COMMISSION 27 OF THE I.A.U.
               INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS
                            Number 1466

                                                      Konkoly Observatory
                                                      Budapest
                                                      1978 August 28


            VERIFICATION OF S4846 IN CYGNUS

The suspected variable star in Cygnus S4846, (Figure 1),
appears to be an interesting long period irregular variable with
possible semi-regular tendencies. Photographic data are available
(for S4846) at the Maria Mitchell Observatory from July 1930 to
the present. The observed maxima do not occur in regular intervals, 
but they do seem to occur in groups, with fairly long 
intervals of relatively little variation. These groups, however,
are separated by similar durations in between them.

            [FIGURE 1]

Magnitude of           Bonner
Comparison Stars    Durchmusterung
                    Catalog Number
   a 12.1              C 2980
   b 12.7              D 2981
   c 13.1
   d 13.3
   e 14.1


Group  Julian Date  Duration

1 - 2  27400-34160  6760 d (18.5 yr)
2 - 3  34160-39770  5610 d (15.36 yr)

(As measured from beginning of ascent of the series of maxima.)
Seasonal gaps create voids in the data where possible maxima
could occur, but this is unlikely because of the duration of
the observed maxima and the extremely long minimum detected from
JD 26162 to JD 26694 (532 days). Most maxima are fairly symmetrical 
with slow ascent and descent. The duration of most good
maxima varies slightly, but the average is about 430 days, (ranging 
from 300 days to nearly 500 days.).
   Just as the durations of maxima vary, so do the changes
in magnitude from maxima to minima. The maximum observed magnitude 
is about 12.2, and the star usually stays around a minimum
of 14.1 (Delta m=1.9).
   Spectral analysis would be useful in trying to classify
this star.


                           KAREN MEECH

                           Maria Mitchell Observatory
                           Nantucket, Mass. 02554, U.S.A.


The investigation of the suspected variable S4846 was carried
out with the support of a scholarship from EARTHWATCH of Belmont,
Massachusetts.


                    [FIGURE 2]

 Ordinate axis - marked at half-magnitude intervals. Each strip
 is 1000 days, markers at 100-day intervals:

           Part 1            Part 2          Part 3
    A 26000-27000          G 33000-34000   M 39000-40000
    B 27000-28000          H 34000-35000   N 40000-41000
    C 28000-29000          I 35000-36000   O 41000-42000
    D 29000-30000          J 26000-37000   P 42000-43000
    E 30000-31000          K 37000-38000   Q 43000-44000
    F 32000-33000          L 38000-39000