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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1114      1996 Aug 16 18.00UT
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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SUPERNOVAE 1996ao AND 1996ap IN ANONYMOUS GALAXIES
The Mount Stromlo Abell Cluster Supernova Search Team (cf. IAUC
6418) reports the discovery of two apparent supernovae on CCD
images taken by S. Chan on the Mount Stromlo 1.27-m telescope (+
Macho Camera).  SN 1996ao is located near Abell 3128 at R.A. =
3h28m03s.60, Decl. = -52 53'53".6 (equinox 2000.0), and is offset
1".8 east and 0".8 south of the nucleus of the host galaxy.  SN
1996ao is visible at mag approximately 19 on V and R CCD images
taken on Aug. 2, and was not detected on similar frames taken on
June 24; a nearby star of mag 14 has position end figures 07s.19,
56'08".7.  SN 1996ap is located near Abell 3806 at R.A. =
21h45m53s.49, Decl. = -57 08'27".3, and is offset 8".6 east and
4".0 north of the nucleus of the host galaxy.  SN 1996ap is visible
at mag approximately 19.5 on V and R CCD images taken on Aug. 11,
and was not detected on similar frames taken on Aug. 2; a nearby
star of mag 13 has position end figures 36s.63, 03".0.
IAUC 6451 (Extract)

NOVA SAGITTARII 1996
L. V. Morrison and R. W. Argyle, Royal Greenwich Observatory,
report an accurate optical position for N Sgr 1996, from nine
observations obtained with the Carlsberg Automatic Meridian Circle
on La Palma and operated by C. Fabricius and L. V. Morrison: R.A. =
18h23m42s.501, +/- 0s.005, Decl. = -18o07'14".80 +/- 0".07 (equinox
J2000.0, FK5 reference frame, epoch 1996.61).  The following V
magnitudes have also been measured (+/-0.08 mag):  Aug. 5.94 UT,
11.01; 6.94, 11.20; 7.94, 11.54; 8.93, 11.65; 9.93, 11.96; 10.93,
12.29; 11.92, 12.07; 12.92, 12.19; 13.92, 12.15.
IAUC 6450 (Extract)

PERSEID METEORS 1996
A. Kereszturi, K. Sarneczky, and I. Tepliczky, Hungarian
Astronomical Association; and P. Jenniskens, NASA Ames Research
Center, report that observations from Europe suggest that the peak
in 1996 Perseid activity occurred around Aug. 12.06 UT, at up to
two or three times the normal rates.  C. M. Gaskell, University of
Nebraska, writes that the mean Perseid magnitude on Aug. 12 was
almost two mag brighter than historic means.
IAUC 6450 (Extract)

Martin Mobberley