--------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1051 1996 Feb 23 22:00UT Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise, Basingstoke, Hants, RG22 4PP,England. Telephone/FAX(01256)471074 Int:+441256471074 INTERNET: GUY@TAHQ.DEMON.CO.UK GMH at AST.STAR.RL.AC.UK WORLD WIDE WEB http://www.demon.co.uk/astronomer --------------------------------------------------------------------- NOVA-LIKE OBJECT IN SAGITTARIUS Nakano reports that Yukio Sakurai, Japan, has discovered a possible "slow" nova, on Fuji G400 film using a 300-mm f/2.8 lens. The object is located at: 17h 52m 33s.5 -17o 40' 52" (J2000.0) On Feb 20.806UT the star was red in colour and of magnitude 11.4. IAUC 6322 reports that patrol films taken by Sakurai during 1993-1994 show no candidates at this location, but the star is visible on films beginning in 1995 January (when it was of mag 12.5) and continuing through May, August-October, and again in 1996 January-February -- the star slowly brightening over the past year. S. Benettei and H. W. Duerbeck report that a spectrum taken by E. Cappellaro shows a reddened early G-star with no prominent emission components. This object may be a "slow" nova or a symbiotic nova. Nick James.