Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
IAUC 8128: 2003ec; (3782); 156P
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Circular No. 8128
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Mailstop 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
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SUPERNOVA 2003ec IN NGC 5990
A.-C. Chen, S.-Y. Wu, W.-H. Sun, Y.-W. Cheng, S.-Y. Wu, W.-H.
Sun, Y.-W. Cheng, M.-T. Chang, H.-C. Lin, and C.-C. Liu, National
Central University, Chung-li, Taiwan, report the discovery of an
apparent supernova (V = 16.4) on B, V, and R CCD images obtained on
May 2.801 and 3.662 UT with the Lulin Observatory 1-m telescope.
SN 2003ec is located at R.A. = 15h46m16s.67, Decl. = +2o24'48".7
(equinox 2000.0), which is 4".2 east and 7".2 south of the center
of NGC 5990. Nothing appears at this location on a 1982 Digitized
Sky Survey image.
(3782) CELLE
W. H. Ryan, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and
New Mexico Highlands University, reports that photometric
observations of (3782) Celle were obtained during 2001 Sept. 18.3-
19.5, 2002 Dec. 9.3-11.4, 2003 Jan. 4.1-6.2, and Jan. 26.1-Feb. 1.3
UT at the 1.8-m Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope as part of a
larger survey by a collaboration that also includes E. V. Ryan,
C. T. Martinez, and L. Stewart. Analysis of these data reveals a
normal rotational lightcurve (period 3.84 hr, amplitude 0.10-0.15
mag) superimposed onto deeper attenuation events lasting for about
2.5-3.5 hr that varied in amplitude from 0.15-0.3 mag. The onset
of these events was observed on 2003 Jan. 5.25, 27.34, 28.10,
30.39, and 31.15. An event in progress was also observed on 2002
Dec. 9.4. The attenuations were of two distinct types that can
clearly be identified as primary and secondary occultations/
eclipses, similar to those that have been previously observed in
known minor-planet binary systems (Pravec et al. 2000, Icarus 146,
190). In particular, the 2003 Jan. 5.25 event was indicative of a
complete occultation of the secondary component of such a binary
system. The data are interpreted as clear evidence that (3782) is
actually an asynchronous binary system with a primary-to-secondary
diameter ratio of 0.42 +/- 0.02 and an orbital period of 36.57 +/-
0.03 hr. Since (3782) has been associated with the Vesta family
both dynamically (Zappala et al. 1984, A.J. 107, 772) and
spectroscopically (Bus and Binzel 2002, Icarus 158, 146), this is
the first identified binary amongst the so-called 'Vesta chips'.
COMET 156P/RUSSELL-LINEAR
Comet P/2000 QD_181 = 2000 XV_43 = 1986 R1 = 1993 WU (Russell-
LINEAR), announced on IAUC 8118, has been given the permanent
number 156P (MPC 48317).
(C) Copyright 2003 CBAT
2003 May 3 (8128) Daniel W. E. Green
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