-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1483      1999 Dec 30 16.00UT
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
-------------------------------------------------------------------
QY PERSEI (=Q1999/307)
Mike Simonsen, USA reports detection of an outburst of this UG
variable:
1999 Dec 28.146UT, 13.5; 28.166, 13.6

Bill Worraker, Didcot, England confirmed the brightening with
estimates relayed to us by Gary Poyner:
1999 Dec 28.909UT, 13.8; 28.943, 13.8

Subsequent observations:
1999 Dec 29.887, 14.2 (G.Masi, Italy CCD unfiltered)
         29.901, 13.8 (Hazel McGee, Clandon, 0.30-m T, TA seq.)

Recent outbursts recorded:

1994 Oct 25.889, 14.0 (Tonny Vanmunster, Belgium)
1995 Aug 21.979, 14.1 (Vanmunster)
1996 Dec  7.88 , 14.3 (Jochen Pietz, Germany)

SUPERNOVA 1999gk IN NGC 4653
S. Jha, P. Garnavich, P. Challis, and R. Kirshner, Harvard-
Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, report the serendipitous
discovery by P. Berlind of a supernova in NGC 4653, during the
course of spectroscopic observations with the F. L. Whipple
Observatory (FLWO) 1.5-m telescope (+ FAST spectrograph).  A
spectrum of SN 1999gk, taken by Berlind on Dec. 15.53 UT, shows it
to be a type-II supernova just after maximum light. Concurrent
images, taken by C. Hergenrother with the FLWO 1.2-m telescope
(+ 4Shooter), yield a precise position for the supernova of
R.A. = 12h43m51s.91, Decl. = -0o32'55".4 (2000), which is 45".6
north and 15".3 east of the host galaxy, and magnitudes for the
supernova V = 15.7 and R = 15.8.
IAUC 7332 (extract)

SUPERNOVA 1999gm IN PGC 24106
M. Papenkova and W. D. Li, University of California at Berkeley, on
behalf of the Lick Observatory Supernova Search, report the
discovery with the 0.8-m Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope (KAIT)
of an apparent supernova in PGC 24106.  SN 1999gm was discovered
and confirmed on unfiltered images taken on Dec. 15.4 and 16.4 UT,
both showing mag about 17.3.  The new object is located at
R.A. = 8h35m11s.73, Decl. = -8 23'15".4 (2000), which is 12".1 east
and 1".5 south of the nucleus of PGC 24106.
IAUC 7334 (extract)

SUPERNOVA 1999gn IN M61
Alessandro Dimai, Cortina, Italy, reports his discovery of an
apparent supernova (mag 16.0) on an arm of the host galaxy (NGC
4303 = M61), found on a CCD frame taken on Dec. 17.22 UT with a
0.50-m telescope.  He reported the new object as being 35" east and
25" south of the galaxy nucleus; the new star is not present in J.
Wray's Color Atlas of Galaxies.  W. Li, University of California at
Berkeley, reports that an image taken on Dec. 18.5 with the Katzman
Automatic Imaging Telescope (KAIT) shows SN 1999gn at mag about
15.5.  Li measured a position for SN 1999gn:  R.A. = 12h21m57s.02,
Decl. = +4o27'45".6 (equinox 2000.0), which is 31".7 east and 39".8
south of the nucleus of M61.
IAUC 7335 (extract)
Guy M Hurst