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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2425      2008 Feb 24 14.51UT
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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BF CYGNI
U. Munari and A. Siviero, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Padova
Astronomical Observatory et. al., report on CBET 1251 that BF Cyg is 
currently on a rapid rise to a new bright maximum, as indicated by the 
following magnitudes and colors: Feb. 8.18 UT, B = 11.146, B-V = +0.76, 
V-Ic = +1.52; Feb. 9.19, 11.086, +0.74, +1.51.

This symbiotic nova erupted in 1894, peaking at B = 9.7
(Leibowitz and Formiggini 2006, MNRAS 366, 675), and its decline back to 
quiescence required a century to complete.  In 2006, Munari et al. 
discovered that BF Cyg was entering a new outburst phase peaking at B = 
10.28, U-B = -0.31, B-V = +0.47, V-I_c = +1.14, and R_c-I_c = +0.59 on 
2006 Oct. 12.  Since then, BF Cyg had been smoothly declining, reaching 
B = 12.00, B-V = +0.81, V-I_c = +1.79 by 2007 Dec. 13.

(153591) 2001 SN_263 - TRIPLE SYSTEM
M. C. Nolan and E. S. Howell, Arecibo Observatory et. al., report on 
IAUC 8921 that Arecibo radar delay-Doppler images obtained on 2008 Feb. 
12 and 13, show that minor planet (153591) is a triple system.  Based on 
range extents at 75-m resolution, preliminary estimates of average 
diameters are 2 km, 1 km, and 400 m for the three components.  The 
orbital separation for the larger two components is at least 10 km.

SUPERNOVA 2008aa IN UGC 7799
Discovery by Madison, Li and Filippenko of a possible supernova (CBET 
1244):
SN      2008 UT      R.A.  (2000.0)  Decl.    Mag.     Offset
2008aa  Feb. 7.53   12 37 53.43  +34 01 36.0  18.9    25.5"W,15.4"N

SUPERNOVAE 2008ab, 2008ac, 2008ad
Further ROTSE supernova discoveries:
SN       2008 UT        R.A. (2000.0) Decl.     Mag.     Offset
2008ab  Jan. 30.23  11 34 45.92  +53 57 50.8  18.2
2008ac  Jan. 30.27  11 53 45.18  +48 25 21.5  17.6    0.4"W, 0.5"N
2008ad  Jan. 30.42  12 49 37.15  +28 19 46.5  18.0    3.5"E, 1.7"N

SUPERNOVA 2008ae IN IC 577
Discovery by Giovanni Sostero and Tim Puckett of a possible supernova 
(CBET 1247):
SN      2008 UT      R.A.  (2000.0)  Decl.    Mag.     Offset
2008ae  Feb. 9.21   09 56 03.20  +10 29 58.8  17.8    12.0"W, 3.0"N

SUPERNOVA 2008ag IN IC 4729
Discovery by Berto Monard of a possible supernova (CBET 1252):
SN      2008 UT      R.A.  (2000.0)  Decl.    Mag.     Offset
2008ag  Feb. 3.11   18 39 52.38  -67 25 59.0  16.9    22  "W,26  "S

SUPERNOVA 2008ah IN PGC 32586
Discovery by Mostardi, Li and Filippenko of a possible supernova (CBET 
1255):
SN      2008 UT      R.A.  (2000.0)  Decl.    Mag.     Offset
2008ah  Feb. 11.45  10 51 48.45  +03 46 35.7  18.8    10.1"W,10.4"S

Guy M Hurst