2001A&A...367..199S

We analysed photometric and spectroscopic optical observations of the eclipsing symbiotic binary AX Persei. For the first time, we present and discuss its historical, 1887-1999, photographic/B-band and visual light curve (LC). The red giant in AX Per losses mass via the wind at a rate of {dot}(M)=7.4±1.7x10^–7M_☉/yr. The terminal velocity of the wind is v_∞=32±6km/s. We estimated an effective radius of the Hii nebula during the post-outburst stage (to JD2450000) to be of R_n=192±25R_☉ and its average electron concentration ∼n_e=(2.9-3.6)±0.7x10⁹cm^–3 for the electron temperature T_e=1-1.5x10⁴K. The [OIII] nebula in AX Per is rather dense, having the electron concentration n_e([OIII])≃3x10⁷cm^–3 for T_e=1-1.5x10⁴K. Spectroscopic observations made in the middle of the 1992.8 and 1994.7 eclipses showed that a significant part of flux emitted in the HI, HeII and nebular [OIII] lines originates in the vicinity of the hot component. Transition of AX Per to its nebular phase occurred at/around JD2450000. A small ∼0.6mag brightening at that time and consequently very broad wave-like variation in the LC developed. This event was caused by dilution of a shell around the hot star, during which about of 1.5x10⁵⁰ particles (∼1.3x10^–7M_☉) were injected into the ionized region.