The Journal of Astronomical Data 2008, Volume 14 ABSTRACTS =============================================================== [JAD 14, 1] Photometry and spectroscopy of the contact binary GSC 04778-00152 T. Tuvikene, C. Sterken, T. Eenmae, R. Hinojosa-Goni, E. Brogt, P. Longa Pena, T. Liimets, M. Ahumada, P. Troncoso and N. Vogt Photometric and spectroscopic data of the southern contact binary GSC 04778-00152 are presented. Six new times of minimum are listed. For modelling purposes, we provide UBVRI phase diagrams of the contact binary with the contribution of the nearby companion removed. -------------------- [JAD 14, 2] IP Pegasi in outburst: Echelle spectroscopy and Modulation Doppler Tomography C. Papadaki, H.M.J. Boffin and D. Steeghs We analyse a unique set of time-resolved echelle spectra of the dwarf nova IP Peg, obtained at ESO's NTT with EMMI on the 4th of August 1999, just one day after the peak of an outburst. The dataset covers the wavelength range of 4000-7500A and shows Balmer, HeI, HeII and heavier elements in emission. IP Peg was observed one day after the peak of an outburst. The trailed spectra, spectrograms and Doppler maps show characteristics typical of IP Pegasi during the early stages of its outburst, such as prograde rotation from the accretion disc flow, chromospheric emission from the secondary and spiral arms. The high-ionisation line of HeII 4686A is the most centrally located line and its formation region has the greatest radial extension compared to the HeI lines. The Balmer lines extend from close to the white dwarf up to approximately 0.45 R_L, with the outer radius gradually increasing when moving from H delta to H alpha. The application, for the first time, of the modulation Doppler tomography technique, maps any harmonically varying components present in the system configuration, and this variability information is not considered in standard Doppler tomography studies. We find, as expected, that part of the strong secondary star emission in Balmer and HeI lines is modulated predominantly with the cosine term, consistent with the emission originating from the irradiated front side of the mass-donor star, facing the accreting white dwarf. For the Balmer lines the level of the modulation, compared to the average emission, decreases when moving to higher series. Emission from the extended accretion disk appears to be only weakly modulated, with amplitudes of at most a few percent of the non-varying disk emission. We find no evidence of modulated emission in the spiral arms, which if present, is relatively weak at that our signal-to-noise ratio was good enough to put an upper detection limit of any modulated emission at 5-6 percent. Only in one arm of the HeII 4686A line, is there a possibility of modulated emission, but again, we cannot be sure this is not caused by blending with the nearby Bowen complex of lines. -------------------- [JAD 14, 3] Emission Lines in 32 Cygni J. A. Eaton I identify the profusion of emission lines seen in IUE spectra of 32 Cyg (K4-5 Ib+B6-7 IV-V) during total eclipse. With the exception of a very few weak lines, all of these are also seen in zeta Aur during its eclipse, and the stronger features appear in 31 Cyg. Seventy-four percent of these emission lines can be attributed to Fe II. Few are intrisically weaker than gf~0.01. Other spectra definitely present are C II, N I, O I, Si II, Mg II, S II, Cr II, Ni II, Al II, Al III, F III, Si IV, and C IV. No emission lines of the neutral metals, except for fluorescent Fe I UV44, are unambiguously detected; specifically, lines of C I, Si I, or S I were not detected in the spectrum. -------------------- [4] Revised list of Sir William Herschel's Fields of Diffuse Nebulosity A. Latusseck William Herschel's catalogue of more than 2500 nonstellar celestial objects is without doubt one of the great astronomical achievements of this exceptional astronomer. Largely unknown, however, is a list containing fifty-two fields of extensive nebulosity, which Herschel published in 1811 as a supporting argument to his nebular hypothesis (Herschel, 1811: 275-276), all of which were observed as a by-product of his sweeps between 1783 and 1802. For the purpose of a final revision of Herschel's objects, his sister Caroline's copies of the eight observing books containing the results of his decade-long sweeps (Herschel, Herschel and Herschel, 2004) were analyzed. As a result, a number of errors and inaccuracies were found and corrected. Furthermore, the terminology used to describe the observed nebulosities--which differed widely from that used by Herschel to describe non-stellar objects in his better-known catalogues of nebulae--was investigated in order to obtain a clearer impression of the appearance of Herschel's objects. The resulting revised list, being one principal result of the review of Herschel's list of fifty-two nebulosities, contains corrected physical information on each of the nebulosities. It further gives estimates on the reliability of Herschel's observations and finally summarizes all of the noticed peculiarities in a separate column.