Paul,
This is the well known variable star CH Cygni. If you go to the
AAVSO website: http://www.aavso.org/ there is a tool to generate a
lightcurve from the most recent variable star observations. From there
it looks like CH is undergoing a period of brightening.

...Tim

On Tue, 2003-07-22 at 11:47, paul wrote:
> I saw an apparent star magnitude anomaly
> last night. Guide seems correct from what I can
> tell based on catalogues, BUT the older SAO vM for
> this star seems much more accurate (thru my telescope)
> than the newer data: +8.84 (variable) versus +7.07
> would someone more knowledgeable about vM please
> explain this. I mention it because I have never seen
> such a noticeable difference. it seemed brighter than
> the variability mentioned. it appeared brighter than
> the +7.4 at 22 arcmin PA104. I was estimating +7 then
> found that was the SAO value.

snip
>
> Comments from the GCVS:
>
> Right ascension: 19h24.5510m
> Declination: +50.2416 deg
> Cause(s) of variability:
> Z Andromeda type
> Semiregular long-period type
> Click here for SIMBAD data
> Photometric band: V
> Maximum magnitude: 5.60
> Minimum magnitude: 8.49
> Spectral type: M7IIIab+Be
> References: 08849 00002
>
> AAVSO designation 1921+50 ; available charts are:
> q scale chart, made 3/91; field of view is 8 degrees
>