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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1133      1996 Oct 13 11.36UT
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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POSSIBLE SUPERNOVA IN NGC 5308 (=Q1996/074)
On the evening of Oct 12 the Editor received a telephone call from
Stefano Pesci in Italy, a member of the UK Nova/Supernova Patrol
and International Supernova Network reporting his sighting of a
possible supernova on 1996 Oct 12.79UT in NGC 5308 (UMa). An alert
was e-mailed to the TA Group under reference Q1996/074 appealing
for confirmation of the object which was of magnitude 14.5 and
located approximately 20" SW of the nucleus. The galaxy's
catalogued position is: RA 13h47.0m DEC +60 58'(2000).

Although no response was received from the TA Group overnight,
in the meantime Michael Schwartz in Oregon, USA imaged the galaxy
early on October 13 and confirmed the presence of a new object
using his 0.30-m telescope + ST6 CCD. He compared the latest
image with that obtained with the same equipment on 1996 June 5
and found it absent from the earlier shot.

The Editor cannot find an asteroidal candidate using AST.EXE by
Nick James and there appears to be no candidate on Carnegie
Panel 37.

The object was found by Stefano Pesci and Piero Mazza visually
using a 0.40-m telescope.

Further observations are urgently required and an e-chart
and very approximate sequence follow:
\\\\\\Pos SN    c                   in  NGC 5308
S,400,3,S
-C,13.7833, 60.9667,2000
O,202,188,14.5,?
-L,R,SN
P,13h 47.0m  +60 58'  (2000)
-T,Seq GSC (approximate)
-G,201,192,250,40,60
-L,L,N5308
-S,TA961013
M,10,179,312
-L,L,99
R,10.5,92,84,A
R,11.7,76,56,B
R,12.1,216,278,C
R,13.0,208,140,D
R,13.7,231,196,E
R,14.3,190,238,F
R,14.6,170,163,G
M,12,395,129
M,13,332,10,68,332,122,96,49,297,156,65,110,157
M,14,119,52,238,50,191,108,24,101,122,365,193,301,116,118
M,14,385,260,279,146,69,185
M,15,112,29,287,56,371,395,76,138,316,136
E,31
////// Basic chart automatically generated by CHART ver 1.6

Guy M Hurst