\begin{table}%t2
\caption {\label{summary_afgl}Summary of physical and wind properties of AFGL~2298 for 2001$-$2007.}
\small%\centerline
 {
\begin{tabular}{lccccc}
\hline
\hline
Epoch &  2001 Jun. &  2002 Aug. &    2006 Jun. &     2007 May \\
\hline
$J$     &    13.4   &   13.7    &      12.7   &      13.2    \\
$H$     &    9.8    &   10.0    &       9.2   &       9.6    \\ 
$K$     &    7.9    &    7.9    &       7.2   &       7.6    \\ 
$M_{H}$   & --9.85 & --9.65  &    --10.45  &     --10.05 \\
\hline
$T_{\ast}$ (kK)& 12.5  & 15.5   &     11.0   &      11.5  \\
$R_{\ast}$ ($R_{\odot}$)& 262   &     158  &    385 &   312 \\
$T_{\rm eff}$  (kK)  &  11.7 &  10.9 &   10.3 &    10.9  \\
$R_{2/3}$  ($R_{\odot}$)&  300  &   320 &    444 &  353 \\
BC$_{H}$  &  --0.85  &       --0.90  &          --0.55  &        --0.65 \\
$L_{\ast}$/$L_{\odot}$ &   1.5 $\times$ 10$^6$ & 1.3 $\times$ 10$^6$ & 2.0 $\times$ 10$^6$ & 1.5 $\times$ 10$^6$ \\
$\dot{M}$ ($M_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$) & 4.5 $\times$ $10^{-5}$ & 1.2 $\times$ $10^{-4}$ & 5.2 $\times$ $10^{-5}$  & 4 $\times$ $10^{-5}$ \\
$v_{\infty}$ km~s$^{-1}$  & {\em 200} & {\em 200} & 125  & 125 \\
H/He   &   {\em 5} & {\em 5} & {\em 5} & {\em 5} \\
\hline
\end{tabular}}
\medskip
Note~1. For all epochs we have assumed DM~= 15, $E(B-V)$~= 9, $A_{J}=8.25$, $A_{H}=4.64$, $A_{K}=2.69$ (from Ueta et~al. \cite{ueta}) and H/He~= 5.0, while  $v_{\infty}$~$\sim$ 200~km~s$^{-1}$ was assumed for 2001$-$2002; these latter two parameters are given in italics. Mass-loss rates presented here are {\it not}  corrected for wind clumping. We find errors of $\pm$2~kK ($\pm$0.2~mag in~BC),  $\pm$1.5~kK ($\pm$0.2~mag) and  $\pm$0.5~kK  ($\pm$0.1~mag) for 2001, 2002 and 2006$-$2007 respectively.
\end{table}