CI Cyg BVRcIc light curves

We have tightly monitored CI Cyg in B V R_C_ I_C_ bands, starting a whole year before the onset of the outburst, and in addition we obtained numerous Echelle high- and low-resolution absolutely flux-calibrated spectra. The outburst started while the accreting white dwarf (WD) was being eclipsed by the Roche lobe filling M giant companion, and it was discovered during the egress phase on the second half of 2008 August.

The system reached peak V-band brightness in early 2008 October and has been characterized by amplitudes {delta}B=1.9, {delta}V=1.5, {delta}R_C_=0.9, {delta}I_C_=0.4mag. At maximum V-band brightness, the outbursting WD had expanded to closely resemble an F3 II/Ib star, with MV=-3.5, Teff~6900K and R=28R_{sun}_. The high-ionization emission lines ([NeV], [FeVII], HeII) disappeared and only lower ionization lines were visible.