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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2223      2006 Apr 25 20.18UT
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      Backup: gmh@wdcc1.bnsc.rl.ac.uk
WORLD WIDE WEB                         http://www.theastronomer.org
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TA, 2006 APRIL
I very much regret to advise you that after the delayed despatch of the 
April issue of 'The Astronomer' due to the intervention of Easter when 
the offices of our printers were closed for four days, we have now also 
discovered a problem affecting postage applied to this issue.

Unfortunately, as editor, I was unaware that Royal Mail had implemented 
some postage increases between April 3-20. When the stamps were 
purchased the counter staff did not query the out of date stamp rates 
ordered. Those which changed on April 3 have affected most issues posted 
which have now been intercepted by the Swindon Sorting Office. It seems 
the entire mailing was under-stamped to just approximately £7.00. They 
are withholding delivery whilst we are billed and pay for the shortfall 
plus any fine (!) they wish to apply.

Bob Dryden and myself are doing everything possible to resolve this 
situation so the magazines can be released and delivered to subscribers 
as soon as possible.

I take full responsibility and offer my humble apologies for this 
oversight.

COMET 73P/SCHWASSMANN-WACHMANN
Mark Kidger has reported via MSN Messenger that recent observations show 
that fragment B of Comet 73P is again in outburst. An image by Ramón 
Naves & Montse Campàs from MontCabrer (MPC 213, Barcelona) on 2006 April 
24.9 with a 0.305-m S/C shows a bright central condensation that was not 
present on the previous night.

Photometry shows a brightening of at least 1.3 magnitudes that 
apparently initiated around 2006 April 23.5. Representative values of 
Afrho (10" aperture) by Spanish observers are: April 20.05, 525-cm (José 
García Moreno, MPC J64, 0.20-m Meade);  (Naves & Campàs); 20.85, 490-cm 
(Naves & Campàs); 23.85, 670-cm (Estevé Cortés & Ferran García, MPC A10, 
0.25-m Meade); 24.90, 1600-cm (Naves & Campàs). Further observations are 
strongly encouraged.

Guy M Hurst