Magakian at the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory[7] and separately that same year by Martin Cohen, Leonard Vello Kuhi and Eugene A. Harlan in California.

Gyul'budaghian's group discovered the nebula's variable nature from followup observations with the 2.6 meter Byurakan reflector, and Cohen's group discovered its variability by comparing the POSS images with images of the region taken over a five-year period at Lick Observatory.

[4] It was found that the nebula sometimes appeared as a streak, and at other times it was shaped like a fan with PV Cephei at its tip.

In addition to the fan shaped nebulousity to the north of PV Cephei, seen by earlier observers, they detected a fainter counterlobe south of the star.

From polarization measurements they concluded that the bright north lobe is not reflected light, but rather intrinsic emission.