Revisiting 0704-00 V651 Monocerotis.

The reason for the revisit is a letter which I received last week from Rafael Costero, an astronomy professor at the University in Mexico City. In his letter he mentions that which he prefers to call the "eclipses" "occultations" presumably because the body causing the darkening is not solid. It is a most intriguing system and we, as amateurs, can help to solve the riddle as to what makes it tick by observing the system nightly and reporting any sign of the occultations resuming.

If space permits, I'll ask our Editor to print the following extract from the 1999 March Canopus article:

"This month's variable is on the VIP list of a number of astronomers. It was brought to the notice of the AAVSO in 1983 by Dr L Kohoutek of the Kohoutek "media comet" fame. Kohoutek pointed out that the star remains substantially constant at about magnitude 11 for long periods and then undergoes a series of eclipses lasting several months. The eclipse period is 17.2 days and the eclipses are easy to detect because the star fades to mag 13 or fainter. I imagine that unusually fast precession of the ascending node causes the eclipses to cease for many months at a time. To make it even more interesting, the star is the central star of the bipolar nebula NGC 2346."

In spite of the system's proximity to Delta Mon, beginners may have difficulty in identifying the field. Once identified and regularly observed, it will be easy. Beginners are cordially invited to visit me in order to get started on it.

Danie Overbeek.
Tel 011 453 6918
danieo@global.co.za