COMMISSION 27 OF THE I.A.U.
              INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS
                           Number 1298

                                                    Konkoly Observatory
                                                    Budapest
                                                    1977 July 4


      HD 56429: A DOUBLE-LINED Am ECLIPSING BINARY

In 1974 Markworth (IBVS No. 921) recorded two photographic
minima of HD 56429 (BV 1621 CMa), with the comment that it is
probably an eclipsing variable. Spectrograms obtained at the
Lick Observatory show this 8th magnitude A star to be a double-
lined spectroscopic binary with slightly unequal components of
early Am type. A period of approximately 4.80 days was estimated
from the spectrograms.
   Photoelectric uvby photometry with the Danish 50 cm telescope 
at Cerro La Silla, Chile, confirms the presence of eclipses
at the predicted times. The eclipses are approximately 0.5 and
0.4 mag deep in all four colours, equally spaced, and of 0.35d
duration. The period is close to 4.801d.
   Spectrographic and photometric observations are continuing
for determination of orbital elements and absolute dimensions.


        D.M. POPPER                   J. ANDERSEN

  Department of Astronomy     Copenhagen University Observatory
 University of California       Brorfelde Tollose, Denmark
    Los Angeles, U.S.A.