Electronic Telegram No. 2795
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
CBAT Director:  Daniel W. E. Green; Hoffman Lab 209; Harvard University;
 20 Oxford St.; Cambridge, MA  02138; U.S.A.
e-mail:  cbatiau@eps.harvard.edu (alternate cbat@iau.org)
URL http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/index.html
Prepared using the Tamkin Foundation Computer Network


V900 MONOCEROTIS
     Following a communication by J. Thommes (San Diego, California) of the
discovery in the LDN 1656 cloud in Monoceros of a compact reflection nebula
that was not visible on the first Palomar Sky Survey plates, B. Reipurth, C.
Aspin, and G. H. Herbig, Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, report
that optical and infrared low- and high-resolution spectroscopy of the
illuminating star (R.A. = 6h57m22s.2, Decl. = -8d23'18", equinox 2000.0) show
an absorption-line spectrum with great similarity to FU Ori, albeit with
significantly more reddening.  H_alpha and the sodium doublet show prominent
P-Cyg profiles (indicating a massive high-velocity outflowing wind), lithium
is present, and the near-infrared CO bands are in deep absorption --
suggesting that the star is a new member of the rare "FUor" class of young
eruptive variables.  Optical imaging obtained at the Gemini-North telescope
shows a bright, compact reflection nebula surrounding the star, and photometry
indicates an SDSS r'-band magnitude of 16.11 (0.05) in a 1"-radius aperture,
and 14.59 (0.05) in a 5"-radius aperture.  Gemini-North NIRI photometry yields
J = 9.80, H = 8.44, K = 7.33 on 2010 Oct. 14, whereas the 2MASS catalogue
lists the following magnitudes for the star (2MASS J06572222-0823176):
J = 11.50, H = 9.99, K = 9.00 (i.e., significantly fainter.  Spitzer IRAC
magnitudes for the star are I1 = 6.90, I2 = 6.16, I3 = 5.42, I4 = 4.50.
Further details will be communicated elsewhere.
     N. Samus and E. Kazarovets (Institute of Astronomy, Moscow) inform us
that the GCVS team has assigned this variable the designation V900 Mon.


NOTE: These 'Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams' are sometimes
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                         (C) Copyright 2011 CBAT
2011 August 28                   (CBET 2795)              Daniel W. E. Green