THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 202 1988 Sep 24  16.47UT.
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.
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Z CAM
P.Schmeer, Germany, e-mails confirmation of the end of standstill
for Z Cam (cf E-200): Sept 22.078UT, 12.8.
S.Lubbock e-mails that the star remained at magnitude 13.1 on Sept
16,17,18,19.

VY AQR
Following the note by John Isles (Cyprus) that VY Aqr was glimpsed
at 13.8? on Sept 16, S.Lubbock reports he saw it at magnitude 14.1
on the same date at 21.35UT. Subsequent efforts have produced
negative estimates.

(3205) BOKSENBERG = 1979 MO6
MPC 13 480 carries the following citation for the above asteroid:
Discovered 1979 June 25 by E.F.Helin and S.J.Bus at Siding Spring.
Named in honour of Alexander Boksenberg, director of RGO, in
recognition of his invention of the image-photon counting system
and its application to a wide variety of astronomical problems. The
first discoverer acknowledges the role he played in introducing her
to the UK 1.2-m Schmidt facility in NSW, where she conducted the
program in which (3205) was discovered. Name endorsed by W.L.W.
Sargent.                                         MPC 13 480

1988 NF
A.Maury, Palomar Observatory, reported discovery of this new
asteroid photographed on July 12 at mag 14.5.It is well placed for
observation and relatively bright. Ephemeris:
1988 ET    RA(1950)  DEC      Earth  Sun   Elong  V
Sept 26   23h55.84m +59 25.7'
Oct   6   23 59.10  +57 20.5  0.601  1.442 126.8  12.9
     16   00 04.54  +53 41.7
     26   00 12.94  +48 43.8  0.600  1.491 137.3  12.8
Nov   5   00 24.10  +42 55.8
     15   00 37.47  +36 55.8  0.662  1.556 140.0  13.1
     25   00 52.50  +31 21.4
Dec   5   01 08.59  +26 36.8  0.804  1.631 131.1. 13.7
     15   01 25.41  +22 51.0
     25   01 42.76  +20 02.0  1.017  1.713 117.8  14.4    MPC 13486
Astrometry by our group is strongly urged.
It would also be useful to make magnitude estimates as the
predicted values are based on the discoverer's magnitude only.
In mid November the object passes near V And (RA 00h47.4m
DEC +35 23',1950) for which AAVSO (b), (e) and (f) charts are
available giving a sequence to 14.7. Copies can be supplied on
e-mail request but can someone calculate the daily offsets in arc
mins and positional angles from the variable please?

COMET MACHHOLZ (1988j)
H. Bohnhardt and V. Vanysek, Astronomical Institute, University
of Erlangen-Nurnberg, Bamberg, write:  "Calculation of a dynamical
model of the dust tail of Comet Machholz 1988j reveals that an
anti-tail of this comet might be observable after its perihelion
passage until perhaps Oct. 10.  Surface photometry of this
phenomenon compared with zodiacal-light brightness data is
desirable."
Total visual magnitude estimates:  Sept. 3.51 UT, 6.0: (C. S.
Morris, near Mt. Wilson, CA, 20x80 binoculars); 3.79, 7.4 (R. H.
McNaught, Coonabarabran, N.S.W., 9x63 binoculars; 0.2-deg tail);
6.50, 7.0 (A. Hale, Las Cruces, NM, 0.41-m reflector); 6.78, 6.6
(D.A.J. Seargent, The Entrance, N.S.W., 15x80 binoculars; in 0.25-m
reflector, 0.2-deg tail in p.a. 248).            IAUC 4652
Note by John Bortle(from TA 1988 Sept in press):
I question whether Comet Machholz can survive its close brush with
the sun. Historically, comets with an Ho of fainter than 7.5 do not
make it and Comet 1988j has an Ho of 8.0. It will be interesting to
see if we can catch it fading out (perhaps the series of
observations between Aug 20 and 23 are the beginnings?). Position
is favourable after perihelion for recovery in the evening sky so
the question of survival will definitely be answered. It will be
interesting.
Ephemeris (from TA 1988 Sept in press):
1988 ET  RA (1950) DEC  Earth  Sun      m1
Oct  1  14h05.1m +04 20 1.171 0.506     5.3
     6  14 49.8  +03 40 1.205 0.642     6.4
    11  15 29.1  +02 48 1.263 0.768     7.3
    16  16 03.5  +01 54 1.341 0.888     8.1
    21  16 33.4  +01 02 1.433 1.002     8.7
    26  16 59.5  +00 17 1.536 1.110     9.3
    31  17 22.4  -00 22 1.647 1.215     9.9
The above ephemeris by Hurst is based on improved elements by Brian
Marsden using 26 observations Aug 7-17:
T   = 1988 Sept 17.589 ET
Peri= 348.971 )
Node= 166.999 ) 1950.0
Incl=  40.175 )
q   =   0.16517 AU                               IAUC 4643

Guy M Hurst