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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1728      2001 Dec 28 19.44UT
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.theastronomer.org
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SUPERNOVA 2001it IN MCG +09-25-15 (Q2001/276)
Tom Boles reported a possible supernova in MCG +09-25-15 in an e-
mail sent on Dec 22 at 06.02UT. It was first recorded at magnitude
17.6 on Dec 22.19563UT at:
RA 15h 06m 09.42 DEC +53 24' 41.8"
7" W and 3" N of the nucleus of the galaxy using the Coddenham
System 'B' 0.35-m Schmidt-Cassegrain f11 telescope with an
unfiltered CCD. 
Comparison with POSS II images of 1991.439 (red) and 1994.414
(blue) with estimated limiting magnitudes of 21, proved
inconclusive as the galaxy covered the area of the suspect. A
master image by Tom of 2001 Sept 16.85454 did not show it but had a
similar limiting magnitude to the discovery image of about mag
18-18.5.
A follow-up image of Dec 22.73829UT taken between snow storms may
have shown a weak image of the suspect. However a deeper image was
secured by Tom on Dec 26.13037 where the limiting magnitude was 19
and this clearly shows the object at magnitude 17.4. End figures
from this follow-up were RA 9.38" DEC 41.4" (2000).

We congratulate Tom on the designation of Supernova 2001it by the
Central Bureau on IAU Circular 7782. 

SUPERNOVA 2001iq IN ANONYMOUS GALAXY
The object announced on E1724 and discovered by Mark Armstrong has
been designated Supernova 2001iq in a report published on IAU
Circular 7780.

SUPERNOVAE 2001io AND 2001ip
G.Altavilla et.al., of Osservatorio Astronomico de Chile have
detected two very faint supernovae, of about magnitude 23, on 2001
Dec 8 with the 2.2-m telescope of ESO/MPI. Further details have
appeared on IAU Circular 7780.

SUPERNOVA 2001ir IN MCG -02-22-22
A further discovery by the LOTOSS team is reported on IAU Circular
7781. The supernova, of magnitude 17.5, was recorded on Dec 19.5UT
by KAIT, 24" W and 11.9" S of the nucleus of MCG -02-22-22.

SUPERNOVA 2001ig IN NGC 7424
We relayed a report on TA E-Circular 1725 that Bob Evans had found
a supernova in NGC 7424. A.Clocchiatti and J.L.Prieto, Pontifica
Universidad Catolica de Chile now report on IAU Circular 7781 that
an ESO spectrum obtained on 2001 Dec 16 does not offer a clear
classification but they comment that it is similar to SN 1993J at a
similar epoch.

SUPERNOVA 2001is IN NGC 1961
Y.L.Qui, Beijing Astronomical Observatory, has reported that their
survey images of Dec 22 and Dec 23 have recorded a magnitude 17.6
object at RA 5h42m09.07s DEC +69 21' 54.8" (2000), 23.2" E and
48.2" S of NGC 1961. LOTOSS also independently detected it
according to IAU Circular 7782.

Guy M Hurst