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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1800      2002 Aug 20 14.30UT
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 2002em IN UGC 3430
We have received an e-mail from Mark Armstrong today with details
of his discovery of an apparent supernova in UGC 3430 in the course
of the U.K. Nova/Supernova Patrol. The object, of magnitude 18.0,
was first recorded on an unfiltered CCD image of 2002 Aug 16.07UT
with a 0.35-m Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope where the limiting
magnitude was 19.0.

Astrometry for Aug 16.07223: RA 06h 15m 52.30s DEC +64 25' 49.1"
(2000). Estimated offsets were 17"E and 1"S. Further images of Aug
16.13UT did not show any apparent movement.

The object could not be found on Mark's images of 2001 March 13
(limit 19.0), 2002 March 7 (limit 19.5) and April 6 (limiting
magnitude 19.0). It is also not on POSS-II of: 1993 and 1997 (blue,
limit 22.5); 1989 and 1996 (red, limit 20.8) neither is it on an
infra-red survey image of 1998.

On the next night, a follow-up image of Aug 16.95UT again showed
the object at about magnitude 18.0. 

Congratulations are extended to Mark on this discovery which has
now been announced on IAUC 7955 with the object being designated as
supernova 2002em. 

Guy M Hurst