------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1664 2001 Aug 08 19.22UT 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------- HADV98 Katsumi Haseda (Aichi, Japan) reports the discovery of a new variable star (HadV98). The variable had been almost constant for years, and suddenly faded! This star may be a new R CrB star or a long-period eclipsing binary. The lack of IRAS detection may be against the R CrB-type interpretation, but has been a result of source confusion. More observations, spectroscopic classification and a search for past photographs, are urgently requested. RA DEC = GSC6825.253 172314.54 -225204.4 (2000.0) 10.70 6 N = GSC6825.253 172314.56 -225205.5 (2000.0) 10.72 6 = USNO0600.13841424 172314.559 -225205.28 (2000.0) 10.6 12.6 The estimated range is: 10.6-(12.8p. Selected photographic magnitude estimates by VSOLJ members: object YYYYMMDD(UT) mag code HadV98 20010202.856 106p Had.VSOLJ HadV98 20010226.807 107p Had.VSOLJ HadV98 20010304.806 107p Had.VSOLJ HadV98 20010319.782 106p Had.VSOLJ HadV98 20010321.782 107p Had.VSOLJ HadV98 20010331.790 106p Had.VSOLJ HadV98 20010422.759 107p Had.VSOLJ HadV98 20010512.583 125p Had.VSOLJ HadV98 20010517.639 125p Had.VSOLJ HadV98 20010528.620 <128p Had.VSOLJ HadV98 20010615.672 <128p Had.VSOLJ HadV98 20010626.619 <128p Had.VSOLJ HadV98 20010713.572 <128p Had.VSOLJ Instruments: 10cm F4.0 twin patrol camera +T-Max400(120) K. Kanatsu (Matsue, Japan) has confirmed the fading with the following selected photographic magnitudes: HadV98 20010401.792 107 Knk.VSOLJ HadV98 20010418.753 108 Knk.VSOLJ HadV98 20010513.636 118: Knk.VSOLJ HadV98 20010519.628 <118 Knk.VSOLJ HadV98 20010714.623 <118 Knk.VSOLJ HadV98 20010720.581 <118 Knk.VSOLJ Instruments:f200mm+PO0(T-MAX400(120)) Selected information from VSNET messages. SUPERNOVA 2001dk IN UGC 913 A. Gal-Yam and O. Shemmer, Tel Aviv University, report: "A spectrum (range 400-780 nm) of SN 2001dk (cf. IAUC 7675) was obtained with the Wise Observatory 1-m telescope (+ FOSC spectrograph) on July 31 by J. Dann. Underlying light from the host galaxy prevents positive identification of this object. The spectrum displays strong and relatively narrow (FWHM < 2000 km/s) hydrogen Balmer lines of H-alpha and H-beta, and its overall shape is similar to the spectrum of type-IIn SN 1994ak several weeks past maximum light (Filippenko 1997, Ann. Rev. A.Ap. 35, 309). A doublet around 672 nm may be identified with [S II] 671.6- and 673.1-nm." (This discovery was by Tom Boles cf E1663). Guy M Hurst