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IAUC 7279: XTE J1859+226; C/1995 O1

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                                                  Circular No. 7279
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Mailstop 18, 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)
URL http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/cbat.html  ISSN 0081-0304
Phone 617-495-7244/7440/7444 (for emergency use only)


XTE J1859+226
     R. M. Wagner, Ohio State University; P. S. Smith, National
Optical Astronomy Observatory; G. D. Schmidt, University of Arizona;
and C. R. Shrader, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA, report:  "We
obtained a spectrum (range 440-800 nm, resolution 1.15 nm) of the
proposed optical counterpart of XTE J1859+226 (IAUC 7276) on Oct.
13.1 UT with the Steward Observatory 2.3-m telescope (+ CCD
Spectropolarimeter) on Kitt Peak.  The spectrum exhibits weak
emission lines arising from the Balmer series of hydrogen, He II
468.6-nm, and the C III/N III blend at 464-465 nm.  The H-alpha
profile consists of a broad absorption line (FWZI = 3900 km/s) and
a more-narrow emission core (FWHM = 685 km/s, equivalent width =
0.55 nm).  The equivalent width of the interstellar absorption line
at 578 nm is 0.11(4) nm, implying that E(B-V) = 0.8(4) mag, based
on the calibration of Herbig (1975, Ap.J. 196, 129).  The spectrum
is typical of the optical spectra of low-mass x-ray binaries and
x-ray transients and confirms the identification of the proposed
optical counterpart with XTE J1859+226.  Further observations are
encouraged."
     A. J. Norton, C. A. Haswell, and S. Chaty, Open University; R.
I. Hynes, Southampton University; A. Henden, U.S. Naval Observatory,
Flagstaff; R. van Boekel, Groningen; P. M. Garnavich and K. Z.
Stanek, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics; and T. R.
Greve and J. Fynbo, Copenhagen University, report the following
photometry of the proposed optical counterpart to the x-ray
transient XTE J1859+226 (IAUC 7274, 7276, 7278):  Oct. 12.20 UT
(Fred L. Whipple Observatory 1.2-m telescope + Kitt Peak Harris
filter set), U = 15.00, B = 15.75, V = 15.50, R = 15.15.  Oct.
13.85 (1.0-m Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope, La Palma), Kitt Peak B =
16.03, Johnson V = 15.47, Gunn R = 15.04 (uncertainties < 0.1 mag).
Oct. 13.90 (2.5-m Nordic Optical Telescope, La Palma), V = 15.31, R
= 15.02, I = 14.88 (uncertainties about 0.1 mag).  Oct. 14.18 (USNO
Flagstaff Station 1.0-m telescope), V = 15.527, B-V = +0.337, U-B =
-0.647, V-R = +0.272, R-I = +0.297 (uncertainties about 0.015 mag).
Astrometry from the USNO observations gives R.A. = 18h58m41s.51,
Decl. = +22o39'30".2 (equinox J2000.0, referenced to USNO-A2.0).


COMET C/1995 O1 (HALE-BOPP)
     Total visual magnitude estimates by A. Pearce, Nedlands, W.
Australia (0.41-m reflector):  July 23.85 UT, 12.4; Aug. 21.83,
12.5; Sept. 5.87, 12.5; 15.85, 12.5; Oct. 1.84, 12.5; 10.84, 12.6.

                      (C) Copyright 1999 CBAT
1999 October 14                (7279)            Daniel W. E. Green

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