-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 3056      2015 Jan 29 12.49UT
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
-------------------------------------------------------------------
COMET 17P/HOLMES
Richard Miles relays via the BAA Comet-disc digest that it appears that
Comet 17P/Holmes has undergone a significant outburst on
2015 January 26 possibly reaching magnitude 14. If confirmed, this outburst
will be the most energetic event of its kind since this comet's
mega-outburst of 2007 October 23. Denis Buczynski noted a small outburst of
the comet last November when the coma was confirmed to have brightened by
0.7 magnitudes on 2015 Nov 07+/-2. This event appears to have taken place
some 81+/-3 days later.

Two 120-sec exposures through an SDSS-r' filter taken by the 2.0-m Faulkes
Telescope North (LCOGT Network) on January 28.25 show an extended coma some
10-12 arcsec in diameter with possible outflows at p.a. 20 deg and 270 deg.
Seeing in the images is estimated to be in the range 1.0-1.4 arcsec. The
FITS images are not yet available (these require 24 hours to come online)
and so accurate photometry cannot yet be performed.

Two previous 120-sec exposures through an SDSS-r' filter taken with the same
2.0-m Faulkes Telescope North on January 26.29 show 17P to be entirely
quiescent at around 17-18th magnitude.

Richard would be grateful if one or more observers can confirm this apparent
outburst. Please send replies to Richard's message to him at
rmiles.btee@binternet.com with a copy to the TA Editor for the magazine
comet column.

SUPERNOVA 2015B IN NGC 4782 (M. CONTI ET. AL.)
2015B   Jan 05.12   12 54 35.53  -12 34 18.6  15.0   2  "W   10  "S
Nothing is visible at this position on Palomar Sky Survey infrared, red, and
blue plates from 1995 Mar. 23, 1991 Feb. 12, and 1982 Apr, 19 (limiting mag
20.0).  The discovery image has been posted at the following website URL:
http://www.astrofilisenesi.it/public/Sne/Uploads/PSN_NGC4782.jpg
L. Tomasella: spectrum Jan 11 with the Asiago 182-cm Copernico Telescope
shows that this is a type-Ia supernova. A good match is found with several
type-Ia supernovae about one week after B-band maximum light.  An expansion
velocity of 10800 km/s is derived from the minimum of the Si II 635-nm line.
CBET 4046 issued January 21

Guy M Hurst