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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1151      1996 Dec 23 20.50UT
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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SUPERNOVA 1996bx IN ANONYMOUS GALAXY
The Mount Stromlo Abell Cluster Supernova Search Team reports the
discovery of an apparent supernova on a CCD image taken by S. Chan
on the Mount Stromlo 1.27-m reflector (+ Macho Camera). SN 1996bx
is located near Abell 3202 at:
R.A. = 3h59m16s.45, Decl. = -53d22'26".3 (equinox 2000.0),
which is 0".8 east and 0".2 north of the nucleus of the host
galaxy.  SN 1996bx is visible at mR about 19.2 on V and R CCD
images taken on Nov. 18, and it was not detected on similar frames
taken on Aug. 23; CCD images taken with the 1.27-m reflector on
Nov. 20, Dec. 1 and Dec. 4 show the object present at mR = 19.2,
19.7 and 19.8, respectively.

S. Benetti and M. Turatto, European Southern Observatory, report
that they obtained a CCD spectrogram (range 370-970 nm, resolution
1.5 nm) of the SN candidate on Dec. 7.3 UT at V = 18.3 with the
3.6-m telescope (+ EFOSC).  Because of poor seeing conditions the
spectrum of the object is heavily contaminated by that of the host
galaxy at z = 0.058, as deduced from Ca II H and K, G-band and
Mg I absorptions.  Nevertheless, the typical broad features of a
supernova are definitely present.  Broad lines of Ca II H and K,
Fe II, Si II 635.5-nm and the Ca II infrared triplet have relative
intensities consistent with a type Ia SN some three weeks after
maximum.
IAUC 6517

Guy M Hurst