Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
IAUC 2869: 1975p; TRANSIENT HIGH-LATITUDE X-RAY SOURCE; X Per; 1975k
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Read IAUC 2870
Circular No. 2869
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Postal Address: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
Cable Address: SATELLITES, NEWYORK
Western Union: RAPID SATELLITE CAMBMASS
COMET BRADFIELD (1975p)
The following precise positions have been reported:
1975 UT R. A. (1950) Decl. m1 Observer
Nov. 13.83299 11 10 13.54 -39 27 37.7 10 Jekabsons
16.82676 11 33 07.24 -42 01 37.6 10 Candy
17.72188 11 40 39.65 -42 46 12.0 9 Herald
18.72188 11 49 29.55 -43 34 53.1 "
19.72396 11 58 46.90 -44 21 53.1 9 "
C. Jekabsons and M. P. Candy (Perth Observatory, Bickley). Comet
diffuse with condensation.
D. Herald (Kambah, near Canberra). Diffuse without condensation.
The above observations show that the orbital elements and
ephemeris on IAUC 2868 are essentially correct. The following
approximate ephemeris is provided for those planning observations in
December and January. Refinements will be published later.
1975/76 ET R. A. (1950) Decl. Delta r Elong. m1
Dec. 9 15 58 -44.6 4.9
14 16 53 -38.1 1.14 0.33 16.1 3.5
19 17 37 -28.7 2.1
24 18 14 -17.2 1.19 0.24 6.5 2.2
29 18 45 - 6.8 3.7
Jan. 3 19 15 + 2.2 1.10 0.48 25.9 5.0
8 19 46 +10.4 6.0
13 20 19 +17.9 1.08 0.73 41.1 6.8
TRANSIENT HIGH-LATITUDE X-RAY SOURCE
S. Rappaport, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, reports:
"The SAS-3 Group has detected a very short-lived transient source
of hard x-rays at high galactic latitude: R.A. = 23h48m, Decl. = -64o30'
(equinox 1950.0); l = 313o.5, b = -51o.6; error radius about 1o. The
source, designated MX2348-65, had a 1.5-10 keV intensity of about
0.2 that of the Crab Nebula and was approximately equal in intensity
to the Crab in the region 8-35 keV. The source was detected
three times in a period of 45 seconds as the different fields of
view of four detectors scanned the region during one rotation of
the satellite near Nov. 16d13h57m UT. It was not detected 47 min
earlier or later on the preceding and succeeding scans from which
we conclude that the intensity was less than 0.05 that of the Crab.
Five other detectors whose fields of view did not include the above
source location showed no increase in counting rate or any other
unusual behavior. No star-camera data were available at the time
of the sighting so that the aspect was determined by analyses of
the sightings of known x-ray sources and data from the three-axis
magnetometer. The source is 10o from the center of the Small Magellanic
Cloud and is therefore not associated with it. We believe
that this is the shortest-lived transient x-ray source reported to
date. We note that the discovery of this bright transient source
at high galactic latitudes may have implications for the interpretation
of the unidentified high galactic latitude sources listed in
the Uhuru catalogue. Within 1o.6 of the above position are two B9-type
stars (epsilon Tuc, mv = 4.7; CPD -65 4175 = SAO 255585, mv = 8.7)
and a Mira variable (R Tuc)."
X PERSEI
E. L. Robinson and J. Africano, University of Texas at Austin,
write: "X Per (3U 0352+30) was observed through a u filter with the
McDonald Observatory's high-speed photometer on Nov. 3 UT. The 8-hr
light curve was analyzed for periodic luminosity variations on
timescales between 40 s and 40 min. There were no periodic variations
with an amplitude larger than 0.0006 magnitude. The amplitude
of variations with a period of 13.924 min (cf. IAUC 2854) is
less than 0.0004 magnitude."
COMET SUZUKI-SAIGUSA-MORI (1975k)
A. Mrkos, Klet Observatory, provides the following positions:
1975 UT R. A. (1950) Decl. m1
Oct. 15.16321 11 22 34.42 +42 24 53.8 8.2
15.16529 11 22 34.68 +42 24 50.3
26.17650 12 23 06.93 +31 08 10.6 7.7
26.17789 12 23 08.01 +31 07 54.1
27.16645 12 37 48.69 +27 28 01.1 7.4
27.16784 12 37 50.32 +27 27 40.3
28.18021 12 57 06.13 +22 05 28.4 6.8
28.18235 12 57 08.03 +22 04 56.5
29.18640 13 22 03.66 +14 15 25.2 7.0
29.18744 13 22 05.49 +14 14 50.3
Selected total visual magnitude estimates: Oct. 29.19 UT, 5.8
(A. Bernasconi, Saronno, Italy, 15 x 60 binoculars); Nov. 4.39, 5.2
(M. Stewart, Raumati Beach, New Zealand, 7 x 50 binoculars); 6.42,
4.8 (D. Seargent, The Entrance, New South Wales, naked eye); 8.42,
~ 6 (Seargent, 20 x 65 binoculars); 11.43, 7.1 (B. Sumner, Windsor,
Queensland, 7 x 50 binoculars); 12.53, 7.2 (Sumner).
1975 November 21 (2869) Brian G. Marsden
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