What is this near M27?

[r3i]

Given that it appears to be the only star affected in the image, and that two people imaged it independently, I guess we shouldn't discount the possibility that something happened to the star itself.

James

Indeed - good points .

[JamesF]

Hmmm. There are two red stars near each other -- the "bloated" one and a "neighbour" on the side of it away from M27.

If I'm reading it right, the image here: http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/187991-m27-reprocessed-1612/ suggests that the one further away is brighter. But in this image the one closer to M27 is brighter:

I think we definitely need some longer focal length images from, say, early July, to have a good look at.

James

[r3i]

It could be this variable star: http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-id?Ident=%402808225&Name=V*%20DQ%20Vul&submit=submit

[DoctorD]

Hi R3i

I haven't got exact timings as I've deleted the original video file once I extracted the individual frames but it was between 11:30pm and 12:15am on the night of the 1st August.

I'm acutely aware of the limitations of my set up which is primarily for video assisted viewing - I capture to give my self something to do on the cloudy nights! So may well be an IR artefact. I'll have another go at M27 with the same set up to see if I can replicate it but that may take a while due to work & family commitments.

Then again what if it were a nova

Clear skies

Paul

[JamesF]

The image here, to my eye, suggests a similar magnitude for both stars:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/187264-a-quick-m27/#entry1957738

James

[russellhq]

Interesting thread. I was capturing M27 on the 2nd August. Here's a crop from a 10min sub:

[JamesF]

And in this one I'd say the star we're interested in is definitely not as bright as its neighbour:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/187429-m27-combined-data/

I think Mike may have hit the nail on the head. I reckon it is that variable star. What a variation though!

James

[JamesF]

Interesting thread. I was capturing M27 on the 2nd August. Here's a crop from a 10min sub:

I'd say the closer red star is brighter there.

James

[Andy_E]

This link may be of interest (new variable star near M27) http://www.bellatrixobservatory.org/varst.html

[JamesF]

This link may be of interest (new variable star near M27) http://www.bellatrix....org/varst.html

That's the other side of the nebula, I believe.

James

[DoctorD]

I think that the star identified by R3i (Mike?) is the one. But I cannot make out the variation from the data when reading on my iPhone.

Paul

[WaveSoarer]

My image from the 3rd of August shows this star is equally as bright as the neighbouring red star so it could well be a variable. Very interesting.

[JamesF]

That's the other side of the nebula, I believe.

Yes, I'm certain that's the case. If you imagine a circle joining the two red sections of the shell, there's one bright star on the circumference. That bright star is on the side nearest that new variable star, but on the side furthest away from the one in Paul's image.

James

[Andy_E]

Correct you are

[russellhq]

Just checking but are we talking about this star?

[JamesF]

That is the one.

James

[r3i]

Just checking but are we talking about this star?

Yes that's the one.

Edit: Must learn to type faster

[JamesF]

I'm happy with the variable star explanation, but I still think it's rather cool. Judging by the range of images it's not just "slightly variable", but looks like once in a while it goes absolutely bananas. To be throwing out enough IR to make such a significant change to the two images from the 1st August, particularly when the increase seems to have been exceptionally rapid, looks pretty impressive to me.

James

[DoctorD]

If it is IR would we not expect to see a much greater effect in the red channel compared to the blue? Where as there seems to be as much blue if not more than red in my image?

I'm not sure how they Bayer matrix is affected by IR or UV.

Thanks for all your input and interest.

Paul

[JamesF]

Perhaps it was brighter across the entire spectrum? IR bloat was an obvious cause to look for, but if you have it across the spectrum then there's no reason that it shouldn't be the case that it was suddenly very much brighter across the entire visible spectrum.

James

[lensman57]

I'm happy with the variable star explanation, but I still think it's rather cool. Judging by the range of images it's not just "slightly variable", but looks like once in a while it goes absolutely bananas. To be throwing out enough IR to make such a significant change to the two images from the 1st August, particularly when the increase seems to have been exceptionally rapid, looks pretty impressive to me.

James

Hi James,

I looked at the meta data from the fits, I captured the subs starting at 11.32 pm on the 7th and ended on 1.15 am on the 8th of july, if this is a burst from a variable star then it must be gigantic. It all makes for good fun but in my heart I know that we can not be so lucky, anyhow credit to Paul for noticing the anomaly, just shows how much attention I pay to my captures.

Regards,

A.G

[JamesF]

I looked at the meta data from the fits, I captured the subs starting at 11.32 pm on the 7th and ended on 1.15 am on the 8th of july, if this is a burst from a variable star then it must be gigantic. It all makes for good fun but in my heart I know that we can not be so lucky

I don't see why not, to be honest. Amateurs still make plenty of discoveries in astronomy (comets, asteroids, supernovae etc.), so noticing a large EM emission from a faint and largely disregarded star doesn't seem that out of the ordinary.

What would be interesting would be to find some estimate of it's variability and compare that with what the images suggest.

James

[nmoushon]

A suggestion that maybe the original posters starts a topic on CloudyNights forum with a link here. Either they can add to our discussion here or continue it there but at least it would open it up to getting possibility of someone else getting the same result. Eith to confirm or deny it. Or at least maybe more info on it if its already been classified.

[Sp@ce_d]

Interesting.. can't wait for a clear night to take a peek now!

Here's a crop & reorientation of the last time I imaged this back in early hours of 6th April 13. It's small & tight on that.

[wxsatuser]

I don't see why not, to be honest. Amateurs still make plenty of discoveries in astronomy (comets, asteroids, supernovae etc.), so noticing a large EM emission from a faint and largely disregarded star doesn't seem that out of the ordinary.

What would be interesting would be to find some estimate of it's variability and compare that with what the images suggest.

James

DQ Vul is

Class M Mira type varible.......Cool Red gaint .

Period approx 300days.....mag 11.1<14.5

info from GCVS