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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1346      1998 Oct 20 20.31UT
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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PROBABLE SUPERNOVA IN UGC 12133 (=Q1998/079)
The Central Bureau have requested that further astrometry is
obtained for the object reported by Tom Boles on TAEC 1345 issued
earlier today to completely rule out the possibility of an
uncatalogued asteroid. Given the UK weather looks unfavourable
tonight, we would appreciate assistance from overseas. For
professionals receiving these circulars we also seek assistance
with spectroscopy.

NOVA IN M31
M. Papenkova, J. Y. King, E. Halderson, T. Shefler, M. Modjaz,
W. D. Li, R. R. Treffers, and A. V. Filippenko, University of
California at Berkeley, report their discovery of an apparent nova
in M31 (NGC 224) during the course of the Lick Observatory
Supernova Search with the 0.8-m Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope
(KAIT).  The nova was found and confirmed on unfiltered CCD images
taken on Sept. 30.3 (mag about 16.1) and Oct. 1.3 UT (mag about
16.2).  The object is located at R.A. = 0h42m49s.9, Decl. =
+41o16'48" (2000), which is about 63" east and 39" north of the
galaxy nucleus.
IAUC 7023 (extract)

COMET C/1998 T1 (LINEAR)
One of 17 fast-moving asteroidal objects reported by the Lincoln
Laboratory Near Earth Asteroid Research Team on Oct. 2 appears to
be a long-period comet, according both to the retrograde nature of
its orbit and remarks by Y. Ikari (Moriyama, Japan; relayed by
S. Nakano) concerning the object's appearance, when he observed it
on Oct. 3 and 8 in response to the request in The NEO Confirmation
Page.  From the more complete information given on MPEC 1998-T15,
the discovery position, orbital elements and ephemeris are
extracted below:
     1998 UT             R.A. (2000) Decl.        m1
     Oct.  2.28667    1 54 23.56   +23 12 36.5   17.6

     T = 1999 June 25.625 TT          Peri. = 225.855
                                      Node  = 153.122   2000.0
     q = 1.47639 AU                   Incl. = 170.188

1998 TT     R. A. (2000) Decl.   Delta     r    Elong. Phase    m1
Oct. 14     1 29.69   +21 09.2   2.553   3.531  166.4    3.8   15.5
     24     1 06.69   +18 49.6   2.456   3.432  166.7    3.8   15.3
Nov.  3     0 43.65   +16 06.1   2.413   3.332  153.9    7.5   15.1
     13     0 22.17   +13 11.8   2.420   3.233  138.9   11.6   15.0
     23     0 03.47   +10 21.6   2.472   3.133  123.9   15.2   14.9
IAUC 7026 (extract)

VARIABLE STAR IN HERCULES
E. Halderson, T. Shefler, M. Modjaz, J. Y. King, M. Papenkova,
W. D. Li, R. R. Treffers, and A. V. Filippenko, University of
California at Berkeley, report their discovery of a (probably
cataclysmic) variable star in our own galaxy during the course of
the Lick Observatory Supernova Search with the 0.8-m Katzman
Automatic Imaging Telescope (KAIT).  The variable star was found
and confirmed on unfiltered images taken on Oct. 5.2 (mag about
18.0) and 6.2 UT (mag about 17.8).  The object is located at R.A. =
18h14m14s.31, Decl. = +30o43'37".0 (2000).
IAUC 7026 (extract)
Guy M Hurst