COMMISSION 27 OF THE I. A. U.
       INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS
                    NUMBER 296

                                    Konkoly Observatory
                                    Budapest
                                    1968 September 30



     UV CETI OBSERVATIONS AT BOYDEN OBSERVATORY


During September-October 1967 the Boyden Observatory joined in the worldwide
program of monitoring the flare star UV Ceti. Observations were made with the
Harvard Nishimura 16-inch telescope and photometer. The star was observed with
a V filter, using a time constant ~1 sec, with the sky checked about every 30
min.

Table 1 gives the amount of time covered each night and a list of the flares
definitely and unambiguously observed. Table 2 gives a list of possible small
events (those with Delta m < 3 sigma) together with approximate values for the
normal recorder fluctuations. To be regarded as real, these observations
should be independently confirmed. Figure 1 shows a chart of the times
acutally covered by Boyden photometry; Figure 2 shows the light curve of one of
the events described here.

Many thanks are due Drs.T. Schmidt and E.S. Schoffel and Mr.J.P. Eksteen for
arranging and carrying out the observations at the Boyden Observatory.


                                      L.H. SOLOMON
                          Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

Table 1.

Boyden Observatory Results

Definite Flares

Date          Coverage  Time of flare  delta           Notes
1967                        (UT)         m
Sept. 27-28    3^h39^m                           No definite activity.
      28-29    0                                 No photometry.
      29-30    0                                 No photometry.
      30- 1    0                                 No photometry.
Oct.   1- 2    4  46     232240(start) 0.^m4     Duration ~3-4 min,
                                                 sigma~0.^m1.
       2- 3    4  31                             No definite activity.
       3- 4    2  14                             No significant activity.
       4- 5    5  18     234025(start) 1.02      Rise ~10^s, 2nd max ~0.^m1
                                                 at t+3^m. Return to normal
                                                 light at t+5m approx.
       5- 6    4  06     234143(start) 0.48      1st max. 10^s rise,
                                                 ~1^m30^s decay to (normal
                                                 light +0.02).
                                                 Never returns to normal.
                         234808(start) 0.30      2nd max 8^s rise,
                                                 ~2^m10^s decay to near
                                                 normal. Slow drop from
                                                 (norm +0.07) at t+4 min
                                                 to (norm +0.05) at t+9 min.
                         000419(start) 0.18      3rd max, decay until next
                                                 event.
                         000545(max)   0.58      4th max, decay until next
                                                 event.
                         000812(max)   0.94      5th max, decay until next
                                                 event.
                         000900(max)   1.19      6th max, decay to normal
                                                 light 36^m. Total duration
                                                 of event 1^h04^m.
Oct.   6- 7    4^h41^m   214915(start) 0.47      Rise 15^s, decay to normal
                                                 +0.^m05 in 3-4 min, decay to
                                                 normal in 15^m
       7- 8    5  34     001750(start) 0.38      Rise 8^s or less. Total
                                                 duration only 20^s.
       8- 9    1  45     230200(start) 0.58      1st max. Decay until
                         230420(max)   0.17      2nd max. Duration entire
                                                 event greater than 3^m.

Total 36^h34^m Six definite, large (Delta m>3 sigma) events in V color.

Table 2

Boyden Observatory Results

Possible Events

                            sigma of
Date         Time      m    normal     Notes
1987         (UT)            light
Sept.27-28   010350   0.14   0.10     Duration 50 sec.
Oct. 1- 2    012710   0.17   0.10     Duration 20 sec.
             013630   0.18   0.10     Duration 15 sec.
             223500   0.23   0.10     Duration 20 sec.
                                      Recording resumed during
                                      decay of event (?). Max
                                      occurred during sky
                                      reading.
     2- 3    220030   0.18   0.09     Duration 40 sec.
     3- 4    213200   0.16   0.1+     Duration 1^m, cirrus before
                                      and after.
     4- 5    205930   0.17   0.10     Duration 1^m20^s
     5- 6    014910   0.15   0.09     Duration 25 sec.
     7- 8    203800   0.20   0.08     Duration 60 sec.
             231240   0.20   0.10     Duration 10-15 sec.
             233050   0.25   0.10     Duration 10 sec.

                        [FIGURE 1]
                        [FIGURE 2]


This research was supported in part by the Office of Naval Research, ONR
Contract Authority Identification Number NR-046-82117-6-66.