Outburst of MXB 1730-335
ATel #9; D. Fox, R. Guerriero, W. Lewin (MIT), R. Rutledge (UCB), C. Moore (Kapteyn Inst.), M. van der Klis (UA), and J. van Paradijs (UA/UAH)
on 30 Jan 1998; 03:39 UT
Distributed as an Instant Email Notice Transients
Credential Certification: Derek W. Fox
Subjects: Radio, Infra-Red, X-ray, Binary, Transient
The Rapid Burster (MXB 1730-335) has been detected by the All-Sky
Monitor of the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer in three consecutive
90-second dwells over the course of the last 28 hours (beginning 28
Jan 1998 22:20 UT). The source was detected at fitted count rates of
14, 11, and 15 cts/sec (per SSC), with uncertainties of ~2 cts/sec.
During quiescence fitted count rates are generally < 6 cts/sec and
consistent with zero (3 sigma). This indicates the beginning of a new
X-ray outburst for this source. Discovery of a likely radio
counterpart to the Rapid Burster (IAUC # 6813 ) makes timely radio
observations, particularly at high frequencies, extremely valuable
(see ATEL #8). Infrared observations with high time resolution (< 10
sec) are also sought (please contact the authors for possible
coordination with RXTE observations).
The timing of this outburst (217 days after the previous one) confirms
suspicions of a Rapid Burster recurrence time of ~6 months; the three
immediately preceding outbursts began on 13 April 1996, 29 October
1996, and 25 June 1997, respectively.
The coordinates of the Rapid Burster's (probable) VLA counterpart are
RA=17h33m24s.61; Dec=-33d23m19s.8 (J2000).
