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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1495      2000 Feb 09 19.55UT
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 2000H IN IC 454 (=Q2000/065)
On 2000 Feb 8 Mark Armstrong reported a suspected supernova in
IC 454 recorded on Feb 7.97431UT and Feb 8.03125UT. Measures
prove difficult as the galaxy is in quite a crowded star field.
Checks for minor planets and entries in A2.0 proved negative.
On the next evening Mark secured a further exposure on Feb 8.782UT
from which it was evident no motion had been recorded and the
possibility of an uncatalogued asteroid could be ruled out.
Confirmation was obtained by Steven Foulkes and Tom Boles enabling
the following IAUC announcement to be made:

Independent discoveries of an apparent supernova in IC 454 have
been reported by M. Armstrong, Rolvenden, Kent, England, on
unfiltered CCD images taken on Feb. 7.97 and 8.03 UT (mag about 17)
for the U.K. Nova/Supernova Patrol with a 0.30-m telescope, and by
M. Papenkova and W. D. Li, University of California at Berkeley, on
behalf of the Lick Observatory Supernova Search (cf. IAUC 6627,
7126), on unfiltered CCD images taken on Feb. 8.18 and 8.22 (mag
about 17.3) with the 0.8-m Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope
(KAIT).  KAIT measurements show that the new object is located at
R.A. = 6h51m07s.67, Decl. = +12o55'18".5 (equinox 2000.0), which is
19".6 east and 0".2 south of the nucleus of IC 454.  Armstrong
provides the following position end figures from his exposure on
Feb. 8.782:  07s.60, 18".4 (or 25" east and 2" north of the galaxy
centre).  G. M. Hurst, Basingstoke, England, notes that confirming
images taken by S. Foulkes, Ashperton Village, on Feb. 8.812 and by
T. Boles, Wellingborough, on Feb. 9.11 show SN 2000H near mag 17.
SN 2000H also appears on earlier KAIT images taken on Jan. 27.2
(mag about 19.0) and Feb. 2.2 (mag about 17.3).  Earlier patrol
images by Armstrong appear to show the new object on Jan. 23.016
(trace) and 25.938 (mag 18.5; limiting mag 19.0).  SN 2000H does
not appear on CCD frames taken on 1999 Dec. 5 (limiting mag 19.0)
and 2000 Jan. 4/5 by Armstrong, or on a KAIT image taken on Jan.
8.2 (limiting mag about 20.0).  Armstrong adds that nothing is
visible at the location of SN 2000H on the second Palomar Sky
Survey image.
IAUC 7361

Editor:
Congratulations to Mark on his 10th supernova. This is also the
24th to be discovered by members of the UK Nova/Supernova Patrol.

V1494 AQUILAE
This nova is now available for observing in the morning sky but
very few estimates are being received.

Recent estimates MAY indicate a possible recovery in brightness:

2000 Jan 31.229UT, 9.1 B.Andresen, Trondheim, Norway 20x80B
     Feb  1.229  , 9.4 Andresen
          7.240  , 8.9 E.Muyllaert
          8.228  , 8.0 Bjorn Granslo, Fjellhamar, Norway 0.20-m T
          9.250  , 8.3 Jonathan Shanklin, Cambridge 0.15-m refl.

Guy M Hurst