Hello, Comparing an image I took last year of the "Cone" Nebula, I noticed a star just above and to the left (about 11 o'clock) of SAO114264 in the image from 12/07/2002. The same star is just barely visible in last Saturday's (01/17/2004) image. The images were taken using a 10 inch LX200 and a ST7e at f/3.3. I researched images around the internet and found that the star is visible in some and barely or not visible in others. Would definitely be interested in comments. Regards, Pat Knoll

AAVSO Response 01/21/2004
(with DSS image)

Hi, Pat. I think the star you are noticing is V582 Mon, an "Orion Variable" associated with the nebulosity in the Cone Nebula (likely a very young star). If you are interested you could monitor the star closely for about a year and build a light curve to try and identify its type. That would preferably be done with a Johnson V filter but since you don't have any I would observe it unfiltered. If you get a light curve let us know and we'll add the data to our database and see if there is a place to get it published (much depends on the quality of data you are able to get). Clear skies! Aaron Price (PAH), Technical Assistant, Technology American Association of Variable Star Observers http://www.aavso.org NOTE February 2009: Interesting that Arron states he would like me to build a light curve for the star indicating that there may not be too much known about V582 Mon in 2004. The internet had almost no information regarding V582 Mon. Five years later in 2009, there is a wealth of information on the internet regarding this star. Maybe I awoke a "sleeping giant" so to speak.

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