Pj. Wheatley et al., Observations of the extreme-ultraviolet transient RE J1255+266: a short outburst of a WZ Sge system?, M NOT R AST, 317(2), 2000, pp. 343-347
We present a previously unpublished ROSAT Wide Field Camera observation of
the transient source RE J1255+266 made just 4 d before the discovery observ
ations. The source is not detected, limiting the duration of the outburst t
o be less than expected for a superoutburst of a WZ Sge system.
We also present a marginal detection of X-ray emission from RE J1255+266 us
ing ASCA. The most probable luminosity is 6x10(29) erg s(-1), which is very
similar to WZ Sge itself.
We discuss the nature of the source in the light of these observations, and
conclude that it is most probably a WZ Sge system, but that the observed o
utburst must have been a normal dwarf nova outburst.