Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
IAUC 5331: Poss. N IN Sct; 1991aq; NEPTUNE
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Circular No. 5331
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Postal Address: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
Telephone 617-495-7244/7440/7444 (for emergency use only)
TWX 710-320-6842 ASTROGRAM CAM EASYLINK 62794505
MARSDEN or GREEN@CFA.BITNET MARSDEN or GREEN@CFAPS2.SPAN
POSSIBLE NOVA IN SCUTUM
R. H. McNaught, Anglo-Australian Observatory, reports the
discovery by Paul Camilleri, Cobram, Victoria (using a 135-mm lens and
T-Max 400 film), of a possible nova at R.A. = 18h 44m.4, Decl. =
-8 24' (equinox 1950). Magnitude estimates: Aug. 8.604 UT, [12;
30.468, 10.5; 31.38, 10.5. This last estimate is visual, and it is
comparable to what McNaught, and also D. A. J. Seargent (The Entrance,
N.S.W.), obtained around the same time. The object is situated about
2' west of a mag 12 star. No image appears in this position on Atlas
Stellarum.
SUPERNOVA 1991aq IN ANONYMOUS GALAXY
McNaught also reports his discovery of an apparent supernova on a
red plate taken by P. McKenzie with the U.K. Schmidt Telescope on Aug.
18.75 UT. The supernova, of mag about 18, is situated at R.A. =
1h 53m 44s.6, Decl. = -81 52'46".1 (equinox 1950.0, uncertainty 0".5
in each coordinate), or 5".3 west and 10".6 south of the nucleus of an
anonymous spiral galaxy. No star appears in this position on the SERC
J, R and I and ESO B surveys. A field star of mag about 17 is
situated closer to the nucleus (4".4 west, 3".6 north) at end figures
45s.0, 31".9.
NEPTUNE
A. Marten and D. Gautier, Paris Observatory; T. Owen, D. Sanders,
R. T. Tilanus and J. Deane, Institute for Astronomy, University of
Hawaii; and H. Matthews, Joint Astronomy Center, communicate: "We
report the first detection of CO and HCN on Neptune using the James
Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) and the Caltech Submillimeter
Observatory (CSO) on Mauna Kea. CO was first detected by observing
the 3-2 line at 345.795 GHz with the JCMT on May 24. This detection
was confirmed on June 8, and the 2-1 line at 230.538 GHz was observed
on June 19 with the CSO. The strength of the CO lines suggested that
nitrogen, and hence HCN, should also be present. The 4-3 HCN line at
354.505 GHz was detected on Aug. 2 with the CSO. Since the cores of
the lines are both narrow and in emission, we conclude that they are
formed in the stratosphere, although the two gases may be mixed to
lower levels. These observations are being modelled to obtain
abundances and information on atmospheric structure."
1991 August 31 (5331) Brian G. Marsden
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