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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1376      1999 Jan 14 21.19UT
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 1998fb IN ANONYMOUS GALAXY
D. Reiss reports the discovery by the Mount Stromlo Abell Cluster
Supernova Search Team of an apparent supernova (V = 18.4) on V and
R CCD images taken on Dec. 20 (limiting mag V = 19.5) by R. Hola at
the Mount Stromlo 1.27-m telescope (+ Macho Camera).  SN 1998fb is
located near Abell 3128 at R.A. = 3h30m45s.86, Decl. = -52o32'12".2
(2000), which is 0".3 east and 0".1 north of the host galaxy's
centre.
IAUC 7077

NOVA MUSCAE 1998
W. Liller, Vina del Mar, Chile, reports his discovery of an
apparent nova (mag 8.5) on Technical Pan photographs taken with
PROBLICOM on Dec. 29.3090 and 29.3123 UT with an 85-mm camera lens
(+ orange filter); he gave the location of the new star as R.A. =
11h56m.2, Decl. = -65o34' (2000).  Nothing brighter than mag 11.5
appears at this location on photographs taken on Dec. 20. A CCD
observation by Liller shows the star was at mag V = 9.45 on
Dec. 30.1465.  A. Pearce, Nedlands, W. Australia, estimated m_v =
10.0 on Dec. 30.80, providing the position as R.A. = 11h56m.2,
Decl. = -65o33'.
IAUC 7078
Liller also reports the following position for the star reported
on IAUC 7078, measured from a CCD frame taken with a 0.20-m f/1.5
Schmidt camera:  R.A. = 11h56m08s.9, Decl. = -65o34'20".6 (2000).
An objective-prism spectrum taken with the same instrument shows
H-alpha to be exceptionally bright (about 7.3 times brighter than
the neighboring continuum); H-beta is weakly present.  On Dec.
1.1754 UT, V = 9.55. B. M. Ewen-Smith, Nuriootpa, South Australia,
reports the following visual magnitude estimate:  Dec. 31.495 UT, 9.9.
IAUC 7079

SUPERNOVAE 1998fc AND 1998fd IN ANONYMOUS GALAXIES
A. Gal-Yam and D. Maoz, Tel Aviv University, report for the Wise
Observatory Optical Transients Search their discovery of two
apparent supernovae on unfiltered CCD images taken with the Wise
Observatory 1-m telescope on 1998 Dec. 20 and 24.  SN 1998fc,
discovered at R = 20.5 on Dec. 20, is located at R.A. =
2h59m12s.61, Decl. = +3o29'39".0 (2000), which is 21" west and
16.7" south of the nucleus of the giant galaxy at the centre of
the galaxy cluster Abell 403 (z = 0.103).  Summation of several
previous images of this field does not reveal any galaxy that is
a more plausible host for SN 1998fc.  SN 1998fc was invisible in
images obtained on 1998 Nov. 14 (limiting mag R about 22.5) but
was confirmed (R about 21.2) on CCD images taken by J.Dan and
R. Beeri on 1999 Jan. 7 and 9 with the same telescope.  SN
1998fd, discovered at R = 21.3 on 1998 Dec. 24, is located at R.A.
= 1h19m18s.06, Decl. = +15o55'24".1, which is 5".8 east and 2".8
north of the host galaxy centre.  SN 1998fd was also confirmed on
images taken on 1999 Jan. 9 by Beeri and shows some fading.  SN
1998fd was invisible in images obtained on 1998 Nov. 15 (limiting
mag R about 22.5).
IAUC 7082

Guy M Hurst