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IAUC 3062: 1977e; N Sgr 1977

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                                                  Circular No. 3062
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Postal Address: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
Cable Address: SATELLITES, NEWYORK     Telex: 921428
Telephone: (617) 864-5758


COMET HELIN (1977e)
     Eleanor Helin, California Institute of Technology, reports the
discovery of a comet on exposures with the 46-cm Schmidt telescope
at Palomar.  Selected approximate positions available follow:

     1977 UT          R. A. (1950) Decl.     m1     Observer
     Apr. 16.389     12 39.2     - 6 40     15      Helin
          17.474     12 35.0     - 7 24     15        "
          18.040     12 32.7     - 7 47     15      McCrosky
          18.470     12 31.0     - 8 04     15      Helin

E. Helin, B. Bus, P. Bormann and D. Zelinski (Palomar Mountain
   Observatory).  Rather wide, diffuse trail, with some condensation
   and a suggestion of a tail to the east or northeast.
R. E. McCrosky and C.-Y. Shao (Harvard College Observatory).  Diffuse
   with strong condensation; short broad tail in p.a. ~ 90o.


NOVA SAGITTARII 1977
     C. J. Peterson and N. R. Walborn, Cerro Tololo Interamerican
Observatory, report that 45 A/mm image-tube spectrograms were obtained
by R. Gonzalez A. and H. J. Augensen with the C.T.I.O.-Yale
100-cm reflector on Apr. 2 and 3.  The spectrum corresponds to a
postmaximum galactic nova, with broad emission bands and multiple
violet-displaced absorption systems.  The following absorption component
velocities have been measured (H = averages of H-gamma and H-beta,
Fe II = averages of Fe II 4924 and 5018 A):

     1977 UT           H (km/s)            Fe II (km/s)
     Apr.  2.34   -1490, -1110, -660    -1450, -1100, -600
           3.36   -1560, -1150, -655    -1480, -1140, -600

The most highly displaced absorption is broader than the others and
may itself consist of two components with velocities -1710 and
-1465 km/s in H-beta on the Apr. 3 plate.

     C. B. Stephenson, Warner and Swasey Observatory, writes that a
100 A/mm image-tube spectrogram taken on Apr. 12 UT by Z. Levay
shows the spectrum of a fairly fast nova about two magnitudes below
and past maximum.  The emission lines are about 20 A wide, and the
strongest absorption component of H-beta is displaced to the violet of
the center of the emission by almost 30 A.


1977 April 19                  (3062)              Brian G. Marsden

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