Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
IAUC 3146: 2S 0114+650; WRA 977; INTERSTELLAR METHANE; 1977q; METEORS FROM NEAR alpha Cir; APPULSES TO NEPTUNE
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Read IAUC 3147
Circular No. 3146
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
2S 0114+650
W. P. Bidelman and N. Sanduleak, Warner and Swasey Observatory,
inform us that the optical candidate proposed on IAUC 3144 is
classified as an OB star in both Bol. Obs. Tonantzintla-Tacubaya (1954,
No. 9, p. 21) and Luminous Stars in the Northern Milky Way (1959,
Vol. 1); the former reference provides an identification chart. A
1000-A/mm objective-prism spectrogram obtained with the Burrell
Schmidt telescope on 1975 Aug. 10 shows no evidence of H-alpha emission,
perhaps indicating variability in this feature.
WRA 977
C. Chevalier and C. Motch, Observatoire de Meudon; and S. A.
Ilovaisky, Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires de Saclay, report: "Analysis
of high-speed ultraviolet photometry of WRA 977 obtained over several
nights in Feb.-Mar. 1977 with the 100-cm telescope at the
European Southern Observatory shows the presence of a periodic
modulation of amplitude 0.4 at 690s.8 +/- 0s.4; the lightcurve has two
broad pulses of unequal amplitude. Assuming a spin-up rate of -5s.0
per year, this period is consistent with previous x-ray observations
of 4U 1223-62. Our results support the preliminary report by
Mauder (IAUC 2946) and definitely confirm the identification."
INTERSTELLAR METHANE
K. Fox and D. E. Jennings, Goddard Space Flight Center, report
that observations of Ori A with the National Radio Astronomy
Observatory's millimeter antenna at Kitt Peak have yielded the first
detection of interstellar CH4. Two transitions near 76 GHz in the
methane vibronic ground state have been detected in emission (TA ~
0.15 K) within 2 MHz of their calculated frequencies.
COMET TSUCHINSHAN (1977q)
The following precise positions have been reported:
1977 UT R. A. (1950) Decl. m1 Observer
Nov. 12.08507 1 05 40.30 + 1 31 36.7 Shao
12.8993 1 04 01.7 + 1 25 08 ~13.5 Manning
13.18209 1 03 28.34 + 1 22 44.3 Shao
13.19167 1 03 27.38 + 1 22 37.2 Giclas
15.16111 0 59 36.74 + 1 01 12.6 "
18.61667 0 53 10.45 + 0 41 54.2 15 Seki
18.62847 0 53 09.35 + 0 41 51.2 "
C.-Y. Shao (Harvard College Observatory, Agassiz Station).
B. Manning (Stakenbridge, England). 26.5-cm reflector. Image very
diffuse. Suggestion of tail ~ 2' long in p.a. 80o. Measurer:
P. Birtwhistle. Communicated by G. M. Hurst. Improved coordinates:
Long. = +2o09'49".5, Lat. = +52o24'45".6, h = 79 m.
H. L. Giclas (Lowell Observatory). Measurer: M. L. Kantz.
T. Seki (Geisei). From Yamamoto Circ. No. 1869.
The following improved parabolic elements, by B. G. Marsden,
are based on 16 observations Nov. 3-18.
T = 1977 July 24.935 ET Peri. = 318.189
Node = 4.586 1950.0
q = 3.60332 AU Incl. = 168.541
1977/78 ET R. A. (1950) Decl. Delta r Mag.
Dec. 13 0 19.44 - 1 14.5
23 0 11.10 - 1 33.9 3.702 3.852 14.7
Jan. 2 0 05.34 - 1 40.5
12 0 01.72 - 1 36.8 4.166 3.918 15.0
22 23 59.83 - 1 24.9
Feb. 1 23 59.27 - 1 06.7 4.582 3.991 15.3
11 23 59.76 - 0 43.8
21 0 01.00 - 0 17.5 4.911 4.070 15.6
METEORS FROM NEAR alpha CIRCINI
K. B. Hindley, British Astronomical Association, communicates
a report from B. Bridge, Queensland Astronomers Association, that
several observers noted large numbers of meteors on June 4 around
8h30m UT. Numbers continued to rise until perhaps 8h45m and then
began to fall again by 9h00m; the last meteor was seen at 9h20m
Of the meteors plotted 15 showed a radiant near alpha Cir.
APPULSES TO NEPTUNE
A. R. Klemola, Lick Observatory; W. Liller and B. G. Marsden,
Center for Astrophysics; and J. L. Elliot, Cornell University, note
that three stars, of R magnitude 13.1, 13.5 and 12.7, respectively,
will pass within 4" of the center of Neptune in early 1978. Times
of closest approach, minimum separations and position angles from
Neptune are: Jan. 16d16h20m UT, 1".9, 184o.9; Jan. 24d05h21m, 1".4,
4o.5; Feb. 8d02h28m, 2".9, 3o.7. Further information and predictions
for other occultations by Neptune during 1978-1980 are in Center
Astrophys. Prepr. No. 858 and Astron. J. (1978) 83, in press.
1977 December 5 (3146) Brian G. Marsden
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