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Aql X-1 optical/IR outburst

ATel #450; Dipankar Maitra and Charles Bailyn (Yale)
on 3 Apr 2005; 01:40 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Request For Observations
Credential Certification: Dipankar Maitra (maitra@astro.yale.edu)

Subjects: Infra-Red, Optical, Request for Observations, Binary, Neutron Star, Transient

Referred to by ATel #: 452, 464, 491

Ongoing SMARTS consortium observations of Aql X-1 with the 1.3m telescope at CTIO + ANDICAM instrument show evidence for a new outburst from this source. Data obtained starting 3/29/05 showed significant flux above the quiescent level - as of April 2.381 (UT) we find R=17.1 (quiescent brightness of ~18.8) and J=15.5 (quiescent brightness of ~16.4). We note that these measurements include light from the near neighbor star (Chevalier et al., 1999, A&A, 347,L51). It is likely that the source is still in the canonical low/hard state and a transition to high/soft state might occur soon. Multiwavelength observations of the source are encouraged. Attached is the OIR lightcurve.

OIR lightcurve of Aql X-1