THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 684       1992 Nov 15 12.26UT
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      TELECOM GOLD: 10074:MIK2885
GMH at UK.AC.RUTHERFORD.STARLINK.ASTROPHYSICS  STARLINK: RLSAC::GMH
GMH at UK.AC.CAM.ASTRONOMY.STARLINK            STARLINK: CAVAD::GMH
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NOVA IN THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD 1992
William Liller, Vina del Mar, Chile, reports his discovery with
Problicom of an apparent nova in the Large Magellanic Cloud at
R.A. = 5h19m.7, Decl. = -68 57' (equinox 1950.0), providing the
following magnitudes from Tech Pan film:  Nov. 4.34 UT, [15; 11.21,
10.7 (red filter).  The object is visible on four additional films.
P. Camilleri, Cobram, Victoria, Australia, observed the object at
mv = 10.2 on Nov. 12.472.
IAUC 5651
Paul Camilleri has e-mailed an additional estimate to us:
1992 Nov 13.460, 10.2 (0.20-m Reflector).

PERIODIC COMET SWIFT-TUTTLE (1992t)
Nick James, Chelmsford emails that a photograph taken on 1992 Nov
13 at 17.57UT shows a long, wispy ion tail in PA 050 and two faint
short tails (only 3-4'long) in PA 045 and 055 respectively. The
longest tail goes off the frame but is at least 35' in length.
The coma is about 3' diameter on the print with a a very distinct
star-like nucleus which is offset to the E of the centre of the
coma. The photograph was a 5m 40s exposure on hypered TP2415.

SUPERNOVA 1992bi IN ANONYMOUS GALAXY
C. Pennypacker et al Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and the Center
for Particle Astrophysics, Berkeley; B. Boyle and R. McMahon,
Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge; P. Bunclark, D. Carter,
M. Irwin, and R. Terlevich, Royal Greenwich Observatory; R. Ellis,
University of Durham; and W.Couch, Unih\.Z:y of New South Wales,
report the detection of a supernova with the Isaac Newton 2.5-m
telescope during a search for high-redshift supernovae. The
supernova is at R.A. = 16h08m28s.40, Decl. = +39 54'57".7 (equinox
1950.0), and is 1".5 east and 0".5 north of the core of the host
galaxy.  The supernova was discovered at magnitude R = 22 on an
Apr. 21 image, and then confirmed on images from Apr. 24, 28, May
2, 7, 9, and 11.  Two previous reference images from Mar. 25 and
27, and later follow-up images on June 10 (T. Small and J. Mould,
Palomar 5-m reflector), July 6 (C. Crawford and R. Abraham, Isaac
Newton telescope), and Aug. 21 and 22, all show no supernova to a
limit of mag about 24.  The photometry points and upper limits
indicate SN 1992bi to be a type-Ia supernova, with an implied
redshift of about 0.45.  On Aug. 21, the spectrum of the host
galaxy was observed at the William Herschel 4.2-m telescope by
K. Glazebrook (Durham) and the redshift measured to be 0.457.
IAUC 5652

MONITORING OF RCB STARS (PRO-AM)
Professional astronomers in the Ukraine have requested our
assistance in monitoring the following list of R-CrB type stars
(plus one eruptive) visually from now until December 15:
R CrB; SU Tau; UV Cas; DY Per; V482 Cyg; and also RR Tau.
Please e-mail observations daily until Dec 15 and, if a fade
starts to occur in the R CrB stars please ensure a message is
sent as an urgent priority.

Guy M Hurst