Recent Bright Optical Transients from the CRTS Survey

ATel #2042; S. G. Djorgovski, A. A. Mahabal, A. J. Drake, M. Graham, R. Williams (Caltech), E. Beshore, S. M. Larson, A. Boattini, A. Gibbs, R. Hill, R. Kowalski (UA/LPL), E. Christiansen (Gemini Obs.)
on 1 May 2009; 19:23 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Transients
Credential Certification: S. George Djorgovski (george@astro.caltech.edu)

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We report detections of several bright (~ 15 - 16 mag) transients by CRTS:

ID	Detection Date	RA	Dec	Mag	VOEvent ID
CSS090430:095623-093615	2009-04-29 UT 05:59:48	10:15:45.93	+03:33:11.4	15.2	904291040554110076
CSS090430:095623-093615	2009-04-30 UT 04:12:42	09:56:23.10	-09:36:14.9	16.3	904300090534130480
CSS090430:111019-052218	2009-04-30 UT 06:05:43	11:10:18.96	-05:22:18.2	15.8	904300040604104004

The mag column above refers to the visual outburst mag from the CSS.

CSS090429:101546+033311 corresponds to a SDSS ~ 20.1 mag blue object, not in NED. It was undetected in CRTS images from March 17, and was seen at an intermediate brightness on April 26.

CSS090430:095623-093615 is barely detected in DPOSS, at ~ 21 mag; not in NED; not covered by SDSS.

CSS090430:111019-052218 is variable in DPOSS and PQ; typical CSS mag ~ 20; not in NED; not covered by SDSS.

The rapid brightening of ~ 5 magnitudes suggests that these OTs are likely CVs or even dwarf novae in outburst.

The discovery data, CSS lightcurve and finding charts for these sources are posted at the following VOEventNet webpages:
http://voeventnet.caltech.edu/feeds/ATEL/CRTS/904291040554110076.atel.html
http://voeventnet.caltech.edu/feeds/ATEL/CRTS/904300090534130480.atel.html
http://voeventnet.caltech.edu/feeds/ATEL/CRTS/904300040604104004.atel.html

The P60 Followup images can be accessed at http://www.astro.caltech.edu/P60FollowUp/

Further observations are requested.

CRTS VOEventNet page