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             THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF VARIABLE STAR OBSERVERS
                  25 Birch Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
                         SPAN:  nssdca::cfa8::aavso
                               Tel. 617-354-0484
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		AAVSO ALERT NOTICE 155 (February 20, 1992)


NOVA CYGNI 1992

Peter Collins, Boulder, CO, reports his visual discovery of a nova in Cygnus
on February 19.07 UT at magnitude 6.8:.  On Feb. 19.52 Peter estimated the nova
to be magnitude 6.0:, on Feb. 20.07 magnitude 5.5:, and on Feb. 20.51 magnitude
5.0:.  The precise position position (2000) of the nova was reported by B.
Skiff, Lowell Observatory (IAU Circular 5454), and was precessed for epoch
1950:

		R.A. = 20h 29m 07s  Decl. = +52o 27' 45"

The following observers have visually confirmed the nova:

Feb.	20.19 UT, 	5.3, D. Moore, Dublin, Ireland (via Guy Hurst)
	20.42, 		5.0, J. Bortle, Stormville, NY
	20.43, 		5.0, C. Scovil, Stamford, CT
	20.44, 		5.3, P. Sventek, Houston, TX
	20.53, 		5.3, D. Levy, Tucson, AZ
	20.753, 	4.3, P. Schmeer, Bischmisheim, Germany

The accompanying finder chart from the AAVSO Variable Star Atlas shows the
position of the nova.  Please use this chart to observe the nova and report
your observations to AAVSO Headquarters so we may inform the astronomical
community.

Congratulations to Peter on his latest discovery!


NOVA SAGITTARII 1992

The Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams (IAU Circular 5453) reports that
M. Della Valle and O. Hainaut, European Southern Observatory (ESO), and L.
Wisotski, Hamburg Observatory, confirm spectroscopically the object discovered
by William Liller (see AAVSO Alert Notice 154) to be a nova. Photometric
observations of the nova from ESO are as follow:

Feb.	15.4 UT, 	8.5V  C. Nitschelm, Geneva Observatory
	15.4, 		8.66V G. Cutispoto, Catagna Observatory
	16.5, 		8.93V Cutispoto
	17.4, 		9.12V Cutispoto

R. H. McNaught, Anglo-Australian Observatory, reports the following precise
position (1950) measured from an Uppsala Southern Schmidt Telescope film:

		R.A. = 18h 06m 28.84s   Decl. = -25o 52' 33.3"

He also reports that the star nearest to this position on the ESO B Survey is
of magnitude 18-19, with no obvious color, and located at R.A. = 18h 06m 28.68s,
Decl. = -25o 52' 32.1" (1950). McNaught further reports a magnitude estimate
from P. Camilleri, Cobram, Victoria, Australia, on February 15.724 UT at 9.4.

Please use the accompanying finder chart in making estimates of this nova and
report your observations to AAVSO Headquarters.


SUPERNOVA 1992G IN NGC 3294

The Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams (IAU Circular 5452) reports the
discovery of Supernova 1992G in NGC 3294 by S. Sasaki, Ibaraki, Japan, at
photovisual magnitude 14 on February 9.60 UT. Y. and R. Kushida, Yatsugatake
South Base Observatory, Japan, provide the following precise position (1950)
from a photograph taken February 14.54:

			R.A. = 10h 33m 26.19s
			Decl. = +37deg 34' 47.4"

The offsets from the galaxy nucleus are 27" east and 10.5" south. Further
magnitude estimates are: Feb. 7, (13-13.5 visual, R. Kushida; Feb. 13.75, ~14
photovisual, S. Sasaki; Feb. 14.54, ~13.5 visual, Y. and R. Kushida.

Congratulations to S. Sasaki on his discovery!


PREDICTED ECLIPSE OF THE VERY LONG PERIOD ECLIPSING BINARY 2205+55 EE CEPHEI

Edward Halbach, Estes Park, CO, has alerted us to the upcoming eclipse of the
interesting eclipsing binary 2205+55 EE Cep.  This star, with a period of 2049
days (5.6 years), has been in the AAVSO program and has had limited coverage.
Ed has been monitoring EE Cep for several years, and he informs us that the
midpoint of the next eclipse is predicted to occur on March 9, 1992. The AAVSO
data indicate that the duration of the eclipse in 1986 was about 60 days.

Accompanying is an AAVSO preliminary chart for EE Cep.  Marvin Baldwin,
Chairman of the AAVSO Eclipsing Binary Committee, recommends that observers
use the 10.3, 10.9, and 11.9 comparison stars on this chart in monitoring the
eclipse, which is well located for northern observers.  Please send your
observations to AAVSO Headquarters so they may be added to the AAVSO data
files on this very interesting star.

The answering machine (617-354-0484) at AAVSO Headquarters is on nights and
weekends for your convenience.

Many thanks for your efforts and for your valuable astronomical contributions.

Good observing!

Janet A. Mattei
Director