Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
IAUC 4620: N And 1988; Occn BY PLUTO; 1988A
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Read IAUC 4621
Circular No. 4620
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Postal Address: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
TWX 710-320-6842 ASTROGRAM CAM Telephone 617-495-7244/7440/7444
MARSDEN or GREEN@CFA.BITNET MARSDEN or GREEN@CFAPS2.SPAN
NOVA ANDROMEDAE 1988
Information received some weeks ago indicates that a spectrogram
was obtained of D. McAdam's variable in Andromeda (IAUC 4570, 4577,
4579) with the 2.5-m Isaac Newton Telescope, La Palma, on Apr. 1, but
various computer problems have prevented recovery of the data. A
preliminary inspection of the object's spectrum at the time apparently
showed the presence of strong O III emission.
Referring to the measurements of the position of the object (IAUC
4577), G. M. Hurst, Basingstoke, England, reports that B. Manning,
Stakenbridge, has obtained the following position (a three-star SAOC
reduction from a Palomar Sky Survey print) for Hurst's pre-outburst
candidate: R.A. = 2h26m22s.18, Decl. = +39D49'17".4 (equinox 1950.0). No
image appears on the Franklin-Adams chart (1908 Dec. 28) to mag 15.
Further visual magnitude estimates: Apr 11.85 UT, 12.2 (Hurst); 12.84,
12.3 (Hurst); 12.86, 12.3 (S. Lubbock, Bridgend, Wales); 13.86, 12.5
(Lubbock). A 12-min exposure (0.57-m reflector, K2415 film) by A. Young,
Burwash, on June 23.04 UT failed to record the object to a limiting
magnitude of about 16.0.
Although the absence of more definite observations is unfortunate,
it seems reasonable to suppose that the object was a nova.
OCCULTATION BY PLUTO
W. S. G. Walker, D. Dix, B. F. Marino and G. Urquhart, Auckland
Observatory, refine their timings of the June 9 occultation (IAUC
4612) as follows: atmospheric ingress, 10h37m48s.8 UT; planetary
ingress, 10h38m12s.8; planetary egress, 10h39m51s.3; atmospheric
egress, 10h40m12s.8. They add: "The relative times are reliable, but
the absolute times are uncertain by +/- 2 s. Cloudy weather precluded
a final test of the high-speed data-acquisition system before the
event. The ingress contains three distinct slopes, indicative of
layering in the atmosphere. These slopes are less discernible in the
egress because of a minor system problem. The atmospheric ingress and
egress differ in slope and duration, presumably indicating some tidal
distortion in the direction of Charon."
SUPERNOVA 1988A IN M58
Corrigendum. On IAUC 4613, line 10, for B-V = +0.7 read
B-V = +1.3.
1988 July 1 (4620) Brian G. Marsden
Read IAUC 4621
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