THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 739 1993 May 3 18.53UT 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------- SUPERNOVA 1993L IN IC 5270 Robert Evans, Hazelbrook, New South Wales, Australia, reports his visual discovery of an apparent supernova located about 40" west and 15" north of the center of IC 5270 (R.A. = 22h55m.2, Decl. = -36 07', equinox 1950.0). Upon first detection at Apr. 30.8 UT, he estimated mv about 14. R. H. McNaught, Anglo-Australian Observatory, reports the following precise position from a short exposure taken in twilight on Apr. 30.83 with the Uppsala Southern Schmidt telescope: R.A. = 22h55m05s.81, Decl. = -36 07'31".0 (equinox 1950.0, uncertainty 0".4 in each coordinate); the galaxy was only weakly recorded, but the supernova appears due west. N. Suntzeff, Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory, communicates: "CCD images taken with the CTIO 0.9-m telescope by G.Williger on May 1.43 UT show SN 1993L to be 25" west and 1".4 north of the galaxy's center. Reduction of the CCD frames by R. ;(les yields the following magnitudes (R and I on the Kron-Cousins system): B = 14.26, V = 13.60, Rc = 13.61, Ic = 13.71). The photometry was performed with a 14"-diameter aperture and may be slightly contaminated by the galaxian light at the 0.03-magnitude level. The suspected supernova is in the disk of IC 5270 near a prominent dust lane, and the red colors may indicate high reddening. IC 5270 is a particularly interesting galaxy because it is a member of the Grus cluster and has been used in Tully-Fisher distance scale work, and further observations are urged." IAUC 5780/5781 FINDERS We are pleased to announce an upgrade to the 'Finders' suite of programs. The latest revision is to 'FINDVGA.EXE' which is suitable for those with Super VGA monitors. Latest enhancements are: 1) S,W,E,N now displayed. 2) Chart sequential number now displayed on screen. 3) New 'back one chart' option introduced to permit library search. 4) New printer support which now covers: a) Epson FX-80 and compatibles b) HP Laserjet II c) HP deskjet 500 The disk details are: FINDERS.EXE 78864 19-06-92 ) FINDVGA.EXE 72912 25-04-93 ) VAR1.LOG 56051 (Data File for Variables) 7-02-93 ) 75 charts included. X/Y read out. VAR2.LOG 18944 (Data File for Variables) 24-04-93 ) 19 charts included. RA/DEC read out. GALAXY.LOG 12046 (Data File for Galaxies ) 3-01-93 ) 11 charts included. EQ2XY.EXE 12080 XY conversion to RA/DEC 23-06-92 ) The program now costs #15.00 for first purchase or #4.00 for an upgrade. Please send a formatted disk preferably to 3.5inch size and if an upgrade order this should contain your existing version of the program. We are indebted to Nick James for his continued support of TA finances by software development,