------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2423 2008 Feb 20 10.56UT 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------- SUPERNOVA 2008ak IN UGC 2519 On 2008 February 12, Tom Boles, Coddenham, England, reported to TAHQ that he had discovered an apparent supernova of magnitude 18.5 in UGC 2519 on 10 images on a single night only during the course of searches for the UK Nova/Supernova Patrol. The initial unfiltered CCD image of 2008 Feb 12.774UT was obtained using a 0.35-m Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope from which the following precise position was measured: RA 03h 09m 25.23s DEC +80 07' 48.4" (2000), which is approximately 17.0"E and 1.8"S of the centre of the host galaxy. The suspect is not present on Tom's images of 2007 Nov 15 and Dec 16 (limiting mag 19.5) and it is not recorded on DSS II red (1994-10-10 limiting mag 20.5) nor blue plates (1994-10-05 limiting mag 21.0) Following an appeal by the editor for confirmation (as bad weather hindered efforts in the UK), Enrico Pettarin, Farra d'Isonzo, Italy secured an image on Feb 14.743UT which was e-mailed to TAHQ. After relay to Tom a measurement produced end figures of RA 25.01s, DEC 48.0" On CBET 1260, A. Dimai, Italy, on behalf of the CROSS program, reported the independent discovery of 2008ak at magnitude 17.5 by Elisa Londero (Gemona, Italy) in two unfiltered CCD images (limiting magnitude about 18.5) taken with the 0.5-m "Ullrich" telescope of the Col Drusci Observatory on Feb. 13.75UT, providing position end figures 24s.76, 51".0 (offset about 14" east and 0".5 south of the galaxy's nucleus). CROSS images of the same field taken on 2007 Dec. 19 showed nothing at this position (limiting mag about 19.0). In a later e-mail of Feb 15, Tom advised that he had succeeded in obtaining an additional set of confirmation images (10) with his own equipment on Feb 15.766 giving measured end figures 25.17s and 48.3"; mag 18.6V. Congratulations to Tom on the discovery of his 113th supernova. LUNAR ECLIPSE, 2008 FEB 20/21 Richard Keen, USA, reports: Once again, I would be interested in hearing of your observations of this week's eclipse (Wednesday evening, February 20. on the west side of the Atlantic and Thursday morning for those on the east side of the Atlantic). Some of you may make "reverse binocular" magnitude estimates, or Danjon "L" estimates, or both. Below are some web links with information about the eclipse and about observing methods, along with links to presentations at the climate conference your observations were presented at. In summary, the recent eclipses show that the atmosphere has been clear of volcanic aerosols since about 1995, and that this has contributed about 0.2 degrees to the recent warming. About the February 20/21 eclipse: http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/LEmono/TLE2008Feb21/ TLE2008Feb21.html How to observe the eclipse using the Danjon scale: http://sunearth.gsfc. nasa.gov/eclipse/OH/Danjon.html How to observe the eclipse using reversed binoculars: What Will 2004's NASA article about the February 20/21 eclipse: http://heliophysics.org/headlines/y2008/13feb_lunareclipse.htm Editor: Please e-mail results to Mark Kidger and a copy to me. Guy M Hurst