THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 168 1988 May 11 20.58UT. 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. ------------------------------------------------------------------- NEW NAMES FOR MOONS OF SATURN/URANUS The IAU Executive Committee has approved new designations: Saturn XII Helene = 1980 S6 (Dione B) Uranus VI Cordella = 1986 U7 Uranus VII Ophelia = 1986 U8 Uranus VIII Bianca = 1986 U9 Uranus IX Cressida = 1986 U3 Uranus X Desdemona = 1986 U6 Uranus XI Juliet = 1986 U2 Uranus XII Portia = 1986 U1 Uranus XIII Rosalind = 1986 U4 Uranus XIV Belinda = 1986 U5 Uranus XV Puck = 1985 U1 These satellites of Uranus are numbered in order of increasing distance from the primary. IAUC 4609 X-RAY NOVA IN VULPECULA P.Charles, RGO, et al reports that candidate 'B' was observed on June 7.12UT with the faint object spectrograph on the 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope. The spectrum closely resembles that of V616 Mon taken one month after outburst and the optical identification of ASM 2000+25 can now be considered secure. IAUC 4609 PLUTO Pluto was predicted to occult a star of mag 13 (see E-166). Indirect reports to the Central Bureau have been received of observations by J.L.Eliott and E.W.Dunham, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, from the Kuiper Airborne Observatory, located some 5500km south of Hawaii. Disappearance and reappearance during the 80-s event at 10h37mUT were gradual, suggesting the presence of an atmosphere. IAUC 4611 MARKARIAN 421 J.Isles e-mails further results (cf E-167) June 8.77, 13.1; 9.82, 13.0. Guy M Hurst