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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2738      2011 May 13 20.11UT
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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MASTER OPTICAL TRANSIENT 152206.02+302042.7
D. Gareeva et. al., Kislovodsk solar station of Pulkovo Observatory 
reports on The Astronomer's Telegram 3346 the MASTER auto-detection 
system at Tunka (Baykal Lake) has detected a new transient source.

The position is:
RA 15h 22m 06.02s DEC +30d 20m 42s.7, (2000) with a typical
uncertainty of 0.5" at 2011 May 8, 18:39:23.781UT. The OT is seen on 
four images. There is no minor planet and any object brighter 21 mag on 
the DSS at this place.

The unfiltered (0.2B+0.8R) magnitude is about 18.3+-0.1 on the 180 
second exposure which had a limiting magnitude of 20.0.

The discovery image is available at 
http://observ.pereplet.ru/images/OT152206.02+302042.7/OT152206.02+302042.
7.jpg

TOM CRAGG
Mary Cragg e-mailed via Msgr. Ron Royer, USA the very sad news of the 
death of Tom Cragg. Tom died peacefully on 6 May 2011 at 1 pm. Mary was 
with Tom, and the Cooinda nursing home staff have been wonderful in 
their care and attention. Tom will be buried here in Coonabarabran 
during May.

Ron adds:
May he rest in peace after a very inspiring life. To hear him and Tom 
Cave talk and give reports at the monthly LAAS meetings was always worth 
the trip to Griffith. He is the one who got me into astronomy, scope 
making and observing.

Editor: I had the privilege to meet Tom during a trip to Huntsville in 
2000 when we both attended a High Energy Workshop devoted to the 
mysteries of Gamma Ray Bursters. I had heard so much about his observing 
previously but he was a charming man to chat with.

Guy M Hurst