THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 506      1991 April 6 09.55UT
Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise,  Basingstoke,
Hants, RG22 4PP, England. Telephone:  (0256)471074 Int:+44256471074
Telex: 9312111261 Answerback: TA G                     JANET BOXES:
GMH at UK.AC.CAM.ASTRONOMY.STARLINK or GUYH at UK.AC.SUSSEX.CLUSTER
TELECOM GOLD: 10074:MIK2885                       PRESTEL 256471074
-------------------------------------------------------------------
NOVA CENTAURI 1991
N. Suntzeff, Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory, reports that a
CCD spectrogram obtained by M. Hamuy at the CTIO 1.5-m telescope on
Apr. 3.085 UT confirms that the object reported by Liller (cfE505)
is a nova. R. H. McNaught, University of Adelaide, reports the
following precise position measured from an Uppsala Southern
Schmidt telescope film:
R.A. = 13h46m37s.13, Decl. = -62 54'00".0 (equinox 1950.0).
This position represents an empty field on the SERC J, R, and I and
ESO B and R surveys, indicating a magnitude at quiescence of
fainter than mpg = 22.5.  The nearest star on the surveys is of mag
19 with end figures 37s.38, 53'57".7. No nearby star shows any
noticeable proper motion by intercomparison of the 9 survey films
examined. Field stars measured on the Uppsala nova film and the
1976 U.K. Schmidt Telescope photograph agree to 0".3.  A nearby
star of similar brightness has end figures 39s.94, 53'52".2.
IAUC 5231
Rob McNaught, Australia, e-mails that P.Camilleri, Victoria,
reports magnitude estimates from T-Max 400 exposures with a
200mm lens: Mar 11, [13; 22.66, 12.5.
Preliminary estimates by McNaught: Apr 3.81, 11.4; 4.49, 11.5.

V854 CENTAURI
Rob McNaught e-mails that this R-CrB type variable continues
to fade (cf E494) reaching 13.2 on Apr 4.49UT.

NOVA HERCULIS 1991
Further magnitude estimates:
1991 Mar 26.14UT, 7.2 (O.Midtskogen, Norway); 27.05, 8.2:
(B.Granslo, Norway); 29.08, 8.5 (Midtskogen); 31.01, 9.0: (H.Dahle,
Norway); 31.12, 9.0 (Midtskogen); Apr 3.09UT, 10.6pv (D.Buczynski,
Conder Brow Observatory); 3.99, 11.0 (Granslo); 4.01UT, 10.8pv
(Buczynski) ; 6.07, 10.9 (W.Worraker, Didcot).

Mark Kidger e-mails calculated decay rates:
March 25.19-26.19    2.05 mag/day
      26.19-30.19    0.35 mag/day
      30.19-         0.52 mag/day (when report sent Apr 4)
He mentions a probable max near V=5.0 and that it reached V=8.0
at Mar 27.79UT, and therefore t3=2.8 days, effectively making it
the fastest initial decline recorded, even greater than V1500 Cyg.
A fuller analysis will appear in this month's issue of 'The
Astronomer',

Guy M Hurst