THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 595 1992 Jan 4 16.16UT Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise, Basingstoke, Hants, RG22 4PP,England. Telephone/FAX(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 PUPPIS 1991 Paul Camilleri, Cobram, Vic., Australia, has discovered a nova at the position R.A. = 8h09m44s.11, Decl. = -34 58'29".2 (1950) uncertainty 0".3 in R.A., 0".4 in Decl.), this being measured by R. H. McNaught, Siding Spring Observatory, from a 5-second exposure with the Uppsala Southern Schmidt on Jan. 3.6 UT. Magnitude estimates: 1991 Dec. 11.55 UT, [12 (Camilleri, 135-mm lens and T-Max 400 film); 27.51, 6.4 (Camilleri); 1992 Jan. 1.57, 7.4 (Camilleri); 3.57, 8.2 (McNaught, visual); 3.74, 8.3 (McNaught). McNaught notes that the prenova may be a variable that appears just above the plate limit on the SERC I survey plate taken on 1978 Dec. 20 and at m_r about 21 on an R survey taken on 1981 Jan. 9, but it is absent from the ESO R survey of 1979 Dec. 14, which goes about 1 mag deeper than the 1981 plate. The position of the variable was measured on the SERC I survey with end figures 43s.83, 29".1. The nearest stars (measured both on the I and J surveys, mean epoch 1978.0) are at 43s.32, 31".4, mag 20; 44s.04, 18".4, mag 19 (uncertainty 0".3 in each coordinate). A nearby star of mag 15 has end figures 41s.85, 20".6. Photometry by A. C. Gilmore, Mt. John Observatory, yields: Jan. 3.466UT, V = 8.01, U-B = -0.41, B-V = +0.64, V-R = +0.93, V-I = +1.24; 3.555, 8.14, -0.43, +0.62, +0.96, +1.27. Uncertainties are about +/- 0.01 in all colours, except for U-B, which may be as much as 0.06 more negative than given here. Measurement by P. M. Kilmartin (using 9 CPC stars) of a plate taken by Gilmore on Jan. 3.63 UT gives end figures 44s.01, 29".1. EDITORS ILLNESS The issue of these circulars is currently restricted because of the illness of the Editor and it is unlikely replies to routine e-mails can be made for some time. Guy M Hurst