Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
IAUC 6401: 1996Z; C/1995 O1
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Circular No. 6401
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Postal Address: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
IAUSUBS@CFA.HARVARD.EDU or FAX 617-495-7231 (subscriptions)
BMARSDEN@CFA.HARVARD.EDU or DGREEN@CFA.HARVARD.EDU (science)
Phone 617-495-7244/7440/7444 (for emergency use only)
SUPERNOVA 1996Z IN NGC 2935
W. Johnson, Anza, CA, reports his discovery of a supernova
(mag about 16) on a CCD image taken on May 16.17 UT, SN 1996Z
located about 1' south of the center of NGC 2935 (R.A. = 9h36m.7,
Decl. = -21o08', equinox 2000).
S. Benetti and M. Turatto, European Southern Observatory; and
S. Moehler, Space Telescope Science Institute, report: "Inspection
of a reduced CCD spectrogram (range 332-924 nm, resolution 2.7 nm)
obtained on May 17.97 UT with the ESO/MPI 2.2-m telescope (+ EFOSC2)
confirms that this object is a type-Ia supernova. The supernova,
as measured on an R CCD frame, is located 4" east and 71" south of
the galaxy nucleus. The spectrum is dominated by P-Cyg lines of
intermediate-mass elements (mostly Ca II H and K and infrared
triplet; Si II; and S II) superimposed on a relatively blue
continuum, which is typical for a type-Ia supernova about 5 days
after maximum light. The expansion velocity deduced from the
minimum of Si II (635.5 nm), corrected by the redshift (2500 km/s,
as measured from a strong Na I D interstellar absorption) of the
parent galaxy, is about 12 000 km/s. The mean expansion velocity
derived from the Ca II lines is about 16 200 km/s; this is
substantially faster than was seen in the prototype-Ia SN 1994D
(Patat et al. 1996, MNRAS 278, 111)."
P. Garnavich, A. Riess, and R. Kirshner, Harvard-Smithsonian
Center for Astrophysics, communicate: "CCD images of NGC 2935 were
obtained by R. Jansen on May 18.1 UT using the Whipple
Observatory's 1.2-m telescope. The supernova (V about 14.3) is 70"
south of the galaxy's nucleus. A spectrum taken by E. Barton with
the 1.5-m Tillinghast telescope on May 18.2 shows that the
supernova is of type Ia, a week to ten days past maximum. Strong
interstellar Na I (589.3 nm) absorption is detected from our galaxy
(equivalent width 0.09 nm) and the host galaxy (equivalent width
0.14 nm)."
COMET C/1995 O1 (HALE-BOPP)
Total visual magnitude and coma-diameter estimates (cf. IAUC
6380): Apr. 14.67 UT, 7.4, about 9' (D. Seargent, The Entrance,
N.S.W., 10x50 binoculars); 18.05, 7.7, 6' (A. Baransky, Kiev,
Ukraine, 0.11-m reflector); 21.48, 7.5, - (C. S. Morris, Pine
Mountain Club, CA, 10x50 binoculars); 29.43, 7.8, 7' (R. Keen, Mt.
Thorodin, CO, 0.15-m reflector); May 15.58, 6.7, - (D. Seargent,
The Entrance, N.S.W., 2.5x25 binoculars); 16.42, 7.4, 11' (A. Hale,
Cloudcroft, NM, 10x50 binoculars).
(C) Copyright 1996 CBAT
1996 May 18 (6401) Daniel W. E. Green
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