THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 512       1991 Apr 20 17.46UT
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
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NOVA OPHIUCHI 1991
R. H. McNaught, Anglo-Australian Observatory, reports the following
position for the object in Oph (cf E510) from an exposure on
Apr. 15.6 UT with the Uppsala Southern Schmidt:
R.A. = 17h17m14s.02, Decl. = -26 43'27".1 (1950). This represents
an empty field on the SERC J, I, and R, ESO B and R, and Palomar B
and R surveys, implying a minimum photographic magnitude fainter
than 21 and ruling out a Mira variable, which would be prominent on
the I survey.  The nearest stars on the SERC J survey (1976 May 29)
are star A (R.A. = 17h17m13s.80, Decl. = -26 43'33".7; mag 17);
star B (end figures 13s.53, 31".2; mag 18); star C (13s.45, 30".0;
mag 17.5); star D (14s.65, 22".4; mag 20). No nearby star shows
evidence of high proper motion, and field stars measured on the
Uppsala and SERC films agree to within 0".7 .
IAUC 5241
R. M. Wagner, Ohio State University; and S. G. Starrfield, Arizona
State University, report:  "Optical spectra of this object were
obtained on Apr. 18.48 UT with the Perkins 1.8-m telescope and CCD
spectrograph (range 440-700 nm, resolution 1 nm). The spectrum
shows strong emission lines due to H-alpha, H-beta, Fe II, He I
(587.6 nm), Na I, Si II (598.0 nm), and N II. The FWHM width of
H-alpha emission is about 2300 km/s. The He I 587.6-nm and Na D
blend exhibits a P-Cyg profile. The spectrum is that of a classical
nova and appears to resemble the spectrum of Nova Vul 1987 (QV Vul)
early in its outburst."
A. C. Gilmore provides the following photometric measurements made
with 0.6-m Cassregrain reflector at Mt. John University Observatory
Apr. 16.67 UT (good observing conditions), V = 10.68 +/- 0.02, U-B
= 0.0 +/- 0.1, B-V = +0.96 +/- 0.02, V-R = +0.86 +/- 0.01, V-I =
+1.62 +/- 0.04; Apr. 17.68 (marginal conditions), 10.71 +/- 0.04,
-0.01 +/- 0.1:, +0.89 +/- 0.02, +0.88 +/- 0.02, +1.52 +/- 0.07.
IAUC 5243
Patrick Schmeer, Germany, e-mails visual estimates:
1991 Apr. 17.104UT, 10.3; 18.083, 10.3.

NOVA IN THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD 1991
W. Liller, Vina del Mar, Chile, reports his discovery with
Problicom of a nova in the LMC.  R. H. McNaught, Anglo-Australian
Observatory, provides the following precise position obtained from
an Apr. 16 U.K. Schmidt plate taken by S. M. Hughes and M. Hartley:
R.A. = 5h04m12s.70, Decl. = -70 22'16".2 (equinox 1950.0). A nearby
star of mag about 14 is located at R.A. = 5h03m56s.90, Decl. =
-70 22'03".3.  Available magnitude estimates (photovisual or visual
unless otherwise noted):  Apr. 11.43, 20 (McNaught); 12.41, 19.5
(McNaught); 13.41, 19 (McNaught); 14.5, [13 (P. Camilleri, Cobram,
Victoria); 15.120, [14 (Liller; red filter); 15.5, [13 (Camilleri);
16.40, 15 (McNaught); 16.42, [14.5 (G. Garradd, Tamworth, N.S.W.);
16.50, [13 (Camilleri); 18.036 and 18.041, 12.3 (Liller, minus UV
filter); 18.53, 12.4 (Camilleri); 19.40, 12.6 (Camilleri).
McNaught's preliminary magnitudes are from U.K. Schmidt plates, and
he notes that nothing appears in this position on the UKST J, R,and
I and the ESO B and R surveys.
IAUC 5244

E-INDEX
David Moore (Dublin) is now on Telecom Gold as 10074:EIM105
Chein-Shiu Kuo (formerly Taiwan) has re-joined the group and can
be contacted in USA via JANET using MAIL:
CBS%EARN-RELAY::EDU.BU.BUCHMF::CSKUO
Guy M Hurst