-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2230      2006 May 20 13.55UT
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
-------------------------------------------------------------------
(99942) APOPHIS (= 2004 MN4)
L. A. M. Benner et. al., Jet Propulsion Laboratory and others report on 
IAUC 8711 that Arecibo radar observations of minor planet (99942) = 2004 
MN4 on May 6 when coupled with earlier measures back to 2004 May 15 
increases the 2029 Apr. 13.9 earth-centre miss-distance by 450 km to 
5.93 earth radii. The nominal predicted earth-close- approach distance 
in 2036 increases from 0.168 to 0.276 AU, moving the statistical earth 
encounter
to a lower-probability region within the distribution of possible 
orbits.

SUPERNOVA 2006cf IN UGC 6015
Discovery by LOSS of a possible supernova (IAUC 8710):
SN      2005 UT      R.A.  (2000.0)  Decl.    Mag.     Offset
2006cf  May  11.26  10 54 02.58  +46 01 36.3  18    0.2"E,  4.5" S
An independent discovery was made by Puckett and Toth on images of May 
13.12UT.

SUPERNOVA 2006cg IN ANONYMOUS GALAXY
Discovery by Quimby and Mondol of a possible supernova (IAUC 8711):
SN      2005 UT      R.A.  (2000.0)  Decl.    Mag.     Offset
2006cg  May   6.23  13 05 02.32  +28 44 24.0  16.6  2"W,    3"N

SUPERNOVA 2006ch IN NGC 7753
Discovery by K. Itagaki of a possible supernova (IAUC 8711):
SN      2005 UT      R.A.  (2000.0)  Decl.    Mag.     Offset
2006ch  May   9.76  23 47 06.12  +29 28 50.6  16.5 17"E,   10" S

Guy M Hurst