Discovery of a likely FU-Ori-type system
ATel #2307; P. Wils (Vereniging Voor Sterrenkunde, Belgium), J. Greaves (Northamptonshire, UK); M. Catelan (PUC, Chile); S. G. Djorgovski, A. J. Drake, M. J. Graham, A. A. Mahabal, R. Williams (Caltech); E. C. Beshore, S. M. Larson (LPL/UA); E. Christensen (Gemini Observatory)
on 21 Nov 2009; 07:28 UT
Credential Certification: Andrew J. Drake (ajd@cacr.caltech.edu)
Subjects: Infra-Red, Optical, Star, Transient, Variables
We report the discovery of a possible FU-Ori-type eruption. The object
CSS091110:060919-064155
located at R.A. = 06h09m19.32s, Decl. = -06d41'55.4" (equinox 2000.0) and coincident with the infrared source IRAS 06068-0641, was
detected by the Catalina Real-time Transient Survey (CRTS) on 10 November 2009. It has been continuously brightening
from at least early 2005 (when it was mag 14.8 on unfiltered CCD images) to the present mag 12.6, and may possibly
brighten further. On recent images a faint cometary reflection nebula is visible to the East. A spectrum (range
350-900nm) taken with the SMARTS 1.5m-telescope on Cerro Tololo on 17 November shows H-alpha in emission, all other
Balmer lines and HeI (at 501.5nm) in absorption, and a very strong Ca II infrared triplet in emission, confirming
it to be a young stellar object. The object lies inside a dark nebula to the South of the Mon R2 association,
and is likely related with it.
In addition, also inside this dark nebula, a second object at R.A. = 06h09m13.70s, Decl. = -06d43'55.6", coincident
with IRAS 06068-0643, has been varying between mag 15 and 20 over the past few years, reminiscent of
UX-Ori-type objects with very deep fades. Also this second object supports a variable cometary reflection
nebula, extending to the North. The spectrum of this object also shows H-alpha and the strong Ca II infrared
triplet in emission.
Light curves, spectra and images are available at this url: http://crts.caltech.edu/CSS091110.html
Additional follow-up is requested.
