Infrared observations of Sakurai's Object$^\dag$

Kenneth Hinkle & Richard Joyce, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona, USA 85726-6732

We report on 1-5$\,\mu$m infrared monitoring of Sakuari's star carried out over the last four years. This includes an ongoing program of infrared photometry, medium resolution infrared spectroscopy, and high resolution infrared spectroscopy. The longest duration program is high resolution infrared spectroscopy obtained with the Phoenix spectrograph at Kitt Peak. While Sakuari's star has become very faint visually it remains a fairly bright (K=+7) infrared object and can be observed in the 2-5$\,\mu$m region at high resolution. Spectra of the 2.3$\,\mu$m region taken in June 1997 and June 1998 reveal the photosphere of a carbon star. In 1999 and 2000 this same spectral region has become a featureless continuum.