THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 147 1988 Apr 26 20.09UT. Telecom Gold 72:MAG60138 Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16, Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise, Basingstoke, Hants, RG22 4PP, England. Telephone:(0256)471074.Int:+44256471074 Telex:265871(MONREF G) Quote"72:MAG60138 ATT G.HURST"in FIRST line. ------------------------------------------------------------------- PERIODIC COMET FINLAY (1988f) A.C.Gilmore and P.M.Kilmartin, Mount John Observatory, report that they have recovered this comet: 1988 UT RA (1950) DEC (1950) m2 Apr 21.72515 23 26m21.61 -06 21'31.6" 17 22.74066 23 30 10.83 -05 56 35.8 17 The object is diffuse without condensation and close to predictions on MPC 12 812. IAUC 4586 NOVA OPHIUCHI 1988 Rob McNaught e-mails further observations: Apr 22.49UT, 10.0 (Seargent); 22.53, 10.1(McN); 23.49, 10.0 (Seargent); 23.51, 10.0 (McN); 24.64, 9.8 (McN); 25.77, 9.8 (McN). P.Schmeer, Germany, e-mails a further result: Apr 24.078UT, 10.1. Prediscovery result from McNaught: Mar 24.63, 11.9: P.M.Kilmartin,Mount John Observatory, reports that a blue objective-prism spectrogram obtained by A.C.Gilmore on Apr24.47UT showed strong hydrogen emission lines on a weak continuum. IAUC 4586 NOVA VULPECULAE 1987 This object is brightening after a very deep minimum: Apr23.03UT, 14.4 (S.Korth, Germany); 24.086, 14.3 (Korth); 24.106, 14.3 (P.Schmeer, Germany); 24.134, 14.5 (S.Lubbock, Bridgend). FSV 113211 Alan Young, Burwash, reports the following precise position for