Program: GN-2011A-Q-37

A. GEMINI: New, young, eruptive variable stars are now being discovered in two complimentary ways, by synoptic surveys such as PS1, VYSOS, and IRIS, or by amateur astronomers who publish their findings on AAVSO. Two recent examples of the latter are HBC 722 and VSX J205126 which, in August 2010, were observed to increase in optical brightness by ?4 mags. In order to better understand the physical processes in action when such outbursts occur, quick response observations, taken as soon after the event as possible, are required. We were recently fortunate enough to obtain 2 hrs of GEMINI Director?s Time to observe the above two sources in the optical and near-IR within a couple of weeks of their discovery. This data is of excellent quality and gives an interesting insight into these objects. However, two weeks is not fast enough to catch the all-important rise to maximum phase, only Target-of-Opportunity observations can accomplish this. It is such observations we solicit here in addition to follow-up observations of HBC 722 and VSX J205126.