* Astronomy

Outburst of Blue Variable (LBV) R71 (= HDE 269006, ASAS 050207-7120.2, V733 LMC), in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC).


OUTBURST OF R71 IN THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD
R. Gamen, Instituto de Astrofisica de La Plata, CONICET; R. Barba, Universidad de La Serena and Insituto de Ciencias Astronomicas y de la Tierra, CONICET, San Juan; N. Walborn, Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI); A. Bonanos, Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, National Observatory of Athens; N. Morrell, Las Campanas Observatory (LCO), Carnegie Observatories; D. Lennon, European Space Agency and STScI; G. Ferrero, Facultad de Ciencias Astronomicas y Geofisicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata; G. Preston, Carnegie Observatories; and E. Schkolnik, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution, write that in early Aug. 2009, A. Jones (Nelson, New Zealand) reported an unusual visual brightening of the luminous blue variable HDE 269006 (= R71) in the Large Magellanic cloud to visual mag 9.  Inspection of the ASAS-3 photometric database (ASAS 050207-7120.2) shows that the unusually gradual rise in the light curve of R71 started approximately 5 years ago, albeit with some oscillations during that time, becoming steeper over the last 1300 days; the latest outburst was first reported via vsnet by P. Williams in Mar. 2008 and T. Kato in Apr. 2008 based on visual observations and the ASAS-3 photometric database, and by Munari et al. (2009, A.Ap. 503, 511), who noted that R71 had brightened to V = 9.97 and that RAVE spectroscopy in Feb. 2008 showed it to be similar to an early-A supergiant.  After a bright maximum in 1975 (V approximately 9.9), the star had faded to V about 10.8-11.0.
R71 is now visually the brightest star in the LMC.

IAUC 9082 (Subscription)

Position (2000) RA 05:02:07.39, Dec -71d 20' 13".1