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Since its discovery in 2008, the Andromeda galaxy nova M31N 2008-12a has been observed in eruption every single year. This unprecedented frequency indicates an extreme object, with a massive white dwarf and a high accretion rate, which is the most promising candidate for the single-degenerate progenitor of a type-Ia supernova known to date. The previous three eruptions of M31N 2008-12a have displayed remarkably homogeneous multi-wavelength properties: (i) From a faint peak, the optical light curve declined rapidly by two magnitudes in less than two days; (ii) Early spectra showed initial high velocities that slowed down significantly within days and displayed clear He/N lines throughout; (iii) The supersoft X-ray source (SSS) phase of the nova began extremely early, six days after eruption, and only lasted for about two weeks. In contrast, the peculiar 2016 eruption was clearly different. Here we report (i) the considerable delay in the 2016 eruption date, (ii) the significantly shorter SSS phase, and (iii) the brighter optical peak magnitude (with a hitherto unobserved cusp shape). Early theoretical models suggest that these three different effects can be consistently understood as caused by a lower quiescence mass-accretion rate. The corresponding higher ignition mass caused a brighter peak in the free-free emission model. The less-massive accretion disk experienced greater disruption, consequently delaying re-establishment of effective accretion. Without the early refueling, the SSS phase was shortened. Observing the next few eruptions will determine whether the properties of the 2016 outburst make it a genuine outlier in the evolution of M31N 2008-12a., Comment: 42 pages (28 pages main paper + appendix), 16 figures, 10 tables; accepted for publication in ApJ

This paper describes the reclassification of DK And, formerly classified as a RRc type star, as EW binary. 1599 CCD unfiltered and filtered (V and R band) observations between 1999 and 2005 show, that the star is actually an eclipsing binary star with a period of P = 0.4892224 +/- 0.0000002 [d] with epoch E0 = 2451435.4353 +/- 0.0010 (if all historic data were taken into account). From our new observations 12 timings of minimum light are given., Comment: PDF with reduced graph quality, 7 pages, 6 figures, 1 table

New CCD observations of the RRab star UX Tri after JD = 2452234 show a change of the main pulsation period. The period is now P = 0.4669046 +/- 0.0000006 [d]. The change is delta_P = - 1.72 x 10-5 [d] if compared with the value we previously published in IBVS 5210. A strong Blazhko effect with unchanged Blazhko period P_B = 43.7 +/- 0.1 [d] is confirmed by this paper. Light curve particularities around Blazhko phase phi_B = 0.0 are discussed in detail. In one observation (JD 2453617) related to Blazhko phase phi_B = 0.12 an exceptionally pronounced "bump" of delta_m > -0.1 magnitude was observed at pulsation phase phi = 0.71., Comment: PDF, 10 pages, 1 table, 8 figures (5 color, 3 b/w), 1 appendix (2 pages)

We report the results of a worldwide campaign to observe WZ Sagittae during its 2001 superoutburst. After a 23-year slumber at V=15.5, the star rose within 2 days to a peak brightness of 8.2, and showed a main eruption lasting 25 days. The return to quiescence was punctuated by 12 small eruptions, of ~1 mag amplitude and 2 day recurrence time; these "echo outbursts" are of uncertain origin, but somewhat resemble the normal outbursts of dwarf novae. After 52 days, the star began a slow decline to quiescence. Periodic waves in the light curve closely followed the pattern seen in the 1978 superoutburst: a strong orbital signal dominated the first 12 days, followed by a powerful /common superhump/ at 0.05721(5) d, 0.92(8)% longer than P_orb. The latter endured for at least 90 days, although probably mutating into a "late" superhump with a slightly longer mean period [0.05736(5) d]. The superhump appeared to follow familiar rules for such phenomena in dwarf novae, with components given by linear combinations of two basic frequencies: the orbital frequency omega_o and an unseen low frequency Omega, believed to represent the accretion disk's apsidal precession. Long time series reveal an intricate fine structure, with ~20 incommensurate frequencies. Essentially all components occurred at a frequency n(omega_o)-m(Omega), with m=1, ..., n. But during its first week, the common superhump showed primary components at n (omega_o)-Omega, for n=1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (i.e., m=1 consistently); a month later, the dominant power shifted to components with m=n-1. This may arise from a shift in the disk's spiral-arm pattern, likely to be the underlying cause of superhumps. The great majority of frequency components ... . (etc., abstract continues), Comment: PDF, 54 pages, 4 tables, 21 figures, 1 appendix; accepted, in press, to appear July 2002, PASP; more info at http://cba.phys.columbia.edu/