------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2277 2006 Nov 03 16.54UT 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------- TAGO'S VARIABLE IN CASSIOPEIA Seicchiro Kiyota, Japan, reports that this object (cf TA E-Circular 2276) is apparently fading. On 2006 Nov 2.527UT, the V magnitude was measured as 10.01. Martin Nicholson, observing remotely at his New Mexico site, reports the following magnitudes. Nov 1.269 9.095 (CCDV) Nov 1.282 9.118 (CCDV) Nov 1.308 9.143 (CCDV) Nov 1.342 9.181 (CCDV) Maurice Gavin, Worcester Park, England reports on imaging and spectroscopic analysis of this object on 2006 Nov 1. He adds that the star [coincident with GSC 3656:1328 in Megastar] does not have any apparent emission lines [characteristic of novae] but weak hydrogen lines of alpha, beta and gamma in absorption. The spectrum profile is probably A-type and this is confirmed by wide-angle colour images via his Canon DSLR that shows the star is bluish. Bjorn Granslo, Norway, reports that a NAS.VSS chart by Birger Andresen and himself is available. This (d) scale 60'x60' chart has been validated and is placed at http://www.astro.uio.no/~bgranslo/charts/VAR_CAS_06_d.gif V-magnitudes of the comparison stars are obtained from Tycho-2 catalogue w/Bessell and TASS Mark IV system. All comparison stars have B-V < 0.7. RINGS OF SATURN (R/2006 S 1, R/2006 S 2, R/2006 S 3, R/2006 S 4) C. C. Porco, CICLOPS, Space Science Institute, Boulder and the Cassini Imaging Science Team report on IAUC 8759 the sighting of several new rings around Saturn. One new diffuse ring, R/2006 S 1, has been found at an orbital distance of about 151500 km, coincident with the co-orbital satellites, Saturn X (Janus) and XI (Epimetheus) with a radial width of about 5000 km. Another new diffuse ring, R/2006 S 2, has been found coincident with the tiny moon Saturn XXXIII (Pallene; IAUC 8389), at an orbital distance of about 212000 km and radial width of about 2500 km. Two other newly sighted rings have been seen within the Cassini division. R/2006 S 3 is located in the outer gap of the Cassini division at an orbital distance of 119930 km, with a radial width of about 50 km. Finally, a very narrow, discontinuous, and tenuous ringlet, R/2006 S 4, has been seen in between two broad bands in the Cassini division, at an orbital distance of 118960 km; its width is about 6 km. SUPERNOVA 2006iv IN ANONYMOUS GALAXY Discovery by Grzegorz Duszanowicz, Sweden of a possible supernova (IAUC 8759): SN 2006 UT R.A. (2000.0) Decl. Mag. Offset 2006iv Sept.22.92 11 48 12.35 +54 59 14.6 16.7 7" E 18" S SUPERNOVAE 2006iw-2006ja These supernovae are detections by the SDSS II collaboration in the magnitude range g=20.4-22.6. Guy M Hurst