------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 868 1994 July 31 12.00 UT Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise, Basingstoke, Hants, RG22 4PP,England. Telephone/FAX(0256)471074 Int:+44256471074 INTERNET: GMH at AST.STAR.RL.AC.UK or GMH at GXVG.AST.CAM.AC.UK ------------------------------------------------------------------- EDITORIAL HOLIDAY The Editor will be on holiday and unavailable between 1994 August 7-17. During that time Martin Mobberley will be in charge of running 'TA' which will include the issue of these circulars and the production of the August issue of 'The Astronomer'. All messages, including discovery reports, should continue to be sent via e-mail to this mailbox and the backup on GXVG which will be monitored daily. Telephone queries to Martin should be made to: (0284) 828431 (weekends) or (0245) 475297 (weekdays) Variable star alerts should continue to be directed to Gary Poyner (GP at STAR.SR.BHAM.AC.UK) or tel: 021-605-3716. PERIODIC COMET MCNAUGHT-HARTLEY (1994n) Updated orbital elements (cf E865): T 1994 Nov 11.2020 TT w 300.21600 ) e 0.61969000 O 38.11800 ) 2000.0 q 2.6096900 A.U. i 17.65500 ) Source: IAUC 6037 Positions are geocentric Ephemeris by G.Hurst using EPH.EXE by N.James: m = 10.0 + 5.0 log R + 10.0 log r Date R.A. (2000) Dec. R r Elong Mag. Motion h m o ' (AU) (AU) o "/hr P.A. 1994 July 27.00 21 28.85 -43 50.2 1.820 2.758 152.0 15.7 19 235 1994 Aug 1.00 21 25.78 -44 9.8 1.804 2.745 152.5 15.7 19 244 6.00 21 22.41 -44 23.8 1.794 2.732 152.1 15.6 19 254 11.00 21 18.90 -44 31.5 1.790 2.721 150.8 15.6 19 263 16.00 21 15.40 -44 32.3 1.792 2.709 148.8 15.6 18 274 21.00 21 12.05 -44 26.1 1.798 2.698 146.2 15.6 18 286 26.00 21 9.01 -44 13.0 1.810 2.688 143.2 15.6 17 298 31.00 21 6.39 -43 53.1 1.827 2.678 139.8 15.6 17 312 1994 Sept 5.00 21 4.29 -43 26.7 1.849 2.669 136.2 15.6 18 326 10.00 21 2.81 -42 54.4 1.875 2.661 132.5 15.6 19 340 15.00 21 2.00 -42 16.6 1.905 2.653 128.8 15.6 20 353 20.00 21 1.90 -41 34.0 1.939 2.646 125.0 15.7 22 4 25.00 21 2.51 -40 47.3 1.977 2.639 121.2 15.7 25 13 30.00 21 3.81 -39 56.8 2.018 2.634 117.4 15.7 28 20 LQ SAGITTARII Further to the announcement on E856, U. Munari and T. Zwitter, Asiago Astrophysical Observatory; and A. Bragaglia, Astronomical Observatory, Bologna, communicate: "A low-resolution, optical/near-infrared spectrogram of LQ Sgr (= Nova Sgr 1897), recently announced as undergoing a symbiotic-nova outburst, was secured on July 14.1 UT with the Boller & Chivens spectrograph of the 1.5-m European Southern Observatory telescope. The spectrum is typical of a Mira variable close to maximum brightness. It does not resemble that of any known symbiotic or classical nova at maximum or declining phases. We therefore suggest that LQ Sgr is a normal Mira variable." Martin Mobberley --- 00048 --- Date: Sun, 31 Jul 1994 17:55:04 +0100 (BST)