Abstract
NEW VARIABLE OF THE ALGOL TYPE.—Mr. E. Sawyer announces in No. 159 of Gould's Astronomical Journal his discovery that the star 155 (Uran. Argent.) Canis Majoris is a variable of the Algol type. A diminution in the light of the star was first observed on March 26; the star was then observed again on March 29 and 30, and April 6, 7, 9, and 10, and appeared on each occasion to be of about its normal brightness. On April 11 at 8h. 15m. it was again found to be faint, but had recovered brightness by 9h. On April 19 another minimum was observed and the recovery of light successfully watched. The next night seemed to show the commencement of another minimum, but the star was low at the time of observation. The epoch would appear therefore to be some aliquot part of eight days; if the observation of April 20 is accepted, it will be about Id. 3h. It is uncertain, as yet, whether the star has been observed at actual minimum; but the diminution of light remarked has amounted to about half a magnitude. As the star is the first certainly variable star in the constellation, it will probably be called R Canis Majoris. The place of the variable for 1875.0 is R.A. 7h, 1310. 49s., Decl. 16° 9′.7 S.
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Our Astronomical Column . Nature 36, 376–377 (1887). https://doi.org/10.1038/036376a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/036376a0