------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 871 1994 Aug 13 08.00 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------- X-RAY NOVA IN SCORPIUS (c.f. EC 870) C. Bailyn, S. Jogee, and J. Orosz, Department of Astronomy, Yale University, report: "CCD imaging of the field of GRO J1655-40 (IAUC 6046) with the Cerro Tololo 0.9-m telescope (+ 2048 Tek CCD) has revealed a candidate optical counterpart for the high-energy nova. The optical nova is located at R.A. = 16h54m00s, Decl. = -39o50'44" (equinox 2000.0; +/- 2"); its magnitude and colors on Aug. 11.038 UT were V = 14.2, B-V = +1.1, V-R = +0.8, R-I = +0.7 (+/- 0.1 mag). The digitized U.K. Schmidt Sky Survey shows only an object of V about 18 at this location. This object may be a near neighbor of the nova that is visible on the CCD images (and not associated with the quiescent nova). The red color of the nova suggests that, if it is associated with GRO J1655-40, it is signif- icantly absorbed. IAUC 6050 NEW VARIABLE STAR IN SAGITTARIUS H. Sato, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, has reported the discovery of what was termed a possible nova by Yukio Sakurai (Mito, Japan) on Fuji SG400 film at the following position: R.A. = 17h56m35s.54, Decl. = -25o13'15".7 (equinox 1950.0); giving the following magnitude estimates: May 20 UT, [12.5; June 17, [11.5; July 3, [11:; 28.520, 11.4; Aug. 8.548, 11.4. Further observations suggest that the object is evidently a Mira-type or symbiotic star undergoing an outburst: T. Beers (Michigan State University), W. Brandner and T. Lehmann (European Southern Observatory = ESO), and H. W. Duerbeck (Astronomical Institute Munster) report that a spectrogram (range 360-495 nm), taken on Aug. 10.084 with the ESO 1.52-m telescope, shows strong, narrow (FWHM = 120 km/s) emission lines of H-beta to H10 (with H-epsilon weak or absent), superimposed on a red continuum with traces of TiO bands at 458.4, 462.6, 476.1, and 480.4 nm. Photometry on Aug. 10.161 yields V = 12.41 +/- 0.02, B-V = +2.52 +/- 0.04, V-R = +1.56 +/- 0.02. M. Della Valle (Universita di Padova) and A. Smette (Groningen) report that spectrograms (range 400-750 nm, resolution 0.8 nm) obtained on Aug. 10.0 at the La Silla 3.6-m telescope (+ EFOSC) reveal an Me spectrum, characterized by TiO absorption bands furrowed by narrow Balmer emission lines; inspection of photographic surveys yields the following magnitudes: 1950 July, B about 19 (Palomar); 1976 May, B = 14-15 (ESO); 1977 June, R about 12 (Palomar). IAUC 6051 PERSEID METEORS 1994 P. Brown, University of Western Ontario, writes: "In spite of poor weather across North America, several observers have reported significant Perseid activity. Reports from European and North American observers in the time interval Aug. 11.88-12.40 UT suggest that activity was not then significantly enhanced. J. Rendtel, I. Rendtel, A. Knoefel, and D. Holman (International Meteor Organiza- tion), observing from the Nevada-California border, northwest of Reno under excellent conditions, recorded steadily increasing rates from Aug. 12.39 to 12.46 with a maximum zenithal hourly rate (ZHR) in the range 250-300 at Aug. 12.45. These observers noted a steep decline in activity beginning around Aug. 12.46 and ended their observations in twilight near Aug. 12.48 (when ZHR about 75). The observers noted several fireballs in the interval Aug. 12.44-12.46 and commented on the rapid fluctuation in meteor rates during this interval." IAUC 6052 Martin Mobberley