------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2736 2011 May 02 18.30UT 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 2011by IN NGC 3972 Zhangwei Jin and Xing Gao, China, report the discovery on CBET 2708 of a possible magnitude 14.2 supernova on a 60-s image (limiting mag about 19.5) in the course of the Xingming Observation Sky Survey around 2011 Apr. 26.82UT using a C14 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope (+ unfiltered CCD camera) at Mt. Nanshan. The new object is approximately located at: RA 11h 55m 45.56s, DEC +55 19' 33.8" (2000), which is about 5.3"E and 19.1"N of the centre of NGC 3972. Nothing is visible at this position on archival images taken on Apr. 8 and 10 (limiting mag 19.5) or on a Digitised Sky Survey image from 1991 May 7 (limiting mag about 19.5.The discovery image is posted at: http://www.xjltp.com/XOSS/XM20ZJ/XM20ZJ.htm. Joseph Brimacombe, Cairns, Australia, reports that he obtained unfiltered CCD images remotely using a 51-cm RCOS telescope (+ STL11K camera) at the New Mexico Skies Observatory near Mayhill, New Mexico, on Apr. 27.332 UT, yielding mag 14.5 and position end figures 45.57s, 33.9". T. Zhang and Z. Zhou, National Astronomical Observatories of China and others report an optical spectrum obtained on Apr. 27.5 UT with the 2.16-m telescope at the Xinglong Station is consistent with that of a type-Ia supernova at very young phase. V1363 CYGNI Mike Simonsen reports an 'outburst' of the Recurrent Objects Programme star V1363 Cyg on April 29.442 at 14.62V. This is the brightest recorded since August 2008, when it was captured on a BRT image at 14.9C. Gary Poyner adds: V1363 Cyg remains an enigma. It does not appear to have conventional dwarf nova type outbursts (despite being classified as a UGZ), and it has been suggested that it could be a VY Scl object. The fade to low state seems too protracted for the VY Scl classification to be correct. The light curve shows a fading trend from the high state of 2005 towards the end of 2009, when the average brightness appears to be rising again. Superimposed on this trend, V1363 Cyg can be seen showing sort term, low amplitude brightenings. A light curve from Gary's personal observations can be seen here. http://www.garypoyner.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/v1363cyg.html Guy M Hurst