------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2124 2005 Jun 30 15.51UT 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 2005cs IN M51 Wolfgang Kloehr, Schweinfurt, Germany, reports his discovery of a magnitude 14 apparent supernova in Messier 51 (NGC 5194). It was recorded on CCD frames of June 28.91 and 28.93UT using a 0.20-m reflector. It may also have been present on June 27.93UT near magnitude 16. The discoverer provides the following position: RA 13h 29m 53.37z DEC +47 10'28.2" (2000), 15" W and 78" S of the host galaxy's centre. Kloehr adds it was not present on May 11 and May 26 and is also absent from the Digitised Sky Survey. A KAIT image obtained on June 30.25UT confirms the presence of the new object at about magnitude 13.5 with end figures: RA 52.8s DEC 36.3" Hitoshi Yamaoka, Japan adds: SN 2005cs is located on the southern arm of "Whirlpool Galaxy" M 51. On the pre-discovery image, there is a bright star cluster and H II region. It is possibly a gravitational-collapse of a massive star, but the prompt spectral classification is urgently needed, as well as follow-up photometry. Editor: Could I please all our observers to check any recent images of Messier 51, a popular deep sky object. If the presumed supernova is present please e-mail images with full supporting details. If your images obtained during the last month are negative, please just send date, time and limiting magnitude together with instrumental details. Guy M Hurst