COMMISSION 27 OF THE I.A.U.
              INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS
                           Number 1272

                                                    Konkoly Observatory
                                                    Budapest
                                                    1977 May 4


         Veroffentlichungen der Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg
    Astronomisches Institut der Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg
                     Band XII, Nr, 124, 1977

               ELEMENTS OF RV CRATERIS = BV 442

The eclipsing binary RV Crt = BV 442 = HD 98412 (9.3/10.3m; F8) was
discovered by Strohmeier et al, (IBVS 62, 1964). Strohmeier also
published light elements (IBVS 217, 1967).
   The star has been observed photoelectrically in UBV filters with
the 50 cm photometric telescope at the European Southern Observatory
in La Silla, Chile in May 1975. Due to bad observing conditions only
primary minimum and part of the maximum could be observed.
   The photoelectric measurements are in good agreement with the light
elements given by Strohmeier. Best fit of the photographic times of
minima published by him and the photoelectric data yield the new
light elements

         Min = JD 2442537.7087 + 1.170494d*E .

   Although only primary minimum was observed a solution of the
photoelectric light curve is possible since the observed minimum
is a total occultation.
   No rectification was carried out because of the lack of sufficient
coverage of the maximum light phase. The data suggest only little
light variation outside eclipses indicating an Algol type light
curve.
   The following (tentative) elements were derived:

        V            B           UV

i     90deg(ass.) 90deg(ass.) 90deg(ass.)
r_g   0.301       0.302       0.301
r_s   0.226       0.228       0.223
L_g   0.556       0.528       0.510
L_k   0.444       0.472       0.490

The limb darkening coefficients were assumed as x_g=x_s=0.6.
It should be noted that the surface brightness of the smaller star
is larger than for the greater component by a Factor of about 1.7
in B. The colour indices, however, of the smaller star ((B-V)_s = 0.59m,
(U-B)_s=0.09m) indicate a later spectral type of this component than
of the larger star ((B-V)_g = 0.51m, (U-B)_g= -0.04m).
   Gratefully acknowledged is the allocation of observing time to one
of us (J.R.) by the European Southern Observatory (ESO).


                                            E. SCHOEFFEL
                                            J. RAHE