THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF VARIABLE STAR OBSERVERS
                      25 Birch Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
                             INTERNET:  aavso@aavso.org
                     Tel. 617-354-0484       FAX 617-354-0665

                    AAVSO ALERT NOTICE 256 (April 27, 1999)

1801-27 NOVA SAGITTARII 1999

We have been informed by the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams (IAU
Circular 7153) that Y. and R. Kushida, Yatsugatake South Base Observatory,
Japan, report the discovery by Minoru Yamamoto, Okazaki, Japan, of a nova in
Sagittarius on April 25.732 UT at photovisual magnitude 8.6, using TMax 400
film with a PO-0 filter and 200-mm f/4 lens.  Yamamoto reports that no object
was present down to magnitude 10.6 on films taken April 11, nor on a number of
films dating back to February 1997.

R. and Y. Kushida report an observation made with an 0.4-m f/6.3
Schmidt-Cassegrain (+CCD without filter) of the object at CCD magnitude 7.6
on April 26.77778 UT.  They also provide the following precise position:

       R.A. = 18h 07m 36.22s    Dec. = -27 degrees 20' 13.5"   (2000)

W. Liller, Vina del Mar, Chile, informs us that he obtained a low-resolution
CCD spectrogram on April 27.195 UT using an 0.20-m Schmidt camera (+ objective
prism) that shows a nova in the early stages of development.  He measured the
nova at CCDV magnitude 7.95 on April 27.18 UT (comparison star SAO 186331 with
Tycho V = 8.58).  He also reports that a photograph taken by him on April
21.24
UT showed no new object down to V = 11.5.

Additional observations reported to the AAVSO include Apr. 27.3326 UT, 7.8,
C. Scovil, Stamford, CT; 27.364, 7.18: CCDV, R. Zissell, S. Hadley, MA.

Observers should note that there is a Mira variable, V4006 Sgr, to the
southwest of the nova.

Accompanying is a CCDV image of the field of N Sgr 99 taken by R. Zissell on
Apr. 27.353 UT.

Also accompanying is an AAVSO preliminary "d" scale chart prepared by C.
Scovil.  Please use this chart to observe 1801-27 N Sgr 99, and report your
observations to AAVSO Headquarters.  Please be sure to indicate which
comparison stars you used to make your observations.

Congratulations to Minoru Yamamoto on his discovery!

CHARTS AND IMAGE AVAILABLE ON AAVSO WEB AND FTP SITES

Electronic copies of the AAVSO chart of N Sgr 99 and the CCDV image of N
Sgr 99
mentioned in this Alert Notice, as well as the reversed versions of these
charts prepared by Marc Biesmanns, are available through our web site at the
following address:

                          http://www.aavso.org

These charts and the image may also be obtained directly from our FTP site:

          ftp.aavso.org (198.116.78.5), in /alerts/alert256)

The answering machine at AAVSO Headquarters is on nights and weekends for your
convenience. Please call our charge-free number (888-802-STAR = 888-802-7827)
to report your observations. We also encourage observers to send observations
by fax to 617-354-0665 or by e-mail through the Internet to
observations@aavso.org.

Many thanks for your valuable astronomical contributions and your efforts.

Good observing!

Janet A. Mattei
Director