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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1229      1997 Aug 31 11.20UT
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 1997dd IN NGC 6060
S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, reports the discovery of an apparent
supernova (V = 16.4) by Masakatsu Aoki (Tsukioka Cho, Toyama) on
ten CCD frames (limiting mag about 17.5) taken with a 0.43-m f/6
reflector around Aug. 20.535 UT.  SN 1997dd is located at R.A. =
16h05m46s.32, Decl. = +21o29'14".3 (equinox 2000.0), which is 79"
west and 9" north of the centre of NGC 6060.  Confirming frames
were taken by Aoki on Aug. 21, and nothing was visible at this
location on his frames taken on May 26, June 14 and 27, July 21,
and Aug. 3 and 10.  P. Garnavich and R. Kirshner, Harvard-
Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, report that K. Stanek obtained
CCD images on Aug. 26.18 with the Whipple Observatory's 1.2-m
reflector, showing SN 1997dd at position end figures 46s.33, 14".2
(+/- 0".4), and magnitudes R about 17.2, B about 17.9 (measured
with respect to the USNO A1.0 magnitudes of the star at position
end figures 52s.60, 31'26".8).
N.Suntzeff, Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory (CTIO) also
reports that spectrophotometry of SN 1997dd leads Phillips and
himself to deduce this object to be a peculiar type-II supernova.
IAUC 6724/6725

SUPERNOVA 1997de IN NGC 6769
Alexander Wassilieff, Palmerston North, New Zealand, reports his
discovery, on two CCD images taken with a 0.36-m f/4 reflector
(+ SBIG ST-7 camera) on Aug. 27, of an apparent supernova (mag
about 18.2) located 14".5 west and 20".6 north of the centre of
NGC 6769 (R.A. = 19h18m.4, Decl. = -60o31', equinox 2000.0).  The
star does not appear on a similar image taken on 1994 July 9, nor
does it appear on the Digital Sky Survey.  B. Schmidt, Mount
Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories, reports via R. Evans that
Brendan Downs (at Camp Duckadang, Queensland) independently found
SN 1997de with a 0.31-m telescope (+ CCD) on Aug. 27.7, the offset
noted as 16" west and 22" north of the centre of NGC 6769.
N. Suntzeff, Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory (CTIO), reports
that spectrophotometry (range 320-900 nm; resolution 900) was
obtained by J. Maza on Aug. 28.0 UT with the CTIO 4-m telescope.
M. Phillips and Suntzeff find the spectrum of SN 1997de to be that
of a type-Ia event, about 4 weeks after maximum.  There is
significant Na I absorption (0.23 nm) at 3900 km/s (at the redshift
of the host galaxy).
IAUC 6725

Gordon J. Garradd, Loomberah, N.S.W., reports the following
precise position for SN 1997de, obtained with a 0.25-m f/4.1
reflector (+ CCD) on Aug. 29.444 UT:
R.A. = 19h18m20s.82, Decl. = -60o29'42".0 (equinox 2000.0); this
corresponds to an offset 14".2 west and 20".7 north of the centre
of NGC 6769.  The estimated magnitude of the supernova was 17.5.
IAUC 6728

Guy M Hurst