We present a \sim 5-yr optical light curve of the recurrent Be/X-ray transient A0538–66 obtained as a by-product of the MACHO Project .
These data reveal both a long-term modulation at P = 420.8 \pm 0.8 d and a short-term modulation at 16.6510 \pm 0.0022 d which , within errors , confirms the previously found orbital period .
Furthermore , the orbital activity is only seen at certain phases of the 421 d cycle suggesting that the long-term modulation is related to variations in the Be star envelope .