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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1734      2002 Jan 18 19.28UT
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 2001iq IN ANONYMOUS GALAXY
The discovery of this possible supernova by Mark Armstrong in an
anonymous galaxy near UGC 12032 was reported on TA E-Circular 1724. 

R.Chornock and A.V.Filippenko of University of California have
reported on IAUC 7784 that a spectrum obtained with the Keck-I
telescope on 2001 Dec 23 shows it to be of type Ia, near maximum.

Tom Matheson also adds that a spectrum of 2001 Dec 23 with the
Mt.Hopkins 1.5-m telescope shows it be a reddened type-Ia. 

SUPERNOVA 2002A IN UGC 3804
A report from astronomers at the Beijing Astronomical Observatory
(BAO) appeared on IAUC 7786 relating to a discovery of a mag 17
supernova on Jan 1.8UT UGC 3804. The position of the new object is:
RA 07h 22m 36.14s DEC +71 35' 41.5" (2000), placing it 6.2"E and
14.7"S from the centre.

COMET C/2001 X1 (LINEAR)
Pepe Manteca and Ramon Naves (stations 170 and 213 respectively)
have reported astrometry of this comet to TA, the results for which
have now appeared in the 2002 January issue. The comet was recorded
at nuclear magnitude 15.9 on 2001 Dec 21 by Manteca but
observations by Manteca and Naves Dec 25/26 indicated it had
brightened to 14.6 before showing a fade to 15.3 by Dec 28. 

The following elements appeared on M.P.E.C. 2002-A91:

T  2002 Jan   8.1358 TT      w 202.23400 )
e  1.00000000                O 336.08480 ) 2000.0
q  1.6983480 A.U.            i 115.63290 )
Source: MPEC2002A91    Positions are geocentric

m = 11.0 + 5.0 log R + 10.0 log r

The ephemeris was calculated by G.Hurst from a computer program by
Nick James and we hope overseas TA contributors may continue to
follow the comet and monitor for further outbursts:

  Date    R.A. (2000) Dec.     R       r     Elong  Mag.    Motion
          h  m       o  '     (AU)    (AU)     o          "/hr P.A.
2002 Jan 
  16.00  10 37.30  -35 37.5   1.080   1.702  111.0  13.5   243  233
  21.00  10  1.66  -40 17.9   1.045   1.707  114.5  13.4   260  240
  26.00   9 18.66  -44  3.4   1.034   1.715  116.3  13.4   265  249
  31.00   8 30.89  -46 22.6   1.049   1.725  115.9  13.5   256  260
2002 Feb 
   5.00   7 43.18  -47  4.1   1.088   1.738  113.7  13.6   235  270
  10.00   7  0.34  -46 21.8   1.149   1.753  110.1  13.7   207  280
  15.00   6 24.94  -44 44.3   1.227   1.770  105.6  13.9   178  289
  20.00   5 57.17  -42 39.4   1.317   1.789  100.8  14.1   149  296
  25.00   5 35.94  -40 26.7   1.418   1.811   95.9  14.3   124  302

Guy M Hurst