to AAVSO Alert Notice 532, the AAVSO is requesting ongoing time-series observations of the enigmatic variable object KIC 08462852 (= KIC 8462852) beginning immediately and continuing through at least the end of 2016.
Details on KIC 08462852 (V=11.88) were given in Alert Notice 532.
Observations are requested in order to study not only the aperiodic fading events but also the behavior of the star outside of these events.
Filtered time-series observations in one or more photometric filters are encouraged. Individual fading events have lasted for several days each, but show complex structure on very short timescales. The star itself is also rotating, and shows rotational variation at the millimagnitude level with a period of 0.8797 day.
Coordinates: R.A. 20 06 15.46 Dec. +44 27 24.8 (J2000)
Observers should aim to reach signal to noise values of 50 or higher if possible. Transformed observations made in multiple filters (at least Johnson B and V) may be useful for determining the cause of variability if calibrated colors are obtained. If submitting untransformed data, observers are encouraged to follow this star as part of their long-term observing programs for at least one season in order to allow researchers to determine individual photometric offsets and combine data from multiple observers.
Finder charts with a comparison star sequence for KIC 08462852 may be created using the AAVSO Variable Star Plotter (VSP).
Please report observations to the AAVSO International Database using the name "KIC 08462852"; be sure to include the space between "KIC" and "08462852". Note that the name KIC 8462852 is equivalent and may also be used.
More information about this object may be found in a recent paper by Boyajian et al. (2016MNRAS.457.3988B), available at the following URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/1509.03622
Dr. Tabetha Boyajian (Yale University), lead author on the above paper, has recently given a TED talk on this object; view it at: http://www.ted.com/talks/tabetha_boyajian_the_most_mysterious_star_in_the_universe
This campaign is being followed on the AAVSO Observing Campaigns page.
This AAVSO Alert Notice was prepared by Elizabeth O. Waagen.
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