X-Ray Bursts from Perseus

R. D. Belian, J. P. Connor and W. D. Evans, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, report the identification of 15 intense x-ray bursts from a location in Perseus. The bursts, observed by the Vela 5 satellites between May 1969 and Apr. 1973, varied in intensity over ~ 0.5-2.0 Crab in the energy range 3-12 keV, and the spectra were generally very hard compared to the Crab. The burst durations were > 2s and < 128s. The average of the locations is R.A. = 3h11m, Dec. = +42o (equinox 1950.0). The common error box of ~ 4o.5 x 4o contains 3U 0316+41 and the recently reported x-ray source beta Per (cf. IAUC 2859). If one assumes a 10s burst duration, the observations suggest an average rate of about 1 burst per day.