-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1235      1997 Sep 23 17.27UT
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
-------------------------------------------------------------------
SUNGRAZING COMETS: C/1997 R1, C/1997 R2. C/1997 R3
C. St. Cyr, Naval Research Laboratory, on behalf of the SOHO-LASCO
Consortium, reports the discovery of three more probable Kreutz
sungrazing comets.  Measurements by St. Cyr and D. Biesecker have
been reduced by G. V. Williams and are given on MPEC 1997-S05,
1997-S06, and 1997-S07, together with tentative orbital elements
by Brian Marsden.

C/1997 R1, discovered by Biesecker, appeared in C3 coronagraphic
data only and brightened to at best m_1 about 8.

C/1997 R2, also discovered by Biesecker, appeared in both C3 and
C2 data and brightened to m_1 about 6.5.

C/1997 R3, discovered by S. Stezelberger, was also in both C3 and
C2 data and peaked at m_1 about 6.  None of the comets showed any
evidence of a tail.

     1997 UT           R.A. (2000) Decl.       Comet
     Sept. 8.149      10 47.4      + 4 43     C/1997 R1
          14.841      11 09.1      + 2 04     C/1997 R2
          15.998      11 10.1      + 1 36     C/1997 R3
IAUC 6745

SUPERNOVA 1997df IN ANONYMOUS GALAXY
The Mount Stromlo Abell Cluster Supernova Search Team reports the
discovery of an apparent supernova (R = 19) on V and R CCD images
taken on Aug. 15 by S. Chan at the Mount Stromlo 1.27-m telescope
(+ Macho Camera).  SN 1997df is located near Abell 3223 at
R.A. = 4h09m13s.8, Decl. = -30o42'23".3 (2000.0),
which is 5".5 west and 2".9 north of the host galaxy. SN 1997df
was not visible on similar images taken on Aug. 3 (limiting
mag R = 21), but is present in V and R images taken on Aug. 27,
Sept. 8, Sept. 10, and Sept. 17.
IAUC 6745

CATACLYSMIC VARIABLE IN PEGASUS
Y.-l. Qiu, Q.-y. Qiao, and J.-y. Hu, Beijing Astronomical
Observatory (BAO); and A. Esamdin, Urmqi Astronomical Station,
report their discovery in the course of the BAO supernova survey
of a new cataclysmic variable star at
R.A. = 21h12m29s.54, Decl. = +12o32'06".5 (2000.0).  R magnitudes
obtained with the 0.60-m telescope at Xinglong Station:
Sept. 3 UT, [19.0; 18, [18.0; 20.52, 16.0; 21.49, 17.3.
The POSS-I plate shows a very faint object at this position, but
nothing is present in the USNO A1.0 catalogue.  A spectrogram of
the variable was obtained with the 2.16-m telescope at Xinglong
on Sept. 21.58. The spectrum shows typical features of cataclysmic
variables during eruption, with a blue continuum superimposed by
weak H-alpha emission (equivalent width 1.12 nm), H-beta emission
in the core of the absorption, and weak He I lines at 587.6 nm.
IAUC 6746

Guy M Hurst