------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1987 2004 Apr 09 14.09UT 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 2004bg IN UGC 6363 An e-mail received from Mark Armstrong of Rolvenden on April 8 indicated he had recorded another supernova suspect during searches for the UK Nova/Supernova Patrol using a 0.35-m Schmidt-Cassegrain with an unfiltered CCD, this time in the galaxy UGC 6363. Astrometry initially from a single image: 2004 04 07.96489 RA 11h 21m 01.53s DEC +21 20' 23.4" (2000) The offsets are: 14.2"E and 7.4"N and the magnitude of the new object was 15.5 (limiting magnitude 18.0). Mark added that there is no trace of this object on his master of 2003 March 3 (LM 19.0) nor is it seen on the POSS-II plates. Martin Mobberley reports that in response to an appeal from Mark, he obtained an image through thin cloud showing the suspect on 2004 April 8 (19.47-19.49UT) using a Celestron 14 at f/7.7 and Paramount ME + ST9XE. Mark also obtain a confirmatory image on April 8.936UT. The designation of supernova 2004bd has been used on IAUC 8317 which carried the discovery announcement. Congratulations to Mark on his 59th discovery. SUPERNOVA 2004be IN ESO 499-G34 LOSS discovery of a possible supernova (IAUC 8317): SN 2004 UT R.A. (2000.0) Decl. Mag. Offset 2004be Apr. 6.28 10 00 19.47 -24 48 13.8 17.0 4.0"W, 2.4" N SUPERNOVA 2004bf IN UGC 8739 LOSS discovery of a possible supernova (IAUC 8317): SN 2004 UT R.A. (2000.0) Decl. Mag. Offset 2004bf Apr. 7.44 13 49 15.45 +35 15 12.5 17.5 17.1"E,14.8"S COMET C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) Recent reports based on naked eye estimates confirm that this comet is already a bright object: 2004 March 25.00UT, 6.0 (Jonathan Shanklin, Stanley, Falkland Islands); 28.01, 5.6 (S. Hoenig, La Silla); April 1.76, 5.6 (David Seargent, New South Wales). OJ+287 John Toone has reported that this object has brightened considerably during the recent full moon period: 2004 Mar 23 (10.33GMAT), 15.5 (Celestron 14); April 8 (08.43GMAT), 14.4 (Celestron 14). Sequence used: BAA VSS 208.02 Guy M Hurst