COMMISSION 27 OF THE I. A. U.
        INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS
                     NUMBER 638

                                   Konkoly Observatory
                                   Budapest
                                   1972 March 14


              REMARK CONCERNING NGC 404


The extragalactic nebula NGC 404 was suspected of being variable by Geyer (IAUC
2380, see also IAUC 2382 and IBVS 614). I have estimated the object on about
200 Sonneberg Sky Patrol plates (Tessar 1: 3.5, f=250 mm) of the years 1961 to
1971, taken by Huth. On this short focus material, which is photographically
completely homogeneous, the nebula appears nearly starlike. No variability
could be detected.

This statement is confirmed by observations on 50 astrographic plates (1:4,
f=1600 mm) of 1965 to 1971, which also show no sign of variability of the
object.


L. MEINUNGER
Deutsche Akademie der Wissenschaften	
Zentralinstitut fur Astrophysik
Sternwarte Sonneberg, DDR




            IMPROVED ELEMENTS OF 3 RR-LYRAE VARIABLES IN AQUILA


The Stars  V 691 Aql = 451.1936
           V 709 Aql = 456.1936
           V 717 Aql = 460.1936

are poorly known variables. The elements in GCVS 1969 are inexact. On 90
plates of Sonneberg Observatory (JD 2429110 - 31673; 2438289 - 40837) we
examined these variables and determined improved elements.

V 691 Aql. The variable was discovered by Hoffmeister. He announced the star
as a shortperiod variable (14.5m-16m phg, Astr. Nachr. 259. 37. 1936).
Preliminary elements were derived by Ahnert (Veroff. Sternw. Sonneberg, Band
1 Nr. 3. 1949). Our improved elements are:

Max.hel. = J.D. 2430932.412+0.552162d E
RRab, 13.9m - 15.5m phg, M-m=0.20p

Observed maxima:

J.D.hel.24...  Epoch   O-C     J.D.hel.24...   Epoch    O-C

30932.412        0    0.000d  40469.349        17272   - .005d
  933.529        2   + .013     470.468        17274   + .010
31673.448     1342   + .035     803.438        17877   + .026
40444.483    17227   - .024

V 709 Aql. Hoffmeister announced this star as a shortperiod variable between
14.5m- 15m phg(Astr. Nachr. 259. 37. 1936). Ahnert gave preliminary
elements (Veroff. Sternw. Sonneberg, Band 1 Nr. 3. 1949). We found the
improved elements:

Max.hel.= J.D.2430932.496+0.607783d  E
RRab, 14.2m- 15.5m phg, M-m=0.16p

Observed maxima:

J.D.hel.24...  Epoch     O- C
30932.496          0    0.000d
40470.445      15693   + .010
  780.428      16203   + .028

V 717 Aql. Hoffmeister found shortperiodic light variations between 15m -
16m phg (Astr. Nachr. 259, 37. 1936). The first elements were published by
Ahnert (Veroff. Sternw. Sonneberg, Band 1 Nr. 3. 1949). The new elements
found by the authors are:

Max.hel.= J.D.2430930.454+0.486594d  E
RRab, 13.6m - 15.5m phg, M-m=0.17p

Observed maxima:

J.D.hel.24...  Epoch   O-C      J.D.hel.24...  Epoch    O-C
30930.454        0    0.000d    40781.519      20245   - .022d
  931.448        2   + .021       803.438      20290     .000
  932.412        4   + .012       824.378      20333   + .016
31673.490     1527   + .008

Light curves and comparison stare will be published in "Mitteilungen der Bruno
H. Burgel - Sternwarte Hartha, Heft 4".


Bruno-H.-Burgel-Sternwarte Hartha
DDR

                                  H. BUSCH and K. HAUSSLER