Astron. Astrophys. 346, L33-L35 (1999)

Letter to the Editor

On the recent brightening of  Carinae ^*

C. Sterken  ^{**  1}, L. Freyhammer ^1,2, T. Arentoft ¹ and A.M. van Genderen <sup>3

1</sup> University of Brussels (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
² Nordic Optical Telescope, Apartado 474, E-38700 Santa Cruz de La Palma, Spain
³ Leiden Observatory, Postbus 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands

Received 30 April 1999 / Accepted 10 May 1999

Abstract

We report and discuss the steady brightening of  Carinae, and conclude that this brightening is not an eruption, but an expected LBV S-Doradus phase which, typically, displays intense brightening coupled to strong reddening when the star moves redwards in the H-R diagram. The brightness gradient amounts to -0:m 15 y^-1over the last two years.

Key words: techniques: photometric stars: variables: general stars: supergiants stars: oscillations stars: individual: j Carinae

* Based on observations obtained at the European Southern Observatory at La Silla, Chile (Applications 60D-0148 and 62H-0110)
** Belgian Fund for Scientific Research (FWO)

Send offprint requests to: C. Sterken

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Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Light- and colour curves
• 3. The difficulties of  Car photometry
• 4. Conclusions
• References

© European Southern Observatory (ESO) 1999

Online publication: May 21, 1999
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