------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1952 2003 Dec 21 17.09UT 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------- SUPERNOVA 2003kx IN UGC 4078 Mark Armstrong, Rolvenden, England reports his discovery of a magnitude 16.8 apparent supernova in UGC 4078 during the course of the UK Nova/Supernova Patrol. First detection was on 2003 Dec 8.068, according to IAUC 8254 and located at: RA 08 04m 12.35s DEC +84 38' 27.3", 18" W, 1.7" S of the galaxy's centre. The object was absent from Mark's images of 2003 Oct 17 and Nov 6 which had a limiting magnitude of 19. It was also not recorded on Palomar Sky Survey red and blue plates. The object, designated supernova 2003kx, was the 54th supernova found by Mark for which we send our congratulations on this further success. NOVA In MESSIER 31 M. Fiaschi et. al., have reported their discovery of an apparent nova in Messier 31 on IAUC 8253 and located at: RA 00h 43m 00.75s DEC +41 11' 26.7" (2000) Which is 185"E and 282"S of the galaxy's nucleus. It was detected on 2003 Dec 3.722UT at h-alpha magnitude 16.6 but was not recorded on Nov 29 to a limit of 18 (h-alpha). IP PEGASI Hazel McGee, Clandon, England, reports detection of an outburst of IP Pegasi with a 0.355-m Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. On Dec 17.772UT the estimated magnitude was 14.1 using the BAA sequence. Guy M Hurst