THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 790 1993 Nov 21 12.50UT 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------- DISK-LIKE OBJECT OF 1993 OCT 20 (=Q1993/092) On October 20, professional astronomers at Copenhagen University Observatory in Denmark reported to the Central Bureau and ourselves that a bright disk-like object had been seen from the oil-rig Tyra-East situated in the North Sea at the following location: 55deg 43.5'N; 4deg 48.2' E.(about 230 km west of Blaavand). At the time it appeared only a single observer had recorded the object but a fuller report has just been received indicating their were other independent observers of this strange event. The original observation was by a weatherman who observed it on October 20 between 03.50 and 05.15UT. He described it as having an integrated brightness of approximately mag -9. It was diffuse, circular and displaying an orange disk of about the diameter of Full Moon but without any structure. During the period of observation it stayed at a nearly constant distance from Capella. Erik Hoeg has subsequently advised us that the object seen both to the naked eye and in binoculars from Tyra-East, was also seen from S-vagt Preventer where observers also mentioned it had a comet-like tail pointing east. It was also seen from Maersk feeder with the naked eye. (Presumed from ships-Editor) He adds that his calculations show the object, originally seen near the Zenith from Tyra-East could have been observed from the UK at around 60 degrees altitude near magnitude -6. It appears from the meteor notes in TA (1993 November in press) that many observers may have been out observing the Orionids around this date and time and we ask that anyone who may have noted such an object or anything unusual please e-mail the editor as soon as possible. FAST-MOVING OBJECT (=Q1993/104) The Central Bureau are currently investigating a bright newly-discovered fast-moving object and a preliminary ephemeris below will hopefully enable TA observers to secure observations: Date TT R. A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. Phase V 1993 11 21.0 02 43.64 +16 40.7 0.046 1.032 164.8 14.5 12.2 1993 11 21.1 02 41.60 +16 59.7 0.046 1.032 164.3 15.0 12.2 1993 11 21.2 02 39.57 +17 18.5 0.046 1.032 163.8 15.5 12.2 1993 11 21.3 02 37.53 +17 37.1 0.046 1.032 163.3 16.0 12.2 1993 11 21.4 02 35.50 +17 55.5 0.046 1.032 162.8 16.5 12.3 1993 11 21.5 02 33.48 +18 13.8 0.046 1.032 162.3 17.0 12.3 1993 11 21.6 02 31.46 +18 32.0 0.046 1.032 161.7 17.5 12.3 1993 11 21.7 02 29.44 +18 49.9 0.046 1.032 161.2 18.0 12.3 1993 11 21.8 02 27.43 +19 07.7 0.047 1.032 160.6 18.5 12.4 1993 11 21.9 02 25.43 +19 25.2 0.047 1.032 160.1 19.0 12.4 1993 11 22.0 02 23.43 +19 42.6 0.047 1.032 159.6 19.5 12.4 1993 11 22.1 02 21.43 +19 59.8 0.047 1.032 159.0 20.0 12.4 1993 11 22.2 02 19.44 +20 16.8 0.047 1.032 158.5 20.6 12.5 1993 11 22.3 02 17.46 +20 33.7 0.047 1.032 157.9 21.1 12.5 1993 11 22.4 02 15.49 +20 50.3 0.047 1.032 157.4 21.6 12.5 1993 11 22.5 02 13.52 +21 06.7 0.048 1.031 156.9 22.1 12.5 1993 11 22.6 02 11.56 +21 22.9 0.048 1.031 156.3 22.6 12.5 1993 11 22.7 02 09.61 +21 39.0 0.048 1.031 155.8 23.1 12.6 1993 11 22.8 02 07.66 +21 54.8 0.048 1.031 155.2 23.7 12.6 1993 11 22.9 02 05.72 +22 10.4 0.048 1.031 154.7 24.2 12.6 1993 11 23.0 02 03.80 +22 25.8 0.048 1.031 154.2 24.7 12.6