Once again it's a very cloudy night here in Tucson so the dome's closed. However I just stepped outside to make sure and discovered that a small clearing is right where Cygnus lies. And lo and behold, an extra bright star was in the neck of the swan! Chi Cygni is a long-period Mira-type variable.
The "normal" star in the neck is Albireo, which is an excellent double to observe, but tonight the limelight has been stolen by Chi. According to observer reports submitted to the AAVSO, it has brightened to less than 4th magnitude. It would have been fun to monitor this one nightly, but the clouds around here continue to spoil the fun. In a few months, Chi Cyg will probably have dimmed out of sight to the naked eye.
Imagine how the ancient stargazers must have felt when a star such as Chi suddenly brightened into existence! It must have been a fearful, awe-inspiring event. Now that I think of it, it still is.
Ironically, the appearance of the "new" star in this case is actually more likely the result of the last gasps from a star in the final stages of life; not a supernova, but a pulsation resulting from instabilities as nuclear fuel runs out. Some day in the distant future, a stargazer may see a beautiful planetary nebula around the core of Chi Cyg.
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