COMMISSION 27 OF THE I. A. U.
           INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS
                       Number 2877

                                          Konkoly Observatory
                                          Budapest
                                          13 March 1986

                                          HU ISSN 0374 - 0676



             A BRIGHTENING OF THE Be STAR HD46380


  HD 46380 (=BD-7deg1462) has been observed to be brightening in V magnitude
over the period November, 1984 to the present. Originally observed as one of
the comparison stars for HD 46282 (an eclipsing binary, data on which will be
published later), it soon became obvious that it was too unstable to serve
as such.
  HD46380 was observed in B and V magnitudes on 43 nights from November,
1984 to January, 1986 with the 0.6-m telescope of the Corralitos Observatory
and its automated single channel photon-counting photometer and uncooled EMI
9924A photomultiplier tube. Comparison stars were HD46283 (V= 7.27 ; B-V =
+0.25) and HD46282 outside of eclipse (V= 8.21 ; B-V= 0.00), both of which

                   Table I


       JD                       JD
    (2440000+)    V    (B-V)   (2440000+)   V    (B-V)

     6025.9125   7.99  +.44    6331.9673   7.94  +.44
     6031.8674   8.03   .42    6335.9479   7.94   .44
     6033.8302   8.00   .38    6350.9826   7.97   .45
     6034.8326   7.97   .47    6351.9534   7.93   .45
     6050.8139   7.99   .40    6353.9600   7.95   .45
     6081.7236   8.00   .45    6357.9722   7.96   .45
     6082.8222   7.99   .42    6376.9000   7.96   .45
     6083.7990   8.02   .43    6377.9000   7.94   .45
     6084.7337   8.01   .42    6391.9381   7.95   .44
     6085.7649   7.98   .46    6392.8437   7.92   .44
     6098.8330   7.99   .41    6409.9300   7.93   .44
     6102.7833   8.00   .40    6410.8125   7.94   .45
     6113.7569   7.98   .44    6427.8277   7.91   .47
     6121.7007   7.98   .42    6428.7465   7.95   .42
     6122.6847   7.95   .44    6429.8017   7.90   .44
     6125.7056   7.98   .43    6432.7375   7.94   .45
     6128.6667   7.99   .41    6449.8180   7.93   .47
     6129.6625   7.98   .41    6450.7986   7.95   .45
     6143.6712   7.98   .43    6455.7631   7.94   .41
     6147.6208   7.96   .43    6456.7534   7.93   .43
     6148.6330   7.98   .43    6457.7194   7.95   .49
     6171.6104   7.95   .43


                         [FIGURE 1]

      Figure 1. Variations in V magnitude for HD 46380


were found to be stable to within +- 0.01 magnitudes. Transformation to BV
magnitudes was accomplished by observations of standard stars.
   Table I gives the observations and Figure 1 the variations. Clearly there
exists microvariability as well as long-term brightening, though no color
changes seem to be occurring. Page (1982) compiles spectral types of B2, B2e
and B2Vne. Previous mean magnitude measurements of V= 8.00 and B-V= +0.43
have been published by Nicolet (1978), in good agreement with the values
observed at the beginning of the data collection. It seems likely that an
emission episode may be occurring and therefore, it is suggested that spectroscopic
observations of HD46380 be carried out by those with access to such
facilities.
   Special thanks are rendered to B. Goodrich for automation of the 
photometric system.



                            E. M. HALBEDEL
                          Corralitos Observatory
                          P.O. Box 16314
                          Las Cruces, NM 88004
                          USA




References:

Nicolet, B., 1978, Astron. Astrophys. Suppl., 34, 1. [BIBCODE 1978A&AS...34....1N ]
Page, A.A., 1982, Catalogue, Spectrum and Magnitude Data Bank of B(e), B(p)
    and B(pe) Stars; Cent. de Donnees Stellaires, Obs. de Strasbourg.