THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 182 1988 July 21 18.42UT. Telecom Gold 72:MAG60138 Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16, Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise, Basingstoke, Hants, RG22 4PP, England. Telephone:(0256)471074.Int:+44256471074 Telex:265871(MONREF G) Quote"72:MAG60138 ATT G.HURST"in FIRST line. ------------------------------------------------------------------- FADE OF R CRB On July 19 we received a telephone message from Neil Bone, Dept of Zoology, Cambridge advising that R CrB was fading with an estimate for July 18.94UT of 6.9. In view of UK cloud the message was relayed to John Isles, Cyprus who provided further results: July 18.87, 6.2; 19.89, 6.5. Subsequently I have received e-mail from Pam Kilmartin in New Zealand with the following report: "W.A. Lawson, P. Kilmartin and A. Gilmore report UBV photometry of R Coronae Borealis, obtained at Mount John Observatory with the 0.6 m photometric reflector: UT V U-B B-V 1988 Jun 14.43 5.83 0.14 0.59 24.44 5.94 - 0.59 Jul 1.38 5.93 0.13 0.58 12.37 6.01 0.33 0.53 20.35 6.43 0.16 0.52 This appears to signal a decline as variations at maximum do not normally go below V = 6.0." It is not clear whether this is a full decline but nightly estimates are urgently needed, Guy M Hurst