Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
IAUC 3104: 1977 RA; 1977l; X-RAY FLARE; 4U 1630-47
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Read IAUC 3105
Circular No. 3104
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
1977 RA
P. Wild, Astronomical Institute, Berne University, provides
the following precise positions of an Amor-type object discovered
by him at Zimmerwald:
1977 UT R. A. (1950) Decl. mpv
Sept. 4.86111 22 51 39.02 +16 12 26.4 14.5
6.90069 22 52 53.56 +16 34 46.5
7.90822 22 53 29.97 +16 44 28.2
The elements and ephemeris are by the undersigned:
T = 1977 Aug. 15.20 ET
Peri. = 36.40 e = 0.4458
Node = 289.84 1950.0 a = 2.2432 AU
Incl. = 5.61 n = 0.29336
q = 1.2431 AU P = 3.36 years
1977 ET R. A. (1950) Decl. Delta r B
Aug. 25 22 44.26 +13 11.2 0.256 1.247 15.0
Sept. 4 22 51.12 +16 02.4
14 22 57.16 +17 25.7 0.291 1.280 15.3
24 23 03.66 +17 37.1
Oct. 4 23 11.50 +17 02.0 0.367 1.342 15.9
B = 17.0 + 5 log Delta + 5 log r + 0.023 (phase angle)
PERIODIC COMET CHERNYKH (1977l)
Further precise positions have been reported as follows:
1977 UT R. A. (1950) Decl. m1 Observer
Sept. 1.18577 0 18 15.02 - 4 01 10.0 14 Schuster
1.23425 0 18 14.21 - 4 01 24.3 "
2.17716 0 17 58.01 - 4 05 53.9 14 "
3.9656 0 17 24.58 - 4 14 42.2 14 Manning
7.90443 0 16 01.47 - 4 34 38.8 13 Milet
7.98413 0 15 59.63 - 4 35 04.2 "
8.30347 0 15 52.29 - 4 36 44.3 Giclas
H.-E. Schuster (European Southern Observatory). Measurer: R. M.
West. Sept. 2 plate shows 30" apparently split tail to the west.
B. Manning and P. Birtwhistle (Stakenbridge, near Kidderminster,
England). Condensation, short tail. Communicated by G. Hurst.
B. Milet (Nice Observatory).
H. L. Giclas (Lowell Observatory). Measurer: M. L. Kantz.
X-RAY FLARE
L. J. Kaluzienski and S. S. Holt, Goddard Space Flight Center,
report that 3-6 keV (fine spatial mode) observations with the Ariel
5 all-sky monitor have revealed a strong x-ray flare from a region
centered on l = 359o.3 +/- 1o.0, b = +8o.9 +/- 1o.5 (R.A. = 17h08m, Decl.
= -24o.5, equinox 1950.0; 90-percent-confidence error box). Upon entry of
the source into the instrument's field of view late on Aug. 31 the
flux was measured at 0.43 +/- 0.14 (half-day average measured relative
to the Crab Nebula). Subsequent observations yielded a source
intensity of 0.73 +/- 0.09 (Sept. 3) and 0.63 +/- 0.10 (Sept. 5). It
can be noted that the source 4U 1708-23 (maximum 4U flux about 0.03
times the Crab) lies ~ 0o.3 from the edge of the error box.
4U 1630-47
J. Grindlay, Center for Astrophysics, reports that his photometry
and spectroscopy at Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory of
stars in the ~ 30" error circle given by Wilson et al. (1977, Astrophys.
J. 215, L111) for the x-ray source 4U 1630-47 has revealed
an emission-line object, possibly variable. Image-tube spectrograms
(range 3900-7100 A, dispersion 120 A/mm) obtained on Aug. 20
with the 100-cm telescope with an east-west (3" x 10") slit centered on
the brightest star in or near the error circle (R. A. =
16h30m14s.5, Decl. = -47o16'18", equinox 1950.0, uncertainty +/- 3")
showed strong H-alpha, H-beta, N II and possibly broad He II 4686 A in
emission. An observation on Aug. 22 showed strong Ha, N II, O III and
possibly broad 4650 A and 4686 A emission; H-beta was not detected, so
variability is suggested. On Aug. 22 the H-alpha and N II emission
lines appeared to have P-Cyg profiles. Photometry of this star
with a 12".5 diaphragm on Aug. 19 yielded V ~ 15.5, B-V ~ +0.9, U-B
~ +0.7 and V-R ~ +0.2 (uncertainty +/- 0.2 magnitude); significant H-alpha
emission was detected with a 16-A interference filter at a flux
level of about 1.7 x 10**-14 erg cm**-2 s**-1. A 60-min IV-N exposure
with the 400-cm telescope on Aug. 24 shows that a star of red magnitude
~ 22 located ~ 3" to the southwest would also have been included
in the slit, but no nebulosity is obvious in the immediate
field. Further photometry and spectroscopy of the candidate star
and surrounding field are urgent since the x-ray source, a recurrent
transient with period ~ 615 days (Jones et al. 1976, Astrophys.
J. 210, L9), is expected to turn on during the next week or so.
Kaluzienski and Holt report that the x-ray source remains
(through Sept. 5) below the Ariel 5 detection threshold for this
source of ~ 0.2 times the Crab (at 3-6 keV). Previous observations
indicate an expected peak intensity of about 0.37 times the Crab.
1977 September 12 (3104) Brian G. Marsden
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