THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No.5 1987 Feb 10 21.28UT

Nova Herculis 1987
The object announced in E-circular 4 has been confirmed as a nova.
Bad weather throughout Europe has meant that there are serious gaps
in the light curve, but observations this morning, Feb 10, suggest
a fade to about magnitude 9.2visual. Pending the issue of an
extended sequence, please label selected stars near the nova and
send sketch and estimate in full for later reduction.
P/Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 2(1986h)
J.-C. Merlin, Le Creusot, France, has reported to TA that this
comet was observed at mag 12 on Jan 31. The predictions of mag 20
in the BAA Handbook refer to the nuclear magnitude only but it is
clear the total mag is brighter than expected.
Ephemeris:
1987ET  RA (1950) DEC    Earth  Sun  Elong
Feb 14 02 13.34 +09 53.6 2.667 2.512 70.3
    24 02 26.26 +11 12.6
Mar  6 02 40.58 +12 33.9 2.827 2.439 57.3
    16 02 56.17 +13 55.7
    26 03 12.95 +15 16.3 2.956 2.370 45.7
                                             MPC 10 960.
Comet Nishikawa-Takamizawa-Tago(1987c)
Revised elements:
T= 1987 Mar.18.192 ET    Peri=203.649
                         Node=176.046
q= 0.84675 AU            Incl=172.122
Ephemeris:
1987 ET  RA (1950) DEC    Earth  Sun  Elong m1
Feb  9 23 39.07 +00 38.37 1.708 1.085 35.8  8.0
    14 23 34.68 -00 29.96 1.765 1.032 29.2  7.8
    19 23 30.58 -01 34.08 1.809 0.984 22.8  7.7
    24 23 26.65 -02 35.49 1.841 0.941 16.5  7.5
The magnitude should gradually brighten from 8.0 to 7.5 over this
period but the comet will become a very difficult object in late
February due to the small solar elongation.
Comet Terasako (1987d)
A.Pickup, Hawaii, has e-mailed to say that he has observed this
comet as follows:
Jan 31.23UT, 7.5 (20x80B); Feb 2.23, 8.2; 3.22, 8.0.
This suggests the predictions in E-circ 4 may be broadly correct.
No reports have been received from the UK and it remains very badly
placed.

YZ Cancri
If observers have this eruptive on their programme, please advise
if seen in outburst during Feb as I have been asked to alert
professional astronomers using the IUE satellite.

Guy M Hurst                     Node=176.046