THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 489 1991 Feb 26 20.21UT
Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise, Basingstoke,
Hants, RG22 4PP, England. Telephone: (0256)471074 Int:+44256471074
Telex: 9312111261 Answerback: TA G Microlink: MAG60138
JANET:GMH @ UK.AC.CAM.ASTRONOMY.STARLINK GUYH@UK.AC.SUSSEX.CLUSTER
TELECOM GOLD: 10074:MIK2885 PRESTEL 256471074
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SW URSAE MAJORIS
Patrick Schmeer, Germany and Ornulf Midtskogen, Norway have
independently reported an outburst of this variable and further
confirmation has been obtained by G.Poyner, Birmingham:
Feb 24.86UT, [15.3 (Midtskogen); 25.85, 11.3 (Schmeer);
25.85, 11.3 (Midtskogen); 26.79, 11.1 (Poyner).
The previous outburst details of 1990 Mar appeared on E393.
PERIODIC COMET KOWAL 1 (1991i)
J. V. Scotti, University of Arizona, reports his recovery of this
comet with the Spacewatch telescope at Kitt Peak. On Feb. 21UT,
there was a 15" coma and a 29" tail in p.a. 297 deg; on Feb.21.428,
m2 = 21.1. On Feb. 22, there was a 40" tail in p.a. 295 deg; on
Feb. 22.391, m2 = 20.7. The comet is some 3 deg from the
predicted elements on MPC 14593, which require substantial
corrections in both T and omega.
1991 UT R.A. (1950) Decl. m1
Feb. 21.40778 11 11 00.11 + 9 30 42.7 18.4
21.42844 11 10 59.51 + 9 30 46.4
21.45072 11 10 58.88 + 9 30 50.0
22.29616 11 10 35.45 + 9 33 09.5
22.37032 11 10 33.34 + 9 33 21.7 18.4
22.39080 11 10 32.74 + 9 33 25.0
22.41787 11 10 31.99 + 9 33 29.2
The following orbital elements by B. G. Marsden, Center for Astro-
physics, are from 15 observations 1977-1991, mean residual 0".6:
Epoch = 1992 Feb. 28.0 ET
T = 1992 Mar. 10.35418 ET Peri. = 174.42915
e = 0.2328662 Node = 28.11994 1950.0
q = 4.6691224 AU Incl. = 4.38495
a = 6.0864516 AU n = 0.06563837 P = 15.016 years
IAUC 5195
SUPERNOVA 1991J IN NGC 5020
J. Mueller reports her discovery, on a plate taken Feb. 19 UT with
the 1.2-m Oschin Schmidt Telescope in the course of the second
Palomar Sky Survey by J. D. Mendenhall and herself, of a supernova
of red magnitude about 17 located 33".6 west and 55".8 south of the
center of NGC 5020 (R.A. = 13h10m.2, Decl. = +12 52', equinox
1950.0).
IAUC 5196
SUPERNOVA 1991K IN NGC 2851
R. H. McNaught, University of Adelaide, reports his discovery, on a
U.K. Schmidt Telescope plate taken Feb. 20.55 UT by P. McKenzie, of
a supernova of magnitude R about 18 in NGC 2851. The supernova is
located at R.A. = 9h18m09s.39, Decl. = -16 17'16".0 (equinox
1950.0), or 5" east and 19" south of the galaxy's center. No star
appears in this position on the first Palomar Survey or on UKST
J plates taken in 1983 or 1986. The galaxy is edge-on with a sub-
stantial halo and a weak dust lane. A nearby star of mag about
16.5 is at R.A. = 9h18m11s.39, Decl. = -16 17'30".7.
IAUC 5196
TELECOM GOLD
Our attention has been drawn to the character width of these
circulars being word-wrapped at 40 chars to those on some systems
of GOLD. This has been referred to the HELPLINE for advice.
Guy M Hurst