------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1071 1996 Apr 24 19.18UT Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise, Basingstoke, Hants, RG22 4PP,England. Telephone/FAX(0256)471074 Int:+44256471074 INTERNET: GUY@TAHQ.DEMON.CO.UK GMH at AST.STAR.RL.AC.UK WORLD WIDE WEB http://www.demon.co.uk/astronomer ------------------------------------------------------------------- SUPERNOVA 1996V IN NGC 3644 Jean Mueller reports her discovery of a supernova on a IV-N plate taken on Mar. 28 UT by K. M. Rykoski and Mueller with the 1.2-m Oschin Schmidt telescope in the course of the second Palomar Sky Survey. SN 1996V (red mag about 16.5 on Apr. 10) is offset 25" west and 5" north of the centre of NGC 3644 (R.A. = 11h21m.5, Decl. = +2o49', equinox 2000.0). SN 1996V is not present on a plate taken on 1991 Jan. 15 by C. Brewer and J.D. Mendenhall. IAUC 6376 SUPERNOVA 1996W IN NGC 4027 W. D. Li, Y. L. Qiu, Q. Y. Qiao, J. Ma, and J. Y. Hu, Beijing Astronomical Observatory (BAO), report the discovery of a supernova found on CCD images taken on Apr. 10 and 11 with the 0.60-m reflector during the BAO supernova survey. SN 1996W (V about 16) is located 3" west and 40" north of the centre of NGC 4027 (R.A. = 11h59m30s.1, Decl. = -19o16'05", equinox 2000.0). IAUC 6379 SUPERNOVA 1996X IN NGC 5061 Gordon J. Garradd, Loomberah, Australia, and S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, report the independent discoveries of an apparent supernova in NGC 5061 by Robert O. Evans (Coonabarabran, N.S.W., on Apr. 12.5 UT, mag about 13, visual) and by Kesao Takamizawa (Saku-machi, Nagano-ken, on Apr. 12.618, mag 13.5, T-Max 400 film),respectively. R. and Y. Kushida (Yatsugatake) report the following precise position for SN 1996X from a CCD frame exposed on Apr. 13.480: R.A. = 13h18m01s.13, Decl. = -26o50'45".3 (equinox 2000.0; mag 14.0), which is about 52" west and 31" south of the galaxy's centre. From a CCD exposure on Apr. 13.443, Garradd provides a position for the supernova with position end figures 01s.14, 46".0. Evans reports that no object was seen at this position on Mar. 24; Y. Kushida reports that a patrol film (Technical Pan 6415, limiting mag 15.5) exposed on 1993 Feb. 24 shows nothing at this position. Furthermore, no object is present at this location on the digital sky survey (field taken in May 1976). A nearby field star of mag about 16 has position end figures 03s.33, 30".5. IAUC 6380 HANDBOOK: COMET C/1996 B2 (HYAKUTAKE) The April issue of TA was delivered to most UK addresses today and should soon reach overseas destinations. Can I remind observers to check the published observations in the all issues featuring the above comet and report any corrections via e-mail to the main Editor as soon as possible. Please also send any observations so far not reported to us as soon as possible. With regard to images, we have received some very large files which are appreciated but which have slightly overloaded our system when sent via e-mail. Could future images intended for the *handbook* itself be therefore sent to Nick James at the alternative Internet address : nick.james@gecm.com All *other cover* material intended for the magazine itself can continue to be e-mailed to the main Editor at the Demon address except where the file exceeds 100K. In such cases please e-mail details of the image first so it can be agreed whether it should be e-mailed or sent via computer diskette. Guy M Hurst