Hi, folks,
AT2019wey, which is a black hole X-ray binary, located at: 04:35:23.280 +55:22:34.25,
is currently in outburst in the X-rays. It was originally reported as an optical transient, and should reach about 17th magnitude at peak brightness in red bands, and about 18th magnitude in bluer bands.
Our team (PI Poshak Gandhi at the University of Southampton, and co-PIs Aarran Shaw at the University of Nevada and myself, along with several other folks) have a program approved by JWST to observe any black hole X-ray binary in outburst. We need to get some optical photometry to be sure that it will be bright enough for JWST (we want to do high time resolution, high spectral resolution work, so even with the power of JWST, we need it to be bright).
A single data point verifying that it's optically bright would be a huge help, and then if we can get a lot of different optical filters at the time of the JWST observation, which would probably be a few weeks later, that would help a lot.
Greetings,
I'll try several filters, B,V, Rc and Ic when the weather improves, maybe late tonight but everything is very wet right now..
You should contact the AAVSO headquarters directly so they can coordinate and announce your wants and needs for observations of this object. What filters, time-frame for JWST obs, etc.
aavso@aavso.org
Best regards,
Jim DeYoung (DEY)
For some time…
Thanks, Jim!
For some time in the next couple days, we'd mostly just like a confirmation that the source is optically bright, so whatever anyone can do is good.
For the run simultaneous with JWST, we will have more specific needs, and more careful planning.
I will contact HW, though.
A quick measurement on a single 5min exposure with the AAVSOnet Madrona Peak Observatory 0.6m RC gives a measurement of approximately 17.5 in V. More measurements and detail to follow.
-Walt Cooney
Comp star GSC 3736-446 at V=12.454 per APASS DR10
Check star @ 04 35 23.4 +55 21 56 V=14.794 per APASS DR10
Three 5min V images yield
V=17.52 check=14.89
V=17.49 check=14.89
V=17.57 check=14.88
Imaging in B,V, i' now.
-Walt Cooney
Terrific. In addition to me sharing this with Poshak and the rest of our team, I think this would be worth putting together as an Astronomer's Telegram tomorrow, if that interests you. If you don't have an account there, I can submit on your behalf.
Sure. I definitely don't have account. Let me know what you need. Will shoot you an email offline.
-Walt
Thanks, Walt!
There is now an AAVSO sequence appropriate to 19 or 20th or so for this object.
Thank you sequence team.
Thin clouds allowed me to obtain BVI before clouds filled my skies. Transformed magnitudes are
2459931.44630 V 17.622 0.188
2459931.47592 B 17.368 0.324
2459931.49453 I 16.244 0.359
Jim DeYoung (DEY)
Thanks, Jim. We're going to put out an astronomer's telegram with Walt's data and some radio data we got. Would you like to be added to the author list and to merge your data in?
We've decided to hold off on triggering for now, but may if the source continues to brighten.
Thanks. I have no great need to be in the astronomer's telegram. Observing thru hazy clouds --> large errors ---> doesn't justify. Just following up on the other observation. Will try again for a few more nights or until someone yells stop or I get bored and move to another object! AAVSO did make a sequence for the brighter end of things all ready to go if you decide you want support photometry in the future.
Jim DeYoung (DEY)
V & I added to the database from 2459932.45-ish.
Jim (DEY)