  We present optical and near-IR observations of QX Nor, the counterpart to the
recurrent soft X-ray transient X1608-52, after its reappearance following the
X-ray outburst in February 1996. The object has been seen only once before,
during an X-ray outburst in 1977. Data from 3-5 months after the outburst show
the counterpart at a mean magnitude of R=20.2 and variable on timescales of
days. A comparison with identical observations in 1995 implies that the object
has brightened by at least 1.8 mag in R following the X-ray outburst. We also
detected QX Nor in the IR in both quiescence and outburst. A faint source is
visible in the J but not the R band in May 1995. These first observations in
the quiescent state yield magnitudes and colors consistent with optical
emission from a low mass companion in the binary system, as is true in other
soft X-ray transients.
