------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2427 2008 Mar 07 16.06UT 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------- VARIABLE OBJECT NEAR UGC 2700 W. Li and A. V. Filippenko report on CBET 1266 the LOSS discovery of a variable object in the field of UGC 2700 on unfiltered KAIT images taken on Feb. 17.15 (at mag 16.7) and 19.18 UT (mag 16.8). The new object is located at: RA 03h 22m 50.43s DEC +42 31' 03.7" (2000), 37.9"W and 128.2"S of the nucleus of UGC 2770. A KAIT image taken on Jan. 14.18 showed nothing at this location (limiting mag 18.9). There is a faint, possibly extended object at this location on Digitised Sky Survey red-plate images. Observations are encouraged to determine the nature of this object (a Galactic variable, supernova, or active galactic nucleus). A finder chart is available at: http://astro.berkeley.edu/~bait/2008/sn2008-u02700.gif POSSIBLE NOVA IN M33 S. Nakano, Sumoto, Japan, reports on CBET 1272 the discovery of an apparent nova of mag 16.5 on nine 30-s unfiltered CCD frames taken around Feb. 27.47 UT by K. Nishiyama et.al, Japan using a 0.40-m f/9.8 reflector (limiting magnitude 18.5). Confirming images from Feb. 28.45 show the new object at mag 16.7. The apparent nova is located at: RA 01h 34m 16.42s DEC +30 39' 28.6" (2000), which is 330"E and 8"S of the nucleus of M33. SUPERNOVA 2008ak IN UGC 2519 E. Y. Hsiao, M. L. Graham, C. J. Pritchet, and Dave Balam, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, report that a spectrogram of this object found by Tom Boles (cf TA E-Circular 2423) obtained on 2008 Feb. 21.19 UT with the 1.82-m Plaskett Telescope of the National Research Council of Canada, shows it to be a type-II supernova several days past maximum light. Cross-correlation with a library of supernova spectra using the "superfit" matching program of Howell et al. indicates that 2008ak is most similar to the type-II supernova 1999em at four days past maximum. SUPERNOVA 2008an IN UGC 10936 Discovery by J. Newton and T. Puckett, USA, of a possible supernova (CBET 1268): SN 2008 UT R.A. (2000.0) Decl. Mag. Offset 2008an Feb. 24.52 17 38 28.18 +61 02 13.7 17.3 4.9"E, 9.8"S SUPERNOVA 2008ao IN ANONYMOUS GALAXY Discovery by the CROSS program of a possible supernova (CBET 1269): SN 2008 UT R.A. (2000.0) Decl. Mag. Offset 2008ao Feb. 26.82 03 07 46.66 +38 22 06.2 16.8-17.3 6" E,11" S SUPERNOVA 2008ap IN UGC 3754 Discovery by F. Ciabattari and E. Mazzoni, Lucca, Italy of a possible supernova (CBET 1270): SN 2008 UT R.A. (2000.0) Decl. Mag. Offset 2008ap Feb. 13.81 07 13 47.33 +12 20 03.8 19.2 10" W - SUPERNOVA 2008aq IN MCG -02-3320 Discovery by LOSS of a possible supernova (CBET 1271): SN 2008 UT R.A. (2000.0) Decl. Mag. Offset 2008aq Feb. 27.44 12 50 30.42 -10 52 01.4 16.3 15.2"E,45.2"S Guy M Hurst