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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1477      1999 Dec 11 20.42UT
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 1999gj IN NGC 3251 (=Q1999/302)
On Dec 7 Mark Armstrong reported to TAHQ that a suspected supernova
had been recorded on images of NGC 3251 secured on Nov 17 (30sec)
and Dec 2 (30 sec) using the 0.30-m F10 LX200 and Hale CCD. A
follow-up image was also obtained by Mark on Dec 8 again just
showing the image but near the limit. As the object was about mag
18 it proved difficult to obtain independent confirmation and there
were no apparent masters despite various appeals issued from here in
recent days. (Q1999/302).

However the object has now been confirmed via an appeal to the
Central Bureau. The IAUC announcement follows:

Guy M. Hurst, Basingstoke, England, reports the discovery by Mark
Armstrong, Rolvenden, of a supernova located at:
R.A. = 10h29m19s.27, Decl. = +26o06'19".2 (2000; average of two
measurements, from Nov. 17 and Dec. 8 frames), which was noted to
be 40" east and slightly south of the nucleus of NGC 3251.  The
supernova appears on three of Armstrong's CCD frames, with the
following magnitudes being estimated:  Nov. 17.20 UT, 17.5; Dec.
2.14, 18.0; 8.16, 18.0.  The object is not present on the first or
second Palomar Sky Surveys (limiting mag about 20).

P. Garnavich, S. Jha, R. Kirshner, and P. Challis, Harvard-
Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, report that a spectrum of SN
1999gj was obtained by A. Mahdavi with the F. L. Whipple
Observatory (FLWO) 1.5-m Tillinghast telescope on Dec. 9.5 UT.
This shows the new object to be a type-Ia event, between 1 and 2
months after maximum light.  Narrow emission lines from the host
galaxy give a recession velocity of 5300 km/s.  CCD images obtained
with the FLWO 1.2-m telescope near Dec. 9.5 yield V about 19.0 for
SN 1999gj.  Position end figures derived from the CCD images (based
on the HST Guide Star Catalog) are 19s.20, 20".2, which is 33" east
and 21" north of the galaxy nucleus.
IAUC 7330

Our congratulations to Mark on this further success!: Editor

Guy M Hurst