Circular No. 3308 Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION Postal Address: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A. TWX 710-320-6842 ASTROGRAM CAM Telephone 617-864-5758 PROBABLE NOVA IN THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD P. Pesch and N. Sanduleak, Warner and Swasey Observatory, report the discovery of a probable nova in the LMC on a Curtis-Schmidt-telescope, thin-prism, IIIa-J plate taken at Cerro Tololo on Nov. 2. The coordinates are R.A. = 5h01m.0, Decl. = -67o15' (equinox 1975.0). A strong emission feature, presumed to be the blended N1 + N2 doublet of [O III], is the only feature observed in the limited spectral range imposed by the use of a GG455 filter. No continuum is observed (V > 16), which indicates that the nova is many months past maximum and in the advanced nebular stage. POSSIBLE H20 MASER NEAR RT SERPENTIS N. L. Cohen, Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, writes: "On Nov. 4 a possible H20 maser in the direction of the symbiotic star/nova RT Ser was observed at the Haystack Observatory. A single feature at local-standard-of-rest velocity 10.6 km/s appeared at a peak flux of 2.0 Jy (rms noise ~ 0.51 Jy). Confirmation of this feature and other recent observations are needed." SS 433 Further to the note on IAUC 3305, A. Mammano and A. Vittone, Asiago Astrophysical Observatory, report that a possible hot spot has been detected spectroscopically; the projected rotational velocity is 1200 km/s. New data allow reinterpretation of strong intensity variations in bands at 5800, 5895, 5910, 5930 and 6395 A as possibly due to changes in the excitation condition for radiation of [Fe IV], [Mn VI], Fe IV, Mn VI and Mn V. MXB1730-335 W. H. G. Lewin, L. Cominsky and J. van Paradijs, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, report that they made SAS-3 observations of the Rapid Burster on Nov. 16.71 UT for a total continuous exposure of ~ 500 s. They did not detect any bursts and therefore conclude that the source has stopped bursting. Periods of burst activity occur at intervals of ~ 6.5 months and last ~ 2-6 weeks. The source was last seen to be burst active on Oct. 11 (IAUC 3294). The next turn-on is expected in 1979 Apr. 1978 November 21 (3308) Brian G. Marsden
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