Circular No. 3000 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 Telex: 921428 Telephone: (617) 864-5758 1976 UA The following semiaccurate positions have been reported: 1976 UT R. A. (1950) Decl. Observer Oct. 27.27569 0 07 36 - 1 05.4 Bowell 27.28611 0 07 38 - 1 06.4 " 28.10530 0 09 40.8 - 1 52 26 West E. Bowell (Lowell Observatory). R. M. West and G. Pizarro (European Southern Observatory). The following orbital elements, by B. G. Marsden, are from observations Oct. 22-28. The ephemeris is on IAUC 2999. T = 1976 Aug. 10.584 ET Peri. = 39.580 e = 0.44710 Node = 211.241 1950.0 a = 0.84393 AU Incl. = 5.799 n = 1.27130 q = 0.46661 AU P = 0.775 year NOVA VULPECULAE 1976 G. Klare and B. Wolf, Landessternwarte, Heidelberg-Konigstuhl, report that a spectrogram was obtained in the blue (dispersion 55 A/mm) on Oct. 26.83 UT. An expansion velocity of about -920 km/s was determined from H-beta and H-gamma, which exhibit strong P-Cyg characteristics. Fe II and Ti II emissions were also identified. J. S. Neff and K. Gillies, Department of Physics and Astronomy, State University of Iowa, report that nine observations of flux distribution were obtained in the spectral region 3400-5900 A (resolution 30 A) during Oct. 28.035-28.089 UT; four observations were made of the comparison star 7 Vul. The nova had a very red, smooth, continuous spectrum, the monochromatic magnitude at 6500 A being 7.3. A number of weak emission features were superposed on the continuum, the strongest being H-beta, with a peak flux equal to that of the adjacent continuum. H-beta was somewhat stronger than on Oct. 26.0 UT. J. Mattei, American Association of Variable Star Observers, reports that a photoelectric observation by D. Skilman on Oct. 27.083 UT gave V = 6.59. Other observers have suggested that the nova was unexpectedly bright that same night, although D. Weier remarked that there were considerable short-term fluctuations (by a substantial fraction of a magnitude), both then and on Oct. 28.0-28.1 UT. Magnitude estimates by AAVSO observers on Oct. 29.0 averaged 7.3. NOVA OPHIUCHI 1976 C. Y. Shao, Center for Astrophysics, provides the following photographic magnitude estimates, derived from patrol plates obtained at Harvard Observatory's Agassiz Station: Sept. 13.05 UT, [13.5; 29.06, 11.3; Oct. 11.98, 11.8; 12.99, 11.8; 23.99, 12.4. SUPERNOVA IN ANONYMOUS GALAXY B. Szeidl, Konkoly Observatory, cables that M. Lovas has discovered yet another supernova, 17" east and 10" north of the nucleus of an anonymous galaxy located at R.A. = 0h58m.2, Decl. = -7o21' (equinox 1950.0). On Oct. 24 the photographic magnitude was 17.5. X-RAY BURSTS J. H. Swank, R. H. Becker, S. H. Pravdo, J. R. Saba and P. J. Serlemitsos, Goddard Space Flight Center, report six x-ray bursts observed by OSO 8 between Sept. 2 and 9 from a region 1o x 1o centered on 3U 1636-53. None of the bursts could have come from 4U 1608-52. The bursts were all less than 11s in duration, and the peak intensity was approximately seven times the steady level of 3U 1636-53 or about twice that of the Crab (over 2-20 keV). Three bursts were observed in a scanning detector, the other three in a pointed detector, the risetimes of the latter being approximately 1s.6. The intervals between bursts were within 10 percent of 3h.3. PERIODIC COMET FAYE (1976i) Further precise positions have been reported as follows: 1976 UT R. A. (1950) Decl. m1 Observer Sept.20.57917 20 22 03.49 - 8 08 15.3 Candy 23.49896 20 21 59.02 - 8 27 09.1 16 Furuta M. P. Candy (Perth Observatory, Bickley). 33-cm astrograph. T. Furuta (Tokai). From Orient. Astron. Assoc. Comet Bull. No. 136. (197) ARETE The late H. G. Hertz has drawn attention to the desirability of making astrometric observations of (197) Arete at the present time in order to improve the determination of the mass of (4) Vesta. An ephemeris for the period 1976 Nov. 28-1977 Feb. 6 (photographic opposition magnitude 14.8) is contained in Efemeridy Malykh Planet for 1977, while a somewhat more extended ephemeris (also for the 1978 opposition) is given on Minor Planet Circ. No. 4009. Any observations should be forwarded to the Minor Planet Center. 1976 October 29 (3000) Brian G. Marsden
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