FG Serpentis

U. Munari, Asiago Astrophysical Observatory, communicates: " Optical and infrared absolute spectrophotometry (330-1150 nm), secured on Aug. 2.9 UT at the 1.8-m telescope of Mt. Ekar (with a Boller & Chivens spectrograph + CCD), confirms that the symbiotic nova FG Ser (= AS 296) is currently undergoing a total eclipse of the outbursting white dwarf by the M5 III companion (cf. IAUC 5311). The TiO bands of the cool giant now dominate the whole observed spectral range. The veiling blue continuum and the Balmer continuum in emission, which normally dominate shortward of 550 nm, have disappeared. The integrated fluxes of H I emission lines are now 0.6 of the noneclipse values, 0.4 of the He I lines' fluxes, and 0.7 of the forbidden lines' fluxes. The UBVRI/JHKL photometry performed since the beginning of the outburst in 1988 (cf. IAUC 4622) shows another eclipse in the last third of 1989. The resulting orbital period is 650 +/- 12 days." Photometry by A. C. Gilmore, Mt. John University Observatory: Aug. 2.45 UT, V = 12.05 +/- 0.02, U-B = +0.12 +/- 0.05, B-V = +1.80 +/- 0.02, V-R = +1.60 +/- 0.02.