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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1185      1997 Apr 19 15.44UT
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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COMET C/1997 G1 (MONTANI)
Joe Montani, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, reports the discovery
of a comet with the Spacewatch 0.9-m telescope at Kitt Peak.
J. Larsen assisted with the observations on Apr. 9.  The
measurements below are by Montani (Apr. 9, showing a tail extending
for 2' from the coma in p.a. 285 deg) and by J. V. Scotti (Apr. 10,
coma diameter 10", tail extending 1'.3 in p.a. 284 deg).  On Apr.
10.122 UT, m2 = 21.4.
     1997 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.        m1
     Apr.  9.13872    7 16 09.59   +19 59 45.7   19.1
           9.14671    7 16 09.91   +19 59 44.9   19.1
           9.16504    7 16 10.53   +19 59 44.0   19.0
          10.12171    7 16 44.12   +19 58 42.3
          10.13250    7 16 44.49   +19 58 41.4   19.9
          10.13897    7 16 44.76   +19 58 41.7   19.4
IAUC 6622
Orbital elements by Brian Marsden:
T  1997 Sept 14.9870 TT      w 241.45700 )
e  1.00000000                O 263.38500 ) 2000.0
q  4.3057800 A.U.            i   3.66700 )
Source: IAUC 6624    Positions are geocentric
m =  9.0 + 5.0 log R + 10.0 log r

Ephemeris by G.Hurst using EPH.EXE by Nick James:

  Date    R.A. (2000) Dec.     R       r     Elong  Mag.    Motion
          h  m       o  '     (AU)    (AU)     o          "/hr P.A.
1997 Apr
  12.00   7 17.86  +19 56.6   4.450   4.494   86.1  18.8    22   98
  22.00   7 24.59  +19 43.5   4.573   4.472   77.9  18.8    26   98
1997 May
   2.00   7 32.38  +19 26.8   4.692   4.450   70.1  18.8    30   99
  12.00   7 41.12  +19  6.3   4.805   4.430   62.5  18.9    33  100
  22.00   7 50.66  +18 41.6   4.911   4.411   55.2  18.9    36  101
1997 June
   1.00   8  0.87  +18 12.7   5.007   4.394   48.0  18.9    38  102
  11.00   8 11.62  +17 39.3   5.093   4.379   41.1  18.9    40  103
  21.00   8 22.81  +17  1.5   5.166   4.364   34.3  19.0    42  104

SUPERNOVA 1997bq IN NGC 3147
S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, forwards the following precise position
of SN1997bq (found by Stephen Laurie, E1182), obtained by M. Aoki,
Toyama, on Apr. 9.628 UT with a 0.43-m f/6 reflector (+ unfiltered
CCD): R.A. = 10h17m05s.33, Decl. = +73o23'02".1 (2000),which is
50" east and 60" south of the centre of NGC 3147.  The supernova's
magnitude was 15.4.
IAUC 6621

SUPERNOVA 1997br IN ESO 576-40
The Beijing Astronomical Observatory (BAO) Supernova Survey reports
the discovery on Apr. 10.6 UT with the 0.6-m BAO reflector
(+ unfiltered CCD) of a supernova (mag about 14.5) located at
R.A. = 13h20m42s.40, Decl. = -22o02'12".3 (2000.0), which is 20".6
west and 51".6 north of the nucleus of ESO 576-40 = PGC 46574.
Unfiltered CCD images of the same field taken on Jan. 8 (limiting
mag about 18.0) show no star at this position. Similar images taken
on Apr. 11.6 show that SN 1997br had brightened to mag 14.2.
IAUC 6623 (extract)
Guy M Hurst