Dear All,
our 1996 campaign on the polar-prototype AM Her is going towards an end, with successful ground-based, IUE, ISO, ROSAT & HST observations. However, the system outfoxed us: we wanted to observe it with HST in a low state in order to gather information about the accretion-heated magnetic white dwarf. As you might remember, AM Her HAD a short low state this summer (down to V~15 for roughly 40 days), but the HST observations were done two weeks too late: the system was up again.
We have a second set of HST observations scheduled for 1997, Jan.3-6. From the last VSNET CV Circular (1996.12), I saw that the system seems to be a bit fainter, however, it is probably too early to hope for a low state. I encourage anyone interested to keep an eye on AM Her through the next weeks. We will consider a possible fading of the system as a great Christmas present...
Best wishes,
Boris Gaensicke ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Boris Gaensicke | Universitaetssternwarte Goettingen ---------------------| Geismarlandstr. 11 boris@uni-sw.gwdg.de | 37083 Goettingen Tel.: 0551/395327 | Germany ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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