-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1183      1997 Apr 09 18.50UT
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
-------------------------------------------------------------------
SUPERNOVA 1997bp IN NGC 4680 (=Q1997/032)
P. Marples, Loganholme, Queensland, reports the visual discovery
with a 0.31-m telescope by R. Evans (Hazelbrook, N.S.W.) on
Apr. 6.52 UT of a supernova (mag about 13.8) located 10" west
and 40" south of the centre of NGC 4680 (R.A. = 12h46m55s, Decl. =
-11o38'.3, equinox 2000.0).  No star appears in this position on
the Palomar Sky Survey.  Marples confirmed the existence of a new
star visually on Apr. 6.6.

M. Phillips, Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory (CTIO),
obtained a spectrogram of SN 1997bp on Apr. 7.1 UT with the CTIO
1.5-m telescope; the spectrum shows this to be a type-Ia supernova
caught near maximum light.  Offsets from the nucleus were measured
at the telescope to be about 13".0 west and 19".5 south.

P. Garnavich, P. Challis, and R. Kirshner, Harvard-Smithsonian
Center for Astrophysics, communicate that spectra were obtained at
the Multiple Mirror Telescope on Apr. 7.4 UT.  Strong, broad Si II
absorption is seen at 606.5 nm and Ca II at 368.6 nm.  The spectrum
is again confirmed to be that of a type Ia supernova at maximum.
N. Grogin obtained CCD images of NGC 4680 with the Whipple
Observatory's 1.2-m telescope on Apr. 7.3, showing that SN 1997bp
is located 14".6 west and 20".0 south of the galaxy centre at
magnitude V = 14.2.
IAUC 6613 (extract)

POSSIBLE MAJOR SPACE STORM (=1997/033)
Jonathan Shanklin, Cambridge, England relays news that NASA is
predicting that a major space storm will commence at around
midnight GMT tonight (Apr 9/10).  This is based on measurements
of what is described as the "mother of all Coronal Mass
Ejections" from the sun which was observed by the SOHO spacecraft
on Monday last.  This 'solar belch' has been racing towards us at
about 500 km/s since then.  Since the sky is likely to be  clear
of cloud tonight, it may just be possible that auroral activity
will be visible.  If you are up and about from 1 am onwards it
is suggested you look towards the northern horizon.

Guy M Hurst