ASAS-SN Optical Light Curve of Swift J0243.6+6124 Shows Long Term Variability

ATel #10811; K. Z. Stanek, C. S. Kochanek, T. A. Thompson (OSU), B. J. Shappee (IfA, UH), T. W.-S. Holoien (Carnegie Observatories), J. L. Prieto (Diego Portales; MAS), Subo Dong (KIAA-PKU)
on 3 Oct 2017; 18:14 UT
Credential Certification: Krzysztof Stanek (stanek.32@osu.edu)

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Swift J0243.6+6124 (GCN #21960) has been localized (ATel #10809) to likely coincide with B=13 star USNO-B1.0 1514-0083050. Given the statement in ATel #10809 of "no statistically strong evidence of optical variability," we used ASAS-SN Sky Patrol public all-sky light curve interface (Kochanek et al. 2017) to retrieve 1000+ days light curve at the position of USNO-B1.0 1514-0083050. ASAS-SN light curve shows a modest, gradual variation of ~0.15 mag in V-band over the last 1000 days, with no major flares or outbursts. Note that ASAS-SN aperture photometry light curve will be partially affected by a fainter (g=14.2), nearby (6" away) star, located at 02:43:39.555, +61:26:00.34 (Gaia).

We thank Las Cumbres Observatory and its staff for their continued support of ASAS-SN. ASAS-SN is funded in part by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation through grant GBMF5490 to the Ohio State University, NSF grant AST-1515927, the Mt. Cuba Astronomical Foundation, the Center for Cosmology and AstroParticle Physics (CCAPP) at OSU, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences South America Center for Astronomy (CASSACA).