-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2156      2005 Sep 29 09.23UT
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
-------------------------------------------------------------------
APPARENT SUPERNOVA IN CGCG 323-004
An e-mail was received from Tom Boles of Coddenham, England on September 
24 reporting a possible supernova in CGCG 323-004 (PGC 062539) found 
during the course of the UK Nova/Supernova Patrol.

The object, of magnitude 17.4, was recorded on multiple images on a 
single night centred at 2005 Sept 23.892. The pictures were obtained 
using an unfiltered CCD and a 0.35-m Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.

The new object is located at:
RA 18h 53m 38.48s DEC +66 13' 59.3" (2000), which is approximately 
12.1"E and 3.4"N of the centre of the host galaxy. The suspect is not 
present on Tom's images of 2005 May 17 and Jul 17 (limiting mag 19.5) 
and it is not visible on DSS II red (1991.666 limiting mag 21.0) nor 
blue plates (1992.495 limiting mag 20.5)

Later on September 24 a further e-mail from Tom carried news that a 
confirmatory image had been obtained on Sept 24.812UT with end figures 
of: RA 38.48s DEC 59.4"

The Central Bureau have designated the object as supernova 2005ej and 
its discovery has now been announced on IAUC 8604.

Congratulations to Tom on the discovery of his 91st supernova.

SOHO COMET (MURPHY)
David Moore, Astronomy Ireland, Dublin has relayed a note this morning 
that Anthony Murphy has noted a comet heading for the sun on the latest 
LASCO C3 images on the SOHO site.

Latest movies are at http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/mpeg
Latest stills are at http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/
realtime-images.html

Guy M Hurst