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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1107      1996 Aug 05 14.44UT
Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise,  Basingstoke,
Hants, RG22 4PP,England.Telephone/FAX(01256)471074Int:+441256471074
INTERNET: GUY@TAHQ.DEMON.CO.UK             GMH at AST.STAR.RL.AC.UK
WORLD WIDE WEB                    http://www.demon.co.uk/astronomer
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NOVA SAGITTARII 1996
S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, reports the discovery of an apparent nova
by Yukio Sakurai (Mito, Ibaragi-ken) on a Fuji G400 film taken on
July 11.590 UT using a 300-mm f/2.8 camera lens; the star was
present at mag 10 on both July 11.6 and 12.6.  T. Kojima (YGCO
Chiyoda Observatory) measured the nova's position and magnitude on
a CCD image taken with a 0.25-m f/6.0 reflector on July 12.673:
R.A. = 18h23m42s.49, Decl. = -18o07'15".0 (equinox 2000.0),
R =10.1.

R. M. Wagner et.al. have obtained a spectrum suggesting it is a
slow nova in its early decline stage.

A. Gilmore and P. Kilmartin, Mount John University Observatory,
report the following photometry of the nova obtained on
July 13.498: V = 10.59, U-B = +0.20, B-V = +1.10, V-R = +0.80,
V-I = +1.55.
IAUC 6443 (extract)

Guy M Hurst