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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1301      1998 May 18 20.43UT
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 1998bt
L. Germany reports that the Mount Stromlo Abell Cluster Supernova
Search Team has discovered an apparent supernova (V = 19.7),
presumably associated with the Abell cluster 1736, on V and R CCD
images taken on Mar. 10 with the Mount Stromlo 1.27-m telescope
(+ Macho Camera).  No background host galaxy has been identified
for the object, which is located at:
R.A. = 13h25m41s.93, Decl. = -26o46'55".7 (equinox 2000.0).
SN 1998bt is present on images taken on Feb. 23 and Apr. 6, 18,
and 30, with limiting V magnitudes of 21.0, 21.0, 21.5, and 21.5,
respectively. The object increased in brightness by > 1.5 mag
between Feb. 23 and Apr. 6, and has faded by about half a magnitude
since then. The star was not present on an image taken on Jan. 27
(limiting mag V = 21.5).
IAUC 6898

SUPERNOVA 1998bv IN HS 1035+4758
A. Yu. Kniazev and N. Arkhyz, Special Astrophysical Observatory
(SAO), Russian Academy of Sciences; D. Engels, Hamburger
Sternwarte; S. A. Pustilnik and A. V. Ugryumov, SAO; and
J. Masegosa, Institute de Astrofizica de Andalucia, Granada, report
their discovery of a supernova located 3".1 west and 3".7 south of
the emission-line galaxy HS 1035+4758
(R.A. = 10h38m25s.71, Decl. =+47o42'36".5, 2000.0), which is a
typical blue compact dwarf galaxy (size about 20") with strong H II
emission in its central part. The magnitude of SN 1998bv,
estimated from the calibrated spectrum of Apr. 6, is B about 17.1;
on Apr. 24, a CCD image yielded B = 17.4, B-V = +0.85.
IAUC 6900 (extract)

SUPERNOVAE 1998bx, 1998by, 1998bz, 1998ca, 1998cb
O. Perdereau and N. Regnault, Laboratoire de l'Accelerateur
Lineaire, Universite de Paris-Sud, on behalf of the EROS
collaboration, report the discovery of five apparent supernovae,
discovered in the course of the automated supernova search with the
1-m Marly telescope (+ CCD) at La Silla:
SN       Date UT      R.A. (2000.0) Decl.      V        Offset
1998bx   Apr. 21   11h12m28.05  - 5 58'09.9   19.6   1".2 W, 5" N
1998by   Apr. 21   11 25 07.20  - 5 23 15.2   19.5   0".6 E, 0".6 S
1998bz   Apr. 24   12 11 05.84  - 5 35 33.8   19.1   near center
1998ca   Apr. 24   12 13 29.24  - 6 23 42.0   18.8   7" W, 7" N
1998cb   Apr. 28   10 40 16.07  - 6 15 17.2   20.0   2".3 W, 0".8 N
IAUC 6904 (extract)

COMET C/1998 J1 SOHO
Andrew Pearce, Australia e-mails positive sightings of this
comet (cf E1298, E1299):
1998 May 16.44UT: m1=3.3, Dia=3', DC=9...20x80B
An impressive sight! Intense central condensation appeared
distinctly blue-green in colour.  Parabolic shaped tail 2 deg long
in PA 110 deg with the central condensation at the focus. First 0.5
deg of tail of high surface brightness and visible easily in the
bright twilight sky.
1998 May 17.44UT: m1=3.5, Dia=2.5', DC=9...20x80B
Comet seen in a slightly darker sky than previous night. A very
impressive object reminiscent of C/1995O1 when at similar
brightness.  4.0 deg tail easily visible in PA 100 deg

Guy M Hurst