Program: GN-2020B-FT-206

Sakurai's object is an example of a very rare breed of star: one that has, on its way to becoming a white dwarf, reignited some residual He and is retracing its evolutionary path on the HR diagram. It has become a "Born Again Giant". This event ocurred in 1996, and in 1997 the star formed an optically thick carbon dust cloud that, since 1999, has completely obscured the central star. A recent (2020 June) spectrum suggests that, not only has it ejected fresh dust, the stellar remnant may finally be peering at us through the gloom. A 0.8-2.5micron spectrum is requested to confirm this, and to prepare the ground for a JWST proposal.