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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2500      2008 Nov 14 14.58UT
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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EDITOR'S ABSENCE
The editor will be away and unavailable from the morning of Saturday 
November 15 until late on Sunday November 16. During that period please 
direct any urgent messages about potential discoveries to Nick James 
whose contact details appear on the first page of each magazine. Nick 
will also issue any TA E-Circulars for that short period.

NEW VARIABLE STAR IN PEGASUS
K. Kinugasa and H. Taguchi, Gunma Astronomical Observatory (GAO);
and H. Yamaoka, Kyushu University, report on CBET 1564 that a 
low-resolution spectrogram (range 400-800 nm, resolution about 1.0 nm) 
of the variable reported on TA E-Circular 2498 was obtained on Nov. 7.6 
UT with the GAO 1.5-m reflector. The spectrum shows a smooth blue 
continuum with prominent H-gamma and H-delta absorption lines. While the 
H-beta is a shallow absorption, the H-alpha appears as a weak emission 
line.  Both of the hydrogen features seem to be filled by the emission 
core.  These characteristics suggest that it is a dwarf nova in 
outburst.

UV PERSEI
Hazel McGee, England reports via BAAVSS her detection of an outburst of 
this eruptive variable at magnitude 12.4 (CCD unfiltered) on Nov 
13.1556UT. This was based on a visual estimate from a GRAS 001 image.
Jose Ripero, M 1 Group, Madrid, reports confirmation in poor conditions 
and strong moonlight on Nov 13.7813UT at magnitude 12.5 using a 0.34-m 
Dobsonian.

SUPERNOVA 2008gq IN MCG -02-26-39
Discovery by the CHASE Project of a possible supernova (CBET 1556):
SN      2008 UT      R.A.  (2000.0)  Decl.    Mag.     Offset
2008gq  Oct. 27.35  10 11 08.85  -13 47 21.4  16.4     3.2"E,24.4"S

SUPERNOVAE 2008gs, 2008gt, 2008gu, 2008gv, 2008gw
Discovery by the Catalina Real-time Transient Survey of possible 
supernovae (CBET 1559):
SN      2008 UT      R.A.  (2000.0)  Decl.    Mag.     Offset
2008gs  Sep. 21.41  01 27 05.78  +03 13 05.7  17.6
2008gt  Oct. 29.20  22 44 43.69  -03 08 51.1  18.4    10.7"W, 6.9"N
2008gu  Oct. 30.22  01 13 41.49  +04 47 18.0  17.7     2.6"E,14.8"N
2008gv  Oct. 31.31  01 52 31.71  +33 27 52.0  19.7
2008gw  Nov.  3.41  04 39 26.21  +09 08 31.6  18.3    13.4"W,10.3"N

SUPERNOVA 2008gx IN NGC 3144
Discovery by Markku Nissinen and Veli-Pekka Hentunen, Finland of a 
possible supernova (CBET 1561):
SN      2008 UT      R.A.  (2000.0)  Decl.    Mag.     Offset
2008qx  Nov.  4.85  10 15 32.95  +74 12 59.1  16.8     3  "E,14  "S
At their request, Arto Oksanen, Finland obtained confirming CCD images 
with a 40-cm reflector on Nov. 5.136 showing it at magnitude V = 16.9 
and at position end figures 32s.92, 59".4. He has posted an image at:
http://murtoinen.dyndns.org/ccd/ngc3174/NGC%203174_V_20081105T1620.jpg

Guy M Hurst