THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 811 1994 Jan 27 19.46UT Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise, Basingstoke, Hants, RG22 4PP,England. Telephone/FAX(0256)471074 Int:+44256471074 TELEX: 9312111261 Answerback: TA G TELECOM GOLD: 10074:MIK2885 GMH at UK.AC.RUTHERFORD.STARLINK.ASTROPHYSICS STARLINK: RLSAC::GMH GMH at UK.AC.CAM.ASTRONOMY.STARLINK STARLINK: CAVAD::GMH ------------------------------------------------------------------- ELECTRONIC MAIL We are advised by the staff of RLSAC (Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory) that the existing VAX system and machines will be switched off permanently as at 1994 Jan 31. New facilities, based on a UNIX system rather than the existing VMS mail, will become available from 1994 Feb 1. As various facilities on the UNIX system will only become available at the last moment prior to RLSAC shutdown, there will be no gap in which to learn the new system. Although the alternative mail facilities at CAVAD (RGO, Cambridge) remain available in the existing form and will permit issue of circulars from there, this too closes on 1994 April 6. We will endeavour to continue this service uninterrupted but hope recipients will understand if there are some delays. Mail sent to the Editor should, if all goes well, be automatically re-directed from RLSAC to the new UNIX box (address as yet not known) but as a precaution we recommend that DISCOVERY reports and VARIABLE STAR MAJOR alerts together with anything requiring an URGENT reply be sent to both RLSAC and CAVAD (see header for full addresses). NOVA CASSIOPEIAE 1993 Various reports from professional sources suggest that this nova may be a member of the rare DQ Her type. This is partly based on the detailed light curve compiled to date from over 1,000 estimates reported to TA, and on the interpretation of its spectrum. Reports up to Jan 25 indicate the nova was still quite bright, near magnitude 7.6. In the case of DQ Herculis itself, a sudden dramatic fade occurred about two magnitudes from maximum, when it fell about nine magnitudes with a slow recovery of about six magnitudes before the final decline. It is very important this nova is checked on every possible occasion. If a sudden major decline starts please e-mail us as soon as possible,