Sakurai's object

Peculiar eruptive object in Sagittarius (Sakurai's object)

IAUC No. 6322 (D. Green) tells that Sakurai, Ibaragi, Japan discovered a possible "slow" nova in Sagittarius.

    17h 52m 33s.5  -17o 40' 52"  (J2000.0)

He estimated the object at photographic (Fuji G400 film) magnitude of 11.4 on Feb, 20.806 UT. The object seems to have started brighten at around 1995 Jan., when it was 12.5.

S. Benettei and H. W. Duerbeck report s spectrum taken by E. Cappellaro show a reddened early G-star with no prominent emission components. It may be a "slow" nova or a symbiotic nova.

Y. Kushida (IAUC 6223) reports an accurate astrometry of this object.

    17h 52m 32s.69  -17o 41' 07".7  (J2000.0)

Prediscovery observations by Takamizawa

(vsnet-alert 341)

Prediscovery observations of possible slow nova in Sgr (Sakurai)

Following photographic magnitude estimates have been reported by K. Takamizawa, VSOLJ).

Photographic magnitude estimates by VSOLJ members

object         YYMMDD(UT)   mag  code
SGRSakurai1996 940414.662  <155P Tmz.VSOLJ
SGRSakurai1996 940603.655  155P? Tmz.VSOLJ  may be an emulsion grain
SGRSakurai1996 940925.471  155P? Tmz.VSOLJ  may be an emulsion grain
SGRSakurai1996 941022.403  <150P Tmz.VSOLJ
SGRSakurai1996 950210.812  124P  Tmz.VSOLJ
SGRSakurai1996 950226.786  124P  Tmz.VSOLJ
SGRSakurai1996 950306.762  122P  Tmz.VSOLJ
SGRSakurai1996 950311.753  123P  Tmz.VSOLJ
SGRSakurai1996 950423.708  123P  Tmz.VSOLJ
SGRSakurai1996 950426.748  122P  Tmz.VSOLJ
SGRSakurai1996 950522.643  118P  Tmz.VSOLJ
SGRSakurai1996 950601.631  120P  Tmz.VSOLJ
SGRSakurai1996 950619.612  119P  Tmz.VSOLJ
SGRSakurai1996 950723.566  114P  Tmz.VSOLJ
SGRSakurai1996 951013.435  114P  Tmz.VSOLJ
SGRSakurai1996 951025.391  112P  Tmz.VSOLJ
SGRSakurai1996 960221.803  113P  Tmz.VSOLJ

Observer's code:
  Tmz: K. Takamizawa   10-cm refr. F4 T-max 400

Final helium flash-object?

In IAUC No. 6325, S. Benetti is reporting high-resolution spectra, which showed pure absorption lines of He, C, N etc. From the slow brightening and spectral features, they suggest that the variable may represent a final helium shell flash as has been suggested for explanation of the V605 Aql (Nova Aql 1919) event. This suggestion has been supported by the discovery of a planetary nebula which had been presumably ejected from this object (cf. IAUC 6328 Duerbeck and Pollacco: press release).