2006CBET..598....1N

J.-U. Ness and S. Starrfield, Arizona State University; G. Schwarz and K. Vanlandingham, West Chester University; R. M. Wagner, LBT Observatory; J. Lyke, Keck Observatory; C. E. Woodward, University of Minnesota; D. K. Lynch, The Aerospace Corporation; J. Krautter, Landessternwarte, Heidelberg-Koenigstuhl; and J. H. M. M. Schmitt, Hamburger Sternwarte, report that four SWIFT XRT observations of V723 Cas (N Cas 1995) were obtained between July 9 and July 14 with a total observing time of 8700 seconds. The count rate was significantly lower than in January 2006 (cf. IAUC 8676), declining from 0.024 counts/s in January to 0.01-0.015 counts/s in July. A Kolmogorov-Smirnov test detected no significant difference in the spectral shape when compared to the super-soft-source spectrum that was seen in January. Preliminary blackbody models reveal the same effective temperature of 312000 K but a smaller radius. The estimated bolometric luminosity is 2 x 10**(36) erg/s. The AAVSO visual light curve over the past year shows no significant long-term variability exceeding about 0.2 mag (V approximately 15.0) although short-term fluctuations appear to be present. This nova has been bright for more than 11 years, and the lower luminosity may indicate that nuclear burning on the white dwarf is turning off. Alternatively, renewed accretion is maintaining a permanent, albeit highly variable, super-soft-source state. Continued monitoring at all wavelengths is urged.