COMMISSION 27 OF THE I.A.U.
                 INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS
                             Number 3283

                                                         Konkoly Observatory
                                                         Budapest
                                                         12 January 1989

                                                         HU ISSN 0374 - 0676


         MORE ABOUT KX TrA = Cn 1-2 = PK 326-10.1d= He2-177 *

Recently Feibelman (1988) and Allen (1988) commented on the identification and
possible outburst properties of the symbiotic star KX TrA. I like to add that
it is also listed and (properly) identified in the Reference Catalogue and
Atlas of Galactic Novae (Duerbeck 1987); it was included because Carlson and
Henize (1974) classified it as a slow nova from its spectral appearance, which
showed some resemblance to RR Tel. A light curve of the object for the years
1890-1975 was given by Liller (1974). Any major outbursts during this time
interval can be excluded.


                             [FIGURE 1]

                   Fig. 1  The spectrum of KX TrA


   KX TrA was observed, in 1986, with the B&C Cassegrain spectrograph and IDS
detector at the ESO 1.52m-telescope (Fig. 1). I tend to compare its spectrum
with RT Ser, as it appeared in 1986 (Fig. 2), except that in the latter object
the [O III] fines are essentially absent. Comparing Allen's (1984) spectrum of
KX TrA in 1978 with that in 1986, a noticeable relative increase in the
strength of HeI 4686 is found. It should be noted that the [Ca VII] 561.6,
493.9 lines are relatively strong in both stars. RT Ser also qualifies as a
star with a normal M-type companion (Kenyon 1986), a property considered by
Allen to be possibly significant for a comparison.

*  Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory,
    La Silla, Chile



                             [FIGURE 2]

                   Fig. 2  The spectrum of RT Ser



  		                 HILMAR W. DUERBECK

		               Astronomisches Institut
        		       der Universitat Munster
          		       Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 10
          		       D-4400 Munster, F. R. Germany



References:

Allen, D., 1984, Proc. Astr. Soc. Australia, 5(3), 369. [BIBCODE 1984PASAu...5..369A ]
Allen, D., 1988, Inf Bull. Var. Stars 3255.
Carlson, E.E., Henize, K.G., 1974, Astrophys. J. 188, L47. [BIBCODE 1974ApJ...188L..47C ]
Duerbeck, H.W., 1987, Space Sci. Rev. 45,1. [BIBCODE 1987SSRv...45....1D ]
Feibelman, W.A., 1988, Inf. Bull. Var. Stars 3231.
Kenyon, S.J., 1986, The Symbiotic Stars, Cambridge University Press. [BIBCODE 1986syst.book.....K ]
Liller, W., 1974, Astrophys. J. 192, L89. [BIBCODE 1974ApJ...192L..89L ]