THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 561 1991 Sept 9 19.20UT 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------- SATURN Mark Kidger e-mails: "Four members of the Planetary and Lunar Section of the Agrupacion Astronomica de Tenerife report independent detection of the splitting of the North Equatorial Belt of Saturn. The observations were made between 22:00UT on August 31 and 01:00UT on September 1 by Jorge Gonzalez, Mark Kidger, Pablo Rodriguez and Rafael Barrera using the 51cm Mons Telescope in Teide Observatory, Tenerife, x270 in very good conditions. All four observers, when comparing notes after finishing observing, stated that the belt was very much broader and displaced to the north compared to its appearance over the last two years and was very clearly split into two, narrowly separated components. The Equatorial Zone is much less bright than at the start of the present apparition and activity on the planetary disc thus seems to have migrated north away from the equator. A previous, unconfirmed report of splitting had been made by Jorge Gonzalez (25cm S-C) at the start of August." In a subsequent telephoned report, Mark informs us this is a rare event and apparently a continuation of the 1990 disturbance. NOVA SCUTI 1991 An e-mail chart follows: \\\\\\ NvSct1991'b' preliminary chart S,120,20,S P,18h 44.4m -08 24' (1950) O,59,58,10.5,21 R,7.70,36,19,1 R,9.00,32,74,2 M,9,9,102,41,10 R,10.23,88,45,3 R,10.48,49,13,4 M,10,113,71,55,32,90,111 M,11,7,27,2,20,9,67,97,59,76,40,54,82,46,38 M,11,9,55,32,60,96,73,113,60,20,110,97,30,50,81 M,11,114,107,73,92,118,67,90,83,108,105,46,85,95,10 R,10.68,60,10,5 R,11.50,61,23,6 M,11,34,13,96,2,81,15,31,7,11,10 M,12,6,79,3,12,83,20,81,73,117,27,28,39,19,26 M,12,46,36,8,36,78,42,85,37,23,76,47,79,30,30 M,12,11,5,29,59,89,23,67,49,90,83,53,25 M,12,100,34,40,106,72,30,91,60,76,62,108,51,68,61 M,12,117,49,30,27,82,51,109,100,110,49,72,11,49,90 M,12,52,16,115,111,110,85,98,118,71,119,55,44,8,69 M,12,53,72,81,111,44,30,82,18,30,16,115,116,33,116 M,12,56,111,110,47,24,106,35,108,54,60,12,114,51,51 M,12,108,50,63,104,113,96,119,111,11,111,101,83,25,31 M,12,114,77,114,62,75,84,29,101,99,92,27,116,77,49 M,12,69,77,19,80,92,58,61,35,18,119,46,105,85,39 R,12.2,60,64,7 R,12.5,61,68,8 M,12,108,72,69,55,107,40,78,55,117,69,54,90 M,12,16,43,39,70,26,103,72,50,35,98,53,103,28,97 M,12,81,53,73,104,117,63,16,114,18,112,78,92,69,93 M,12,87,21,62,8,74,22,110,11,113,18,45,6,104,19 M,12,48,15,83,20,112,6,79,4,68,17,110,23 M,12,27,2,62,3,83,6,26,5,105,3,119,22 E,155 ////// Basic chart automatically generated by GSC2FIND ver 1.0 Guy M Hurst