THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 611      1992 Feb 23  15.44UT
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
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NOVA CYGNI 1992
Further to the announcement on E610, further information is now
available relating to this nova:
B. A. Skiff, Lowell Observatory, provides the following precise
position measured from a plate taken by S. J. Bus with the 0.33-m
astrograph on Feb. 20.094 UT, upon which images were slightly
trailed and the star's magnitude was estimated as B = 5.5:
R.A. = 20h30m31s.76, Decl. = +52 37'52".9 (equinox 2000.0).
IAUC 5454
Janet Mattei reports the precessed position for 1950:
RA 20h 29m 07s DEC +52 27'45"(1950).
The discoverer, Peter Collins, is located at Boulder, USA.
AAVSO Alert 155
G. Sonneborn and R. Polidan, Goddard Space Flight Center; and S.
Starrfield, Arizona State University, report:  "Low- and high-
resolution ultraviolet spectra (range 120-335 nm; resolution 0.6
and 0.02 nm) of Nova Cyg 1992 were obtained with the International
Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite during Feb. 20.9-21.1 UT.
Mg II (280.0 nm) and Al III (185.8 nm) were detected in emission,
with blueward absorption troughs extending to about -2800 km/s.
The spectrum shortward of 170 nm is broken up by numerous
absorption features characteristic of optically thick ejecta
observed in the early outburst phase of other novae (e.g., OS And,
N Pup 1991). Numerous interstellar lines are detected against the
relatively smooth continuum longward of 170 nm.  The visual
magnitude during these observations was about 4.9, as measured with
the IUE Fine Error Sensor."
IAUC 5456

NOVA SAGITTARII 1992
R. H. McNaught, Anglo-Australian Observatory, reports that N Sgr
1992 has increased in brightness by more than 10 magnitudes. The
nearest star to the earlier reported position on the ESO B survey
is a star of mag 18-19, of no obvious color, situated at R.A. =
18h06m28s.68, Decl. = -25 52'32".1 (equinox 1950.0; uncertainty
0".3 in R.A., 0".2 in Decl.).  On the SERC J survey, there is a
blend of stars around mag 20 at the nominal position.  Magnitude
estimate from P. Camilleri, Cobram, Victoria:  Feb. 15.724 UT, 9.4.
IAUC 5453

SUPERNOVA 1992H IN NGC 5377
William Wren, McDonald Observatory, reports his visual discovery of
a supernova located about 57" east and 19" north of the nucleus of
NGC 5377 (R.A. = 13h54m.3, Decl. = +47 29', equinox 1950.0).
Nothing appears at this position on the Palomar Sky Survey.  SN
1992H was near mv about 15.0 at discovery on Feb. 11.50 UT, and the
brightness has remained near this level on Tech Pan photographs
taken by Wren on Feb. 13.37, 13.40, 15.31, 16.33, 17.36, 17.39,
21.24, and 21.27.
T. Iijima, M. Turatto, and E. Cappellaro, Asiago Observatory,
report that a spectrogram (resolution about 1 nm) of SN 1992H was
obtained with the 1.82-m telescope (+ Boller & Chivens spectrograph
+ CCD) on Feb. 21.07 UT.  A preliminary inspection of the spectrum
shows a blue continuum with broad H-alpha (FWHM about 25 nm) and no
sign of P-Cyg absorption, resembling the type-II linear supernovae
1979C and 1980K when 2-3 weeks past maximum light.
IAUC 5456

Guy M Hurst