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 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 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