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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1182      1997 Apr 08 20.06UT
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 1997bq IN NGC 3147 (=Q1997/031)
On 1997 Apr 7 Stephen Laurie reported a possible supernova in
NGC 3147 during searches as a member of the UK Nova/Supernova
Patrol.
An alert was issued by the Editor under reference Q1997/031
appealing for confirmation. Assistance sought from the Central
Bureau resulted in spectral confirmation and in the meantime the
Editor noted the object was missing from Vickers and also from the
chart for NGC 3147 in the library of the patrol. A nearby magnitude
18 star was however shown on both Vickers and the TA chart. The
Central Bureau has just made the following announcement on
IAUC 6616:

Stephen Laurie, Church Stretton, Shropshire, U.K., reports his
discovery of a supernova (mag about 16.1) on CCD images taken with
a 0.25-m reflector during Apr. 7.91-8.00 UT.  SN 1997bq is located
at R.A. = 10h17m04s.0, Decl. = +73o23'03" (equinox 2000.0), which
is 1' southeast of the galaxy's nucleus, embedded in the fainter
outer arms of the galaxy.  A nearby star (mag 18) has position end
figures 07s.1, 10".  No star is visible at the position of the
supernova on images taken on Feb. 27 and Mar. 24.91 (limiting mag
17.0-17.5), nor is anything present on the Digital Sky Survey.
P. Challis, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics,
reports that a spectrum obtained at the Multiple Mirror Telescope
shows this to be a type-Ia supernova, 1 or 2 days before maximum.

This is the fifth supernova to be found by a member of the
UK Nova/Supernova Patrol and the second (after SN 1996bo by
Mark Armstrong) to be discovered from England.

We extend our sincere congratulations to Stephen on this fine
work and would welcome further observations of the object which
may not yet have reached maximum brightness.

Guy M Hurst