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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2007      2004 Jun 23 13.15UT
Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise,  Basingstoke,
Hants, RG22 4PP,England.Telephone/FAX(01256)471074Int:+441256471074
INTERNET: GUY@TAHQ.DEMON.CO.UK             GMH at AST.STAR.RL.AC.UK
WORLD WIDE WEB                         http://www.theastronomer.org
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VARIABLE OBJECT IN HERCULES
Hitoshi Yamaoka, Kyushu University, Japan relays that Yuji Nakamura, 
Japan, has reported detection of a variable object of photographic 
magnitude 11.5 in Hercules on Tri-X exposures of June 13.63UT using a 
200mm f4 lens. Nakamura adds that the object has not been detected to a 
limiting magnitude of 12 on various films obtained from 1999 to 2004.

The object is located at:
RA 18h 39m 26.16s DEC +26 04' 10" (2000) according to a report from 
James Bedient of Honolulu which was given on AAVSO Alert Notice 306 
issued on June 22.

Gary Poyner, Birmingham, England has observed the object as follows:
2004 June 21.960, 13.0; 22.005, 13.0; 22.050, 13.1 (0.35-m 
Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope).

Mike Simonsen, USA, mentions that there is a close double at the 
position of the object on the Palomar Sky Survey plates, perhaps 
separated by an arcminute or so. He feels the eastern component may be 
variable. Mike suggests a possible candidate from USNO B2 at:
RA 18h 39m 26.56s DEC +26 04'09.7" (2000).

He has reported the following visual observations:
2004 June 20.15UT, 12.6; 20.31, 12.5; 23.19, 13.2; 23.30, 13.3.

The editor has carried out a SIMBAD search on 10 arc minute field 
centred on the suspect with the following candidates suggested:

1RXS J183927.1+260409     |   X| 18 39 27.2   +26 04 09
LEDA 2811926              |   G| 18 39 27.4   +26 04 01
LEDA 2811911              |   G| 18 39 18.0   +26 03 43
LEDA 1760517              |   G| 18 39 36.3   +26 02 49
LEDA 2811900              |   G| 18 39 13.5   +26 03 28
LEDA 2811899              |   G| 18 39 12.2   +26 07 57
CGMW 5- 6308              |   G| 18 39 22.5   +25 59 10
LEDA 1758183              |   G| 18 39 39.0   +25 59 23
LEDA 1757899              |   G| 18 39 34.9   +25 58 57
LEDA 1757276              |   G| 18 39 18.1   +25 58 08
LEDA 2811868              |   G| 18 38 56.1   +26 03 31
HD 336601                 |   *| 18 39 37.76  +26 11 20.3
LEDA 2811865              |   G| 18 38 55.1   +26 07 00
HD 336712                 |   *| 18 40 00.06  +26 01 17.5
LEDA 2811861              |   G| 18 38 53.7   +26 06 53
LEDA 1758449              |   G| 18 38 56.6   +25 59 45
IRAS 18368+2556           |  IR| 18 38 55.0   +25 59 40
LEDA 2811869              |   G| 18 38 56.3   +26 09 22
LEDA 2811873              |   G| 18 38 59.2   +25 57 26

The first, an x-ray object, 1RXS J183927.1+260409, does seem a promising 
candidate.

The AAVSO have placed a preliminary chart at:
http://aavso.org/tmp/VARHER04-E.GIF

Guy M Hurst