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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1137      1996 Oct 23 20.25UT
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 673 (=Q1996/079)
Mark Armstrong, Assistant Coordinator of the UK Nova/Supernova
Patrol, reported to the Editor in the early hours of Oct 23 that
he had imaged a possible new object in NGC 673. The object of
mag 15 and about 10" E of the nucleus was recorded using 0.26-m
reflector + CCD initially on 1996 Oct 23 at 02.17UT and on a
further sequence of images up to 03.42UT during which time no
motion was detected. A check for asteroids by the Editor using
AST.EXE by Nick James showed no candidates.

Following an appeal issued by the Editor under reference Q1996/079
Robert McNaught in Australia relayed the message to Gordon
Garradd in Loomberah who, within hours, confirmed the presence of
the object with a 0.25-m Newtonian + HI-SIS 22 CCD. He obtained
astrometry as follows:
SN?    1996 Oct 23.46754UT RA 01h48m22.80s DEC +11 31'15.8"(2000)
Galaxy 1996 Oct 23.46754UT RA 01h48m22.48s DEC +11 31'17.4"(2000)

The images by Mark Armstrong of Oct 12 (no new object) and
Oct 23 (with new object) together with images by Gordon Garradd
and from the Palomar Sky Survey have been downloaded by the
Editor and compared. It is clear that the object was not on
earlier imaging by Mark Armstrong and appears to be missing from
the Palomar unless very faint.

An appeal has been issued to various professionals for a
spectrum to be obtained to establish whether the object is
a supernova.

We would be interested to learn if anyone has any records of
other supernovae found by observers in England in the past.

Guy M Hurst