THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 458 1990 Nov 03 20.45UT Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise, Basingstoke, Hants, RG22 4PP, England. Telephone: (0256)471074 Int:+44256471074 Telex: 94082518 Answerback: TAGUY Microlink: MAG60138 JANET:GMH @ UK.AC.CAM.ASTRONOMY.STARLINK GUYH@UK.AC.SUSSEX.CLUSTER TELECOM GOLD: 10074:MIK2885 PRESTEL 256471074 -------------------------------------------------------------------- SUPERNOVA 1990af IN ANONYMOUS GALAXY J. Maza, University of Chile; and M. Hamuy, Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory, report the discovery by Roberto Antezana of a supernova (B about 17) at R.A. = 21h31m07s.7, Decl. = -62 57'37" (equinox 1950.0), which is 7" west and 7" north of the nucleus of an anonymous galaxy. The supernova was found on an 103a-O plate taken by Hamuy and S. Ormeno with the CTIO Curtis Schmidt telescope on Oct. 24.072 UT. Confirmation was made by R.Lamontagne, whose B and V CCD images with the CTIO 0.9-m telescope on Oct. 28 yield B about 18, B-V = +0.2 to +0.3; the object was somewhat brighter in both B and V on Oct. 29. IAUC 5124 AX PERSEI (cf E457) As suggested by Stefan Korth this Z And-type cataclysmic variable has faded. Selected results (partly from IAUC 5126) follow: Oct. 12.78 UT, 10.5 (J. Speil, Walbrzych, Poland); 16.0, 11.1 (J. E. Bortle, Stormville, NY); 18.92, 10.6 (P. Schmeer, Bischmisheim, Germany); 22.81, 10.8 (Speil); 24.16, 10.9 (Schmeer); 27.21, 11.4 (Schmeer); 29.89, 11.8 (Speil); 31.84, 11.9 (Schmeer). PROBABLE DWARF NOVA IN FORNAX W. Liller, Vina del Mar, Chile, reports his discovery, with a 0.20-m Schmidt telescope + Problicom, of a very blue stellar object in outburst, at R.A. = 3h24m49s, Decl. = -34 37'.0 (equinox 1950.0), providing the following Tech pan film magnitudes: Oct. 27.28 UT, 12.5; 28.31, 12.5; 29.32, 12.6. M. Phillips, Cerro Tololo Inter- american Observatory, reports the following CCD magnitudes obtained by M. Hamuy and R. Lamontagne with the CTIO 0.9-m telescope on Oct. 29: B = 12.79, V = 12.69. Spectra (range 450-680 nm) obtained by F. Baganoff and J. Maza with the CTIO 1.5-m and 4-m telescopes on Oct. 29 show broad absorptions of H-alpha, H-beta, He I, and possibly weak He II 469-nm; there is no evidence that these lines are shifted, and there are no emission features. An exposure of the region on Oct. 23 (+/- 1 day) by M. Wischnjewsky, University of Chile, shows nothing to B = 19, and nothing is present to the limit of the ESO Sky Survey. IAUC 5127 Guy M Hurst