Circular No. 3406 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 2S 1822-371 P. Seitzer and I. R. Tuohy, Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories; K. O. Mason, J. Middleditch and J. Nelson, University of California at Berkeley; and N. E. White, Goddard Space Flight Center, report that optical photometry of the star associated with 2S 1822-371 (Griffiths et al. 1978, Nature 276, 247) at Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory and Mt. Stromlo reveals a smooth modulation with a period of 5.5697 +/- 0.0015 hours and a minimum at 1979 Aug. 16.455 +/- 0.008 UT. The lightcurve shows a V-shaped minimum with a full width at half light of ~ 1 hour, a B magnitude at maximum of 15.6 and a range of ~ 1 magnitude. Einstein solid-state-spectrometer data show evidence for variability by a factor of two on a timescale of an hour but no x-ray eclipse at the projected time of optical minimum. V794 AQUILAE L. Meinunger, Sonneberg Observatory, reports that Sonneberg plates show that V794 Aql exhibits brightness variations that are very similar to those of AN UMa. The spectrum reveals slightly diffuse hydrogen emission lines superposed on a blue continuum (Bond 1978, P.A.S.P. 90, 526). Photoelectric and x-ray observations are therefore very desirable. On Sept. 11 the photographic magnitude of V794 Aql was 15.3. COMET ON PALOMAR SKY SURVEY H. Hartl, Institut fur Astronomie, Innsbruck, writes that he has found images of an unidentified comet on Palomar Sky Survey prints No. 1267. On the red print, there is a diffuse trail ~0'.4 long, while the blue print shows a more concentrated blob with an elongated shape and a diameter of ~ 6"; the blue print also shows a very faint tail, about 20" long and directed toward the west. The position determined from the blue exposure (uncertainty +/- 3") is: 1954 UT R.A. (1950) Decl. m1 Nov. 4.42778 5 22 49.8 +14 32 52 ~19.5 The corresponding position is at x = 99 mm and y = 305 mm from the lower left corner of the red print. The comet's daily motion is ~ 11' in a direction 73o +/- 5o south of west. 1979 September 19 (3406) Brian G. Marsden
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