Prediction of a red nova outburst in 2022

[lmolnar]

Calvin College has used ACP to control our two telescopes (one in New Mexico, one in Michigan) for many years now. It has been one key to obtaining large quantities of data in a routine fashion on a regular basis. We have recently published an exciting paper that showcases what can come of such a data stream. Specifically, the paper reports a study of over 32,000 images taken with ACP of one particular star, KIC 9832227, on 165 different nights over four years. We combined those data with earlier data from the Kepler spacecraft and other sources to make the case this star is likely on a death spiral that will lead to a red nova explosion (and possibly a naked eye nova) in 2022! It is a big claim to make, and hence the need for such an extended set of data to justify it.

The paper (a bit technical) can be found at https://arxiv.org/abs/1704.05502 or http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10...57/aa6ba7/meta

A press conference summary and links to news articles can be found at https://www.facebook.com/notes/calvi...19906541409633

Thanks, Bob!

Larry Molnar
Calvin College

[Bob Denny]

Hello Dr. Molnar -- Thank you so much for sharing your accomplishment with us! Your Rehoboth, NM, remote observatory is a poster child. I think yours is one of the longest running "virtually unattended" ACP observatories.