------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2401 2007 Dec 14 15.55UT 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------- LEONID METEORS 2007 P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute, reports on CBET 1153, from observations at Fremont Peak Observatory in California, a strong return of the Leonid shower on the nights of 2007 Nov. 17-19. On Nov. 18.8 UT, the zenithal hourly rate (ZHR) was measured at 23 +/- 4 meteors/hr, above the annual peak rate of ZHR = 13/hr. Visual observations collected by the International Meteor Organization, show a broad enhancement of rates centred at solar longitude 236.0 +/- 0.2 deg (Nov. 18.85 +/- 0.20), with a duration FWHM of 1.0 +/- 0.2 deg, and a peak rate of ZHR = 30 +/- 7 meteors/hr, on top of the annual shower activity. This is identified as the 1932 filament component, an 0.8-degree-wide component predicted to peak at about Nov.19.0 with a rate of ZHR = 40 meteors/hr. (32039) 2000 JO23 D. Pray, Carbuncle Hill Observatory, Greene, RI et. al., report on CBET 1147 that photometric observations obtained during Sept. 3-Nov. 8 reveal that minor planet (32039) is a binary system with an orbital period of 360 hr. (1453) FENNIA B. D. Warner, Palmer Divide Observatory, Colorado Springs, CO et. al., report on CBET 1150 that photometric observations made during Nov. 4-23 reveal that minor planet (1453) is a binary system with an orbital period of 22.99 +/- 0.01 hr. SUPERNOVAE 2007rc-2007rs The Sloan Digital Sky Survey II collaboration, report the discovery of seventeen supernovae as designated above and all fainter than magnitude 20. SUPERNOVA 2007rt IN UGC 6109 Discovery by W. Li of a possible supernova (CBET 1148): SN 2007 UT R.A. (2000.0) Decl. Mag. Offset 2007rt Nov 24.54 11 02 34.29 +50 34 58.5 16.8 6.5"W 2.1"N SUPERNOVA 2007ru IN UGC 12381 Discovery by S. Donati and F. Ciabattari of a possible supernova (CBET 1149): SN 2007 UT R.A. (2000.0) Decl. Mag. Offset 2007ru Nov 27.90 23 07 23.14 +43 35 33.7 17.5 5" E,41" S SUPERNOVA 2007rv IN NGC 689 Discovery by T. G. Tan, Western Australia, of a possible supernova (CBET 1152): SN 2007 UT R.A. (2000.0) Decl. Mag. Offset 2007rv Nov 7.52 01 49 52.86 -27 28 04.1 15.9 14" E, 4" S The magnitude is from a V-band image taken by Tan on Nov. 11.51. A spectrogram obtained on Dec. 1.18 UT with the European Southern Observatory 3.6-m telescope at La Silla, shows this to be a type-Ia supernova about two weeks after maximum light. SUPERNOVA 2007rw IN UGC 7798 Discovery by D. Madison and W. Li of a possible supernova (CBET 1154): SN 2007 UT R.A. (2000.0) Decl. Mag. Offset 2007rw Nov 29.56 12 38 03.64 -02 15 40.1 14.3 4.3"E, 8.9"N Guy M Hurst