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
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