THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 559 1991 Sept 5 20.01UT Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise, Basingstoke, Hants, RG22 4PP, England. Telephone: (0256)471074 Int:+44256471074 Telex: 9312111261 Answerback: TA G JANET BOXES: GMH at UK.AC.CAM.ASTRONOMY.STARLINK or GUYH at UK.AC.SUSSEX.CLUSTER TELECOM GOLD: 10074:MIK2885 PRESTEL 256471074 ------------------------------------------------------------------- SUPERNOVA 1991aq IN ANONYMOUS GALAXY Rob McNaught reports his discovery of an apparent supernova on a red plate taken by P. McKenzie with the U.K. Schmidt Telescope on Aug.18.75 UT. The supernova, of mag about 18, is situated at R.A. = 1h 53m 44s.6, Decl. = -81 52'46".1 (1950.0, uncertainty 0".5 in each coordinate), or 5".3 west and 10".6 south of the nucleus of an anonymous spiral galaxy. No star appears in this position on the SERC J, R and I and ESO B surveys. A field star of mag about 17 is situated closer to the nucleus (4".4 west, 3".6 north) at end figures 45s.0, 31".9. IAUC 5331 COMET McNAUGHT-RUSSELL (1991v) R. H. McNaught, Anglo-Australian Observatory, reports his discovery of a comet on a 60-min R exposure by K. S. Russell with the U.K. Schmidt on Aug. 30. Subsequently he also found it on an Aug. 3 plate, and altogether he has measured the following precise positions: 1991 UT R.A. (1950) Decl. m1 Observer Aug. 3.54744 20 20 34.25 -47 53 47.1 16.5 Hartley 3.59258 20 20 30.23 -47 54 24.0 " 30.43910 19 39 41.28 -52 47 13.7 17.5 Russell 30.48076 19 39 37.62 -52 47 33.0 " Sept. 1.48731 19 36 53.62 -53 02 05.2 16.5 " M. Hartley (Siding Spring). Very strong condensation 1" across; tail 1'.5 long in p.a. 0 deg. K. S. Russell (Siding Spring). Aug. 30: strong condensation 3" across; tail 0'.5 long in p.a. 20 deg. Sept. 1: excellent dense image on 4415 film; tail 1'.0 in p.a. 25 deg. Parabolic orbital elements from the above observations: T = 1992 Apr. 24.445 ET Peri. = 253.599 Node = 120.155 1950.0 q = 3.32276 AU Incl. = 91.576 1991 ET R.A. (1950) Decl. Delta r m1 Sept. 1 19 37.55 -52 58.6 3.342 3.982 16.6 11 19 25.25 -53 59.4 21 19 15.81 -54 42.5 3.528 3.885 16.6 Oct. 1 19 09.57 -55 13.4 11 19 06.63 -55 36.8 3.742 3.794 16.7 IAUC 5333 V795 CYGNI (Q1991/80) Patrick Schmeer, Germany, reports an outburst of this recurrent object located at: RA 19h 32m 38s DEC +31 25.6' (1950). Confirmation has been obtained by Gary Poyner (Birmingham): 1991 Sept 2.875UT, [14.2 (Schmeer); 3.894, 13.1 (Schmeer); 4.877, 13.3 (Schmeer); 4.92, 13.5: (Poyner). The previous outburst of 1990 April was announced on E404. FN ANDROMEDAE (Q1991/81) Timo Kinnunen, Finland reports an outburst of this recurrent object located at: RA 01h 09m 18s DEC +34 59' (1950). On 1991 Sept 4.955UT he estimated it at magnitude 13.0. Patrick Schmeer has subsequently reported estimates: 1991 Sept 3.997UT, [14.3; 4.976, 13.4. Details of the previous outburst of 1990 Sept appeared on E446. Guy M Hurst